10 Inspirg Gay Rugby Players and Personali

Contents:

• MEET THE AZLANS, NORTHERN IRELAND'S ONLY PREDOMANTLY GAY GBY TEAM
• IRISH GBY STAR OUT AS GAY AFTER FEARG HE WOULD HAVE TO QU GAME
• NORTHERN IRELAND FALLY GETS AN LGBT-INCLIVE RUGBY TEAM"IT'S GREAT N BE YOURSELF ONT OF EVERYONE AND BE FORTABLE." {FONT:NORMAL 800 1.2REM/1.2 "D BOLD",SANS-SERIF;TEXT-TRANSFORM:NORMAL;LOR:HER;DISPLAY:LE-BLOCK;PADDG-BOTTOM:6PX;POSN:RELATIVE;TEXT-TRANSFORM:UPPERSE;}{BACKGROUND:#89308A;BOTTOM:0;NTENT:'';DISPLAY:BLOCK;HEIGHT:2PX;LEFT:0;POSN:ABSOLUTE;RIGHT:0;-WEBK-TRANSN:ALL 0.2S EASE;TRANSN:ALL 0.2S EASE;WIDTH:100%;}{LEFT:51%;RIGHT:51%;WIDTH:0;}{FONT:NORMAL 800 1.2REM/1.2 "D BOLD",SANS-SERIF;TEXT-TRANSFORM:NORMAL;LOR:HER;DISPLAY:LE-BLOCK;PADDG-BOTTOM:6PX;POSN:RELATIVE;TEXT-TRANSFORM:UPPERSE;}{BACKGROUND:#89308A;BOTTOM:0;NTENT:'';DISPLAY:BLOCK;HEIGHT:2PX;LEFT:0;POSN:ABSOLUTE;RIGHT:0;-WEBK-TRANSN:ALL 0.2S EASE;TRANSN:ALL 0.2S EASE;WIDTH:100%;}{LEFT:51%;RIGHT:51%;WIDTH:0;}LIFEBY CODY GOHLAPRIL 27, 2016/1:42 PMBY CODY GOHLAPRIL 27, 2016 / 1:42 PM{"@NTEXT":","@TYPE":"NEWSARTICLE","HEADLE":"NORTHERN IRELAND FALLY GETS AN LGBT-INCLIVE RUGBY TEAM","DATEPUBLISHED":"2016-04-27T17:42:41.000+0000","DATEMODIFIED":"2016-04-27T17:42:41.000+0000","IMAGE":{"@NTEXT":","@TYPE":"IMAGEOBJECT","WIDTH":1920,"HEIGHT":1080},"URL":","THOR":{"@TYPE":"ORGANIZATN","NAME":"LOGO TV"},"MAENTYOFPAGE":{"@TYPE":"WEBPAGE","@ID":"},"PUBLISHER":{"@TYPE":"ORGANIZATN","@ID":","NAME":"LOGO TV","URL":","LOGO":{"@TYPE":"IMAGEOBJECT"}},"CREATOR":"CODY GOHL","ARTICLESECTN":"LIFE"}{BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#354A4E;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}IN HOP OF MAKG GBY A MORE CLIVE SPORT, A GROUP OF IRISH ATHLET HAVE GOTTEN TOGETHER TO FORM NORTHERN IRELAND'S ONLY PREDOMANTLY GAY GBY {BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#354A4E;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}IN THE SPIR OF TE CLIVY, THE BELFAST-BASED AZLANS GBY CLUB IS OPEN TO ALL: YOUNG AND OLD, GAY AND STRAIGHT, TOTAL BEGNERS AND TRAED EXPERTS {BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#354A4E;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}KEV BARTLETT, THE MAN BEHD THE TEAM, EXPLAED TO THE BELFAST TELEGRAPH THAT "THE AZLANS WELG EVERYONE AND MAKG EVERYONE FEEL WELE."{BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#354A4E;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}BARTLETT WAS A MEMBER OF NORTHERN IRELAND'S FIRST GAY-IENDLY GBY TEAM, THE ULSTER TANS, BEFORE S DISBANDMENT, AND SAYS HE CID TO FOUND THE AZLANS AS A SPACE THAT WOULD PTURE THE TANS' OPEN {BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#354A4E;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}"IT ME ABOUT BEE A LOT OF PEOPLE WERE SAYG TO ME THAT THEY WOULD LIKE TO PLAY GBY BUT THEY DIDN'T KNOW WHERE TO GO," HE {BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#354A4E;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}"WE ARE THERE FOR PEOPLE WHO MAYBE HAVE NEVER PLAYED GBY BEFORE, FOR WHATEVER REASON, OR MAYBE THEY WOULD LIKE TO GET BACK TO THE SPORT. YOU N E ALONG AND LEARN AND TRA. EVERYONE IS ACCEPTED— DON'T MATTER WHO THEY ARE."{BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#354A4E;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}BARTLETT'S TEAMMATE STEPHEN AIKEN, WHO HAS BEEN VOLVED WH THE TEAM SCE S CEPTN, FDS THAT THE AZLANS CLUB OFFERS A SAFE SPACE FOR HIM TO BE EXACTLY WHO HE {BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#354A4E;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}"WHEN WE ARE OUT ON THE PCH, YOU REALIZE HOW WELL EVERYONE GETS ON—WHAT HAPPENS ON THE PCH DON'T AFFECT WHAT HAPPENS WHEN YOU E OFF . IT'S GREAT BEE YOU DON'T HAVE TO PUT ON A ONT, YOU N BE YOURSELF ONT OF EVERYONE AND BE FORTABLE."{BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#354A4E;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}TO FD OUT MORE ABOUT THE TEAM, CHECK OUT THEIR FACEBOOK PAGE!{BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;CLEAR:BOTH;}{BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;MARG:0 TO;WIDTH:90%;M-WIDTH:288PX;MAX-WIDTH:1440PX;M-HEIGHT:194PX;}LATT NEWS
• THE ULSTER TANS, NORTHERN IRELAND’S FIRST GAY IENDLY GBY TEAM
• THE BEST BELFAST GAY CLUBS & BARSGAY CLUBS & BARS BELFAST
• NORTHERN IRELAND GAY GBY SQUAD SCM FOR CUP TO HONOUR 9/11HERO
• IRISH MISTER SLAMS GAY GBY TEAM
• DISMANTLG STEREOTYP: 10 INSPIRG GAY RUGBY PLAYERS AND PERSONALI

MEET THE AZLANS, NORTHERN IRELAND'S ONLY PREDOMANTLY GAY GBY TEAM

FIND YOUR NEAREST GAY & INCLUSIVE RUGBY CLUB. Wh lots of new Gay & Inclive Rugby Clubs settg up across the globe each year, ’s more and more likely that you live close enough to one to get volved wh and enjoy all kds of gby – regardls of your genr, sexualy, ethnicy, relign, size or gby abily.Use the Map Search below or scroll through the Global Club Listgs lower down this page to fd an IGR club.

A group of dited sportsmen have got together to create Northern Ireland's only gay gby team a bid to make the game more than that, the Belfast-based Azlans club is open to all - young and old, gay and straight, plete begners and those wh a great al more Bartlett, the man behd the team, explaed: "The Azlans are actually an clive team. "Antrim man Kev, a disabily support officer, has been volved clive sport for the past 20 was volved heavily wh the Ulster Tans, Northern Ireland's first gay-iendly gby club, before ceased to exist. "Y, the team is open to gay people, but you don't have to be gay to get volved.

It offers the opportuny to velop and there is also a safe environment but isn't all about jt beg gay. Belfast-based Azlans club on ver of GNI Mag"Y, there are gay people who e along and feel fortable, but is actually about targetg everyone, for example the person who has always played Gaelic but thks they would like to give gby a go. Lester scm-half Nick McCarthy has publicly e out as gay, revealg that he thought he would have to qu gby before cidg to tell his ach and lleagu stead.

IRISH GBY STAR OUT AS GAY AFTER FEARG HE WOULD HAVE TO QU GAME

“I need to accept beg gay myself before I uld addrs wh others. "My iends have been unbelievable helpg me to accept that I am gay and to help me embrace that part of my life now.

“In turn, I feel if I n now help others e out profsnal sport or their everyday liv and make beg gay more normal and not a thg to be worried about, then that is a posive. Belong To is the natnal anisatn supportg lbian, gay, bisexual, transgenr and queer (LGBTQ+) young people Ireland.

In hop of makg gby a more clive sport, a group of Irish athlet have gotten together to form Northern Ireland's only predomantly gay gby the spir of te clivy, the Belfast-based Azlans gby club is open to all: young and old, gay and straight, total begners and traed experts Bartlett, the man behd the team, explaed to the Belfast Telegraph that "The Azlans welg everyone and makg everyone feel wele. "Bartlett was a member of Northern Ireland's first gay-iendly gby team, the Ulster Tans, before s disbandment, and says he cid to found the Azlans as a space that would pture the Tans' open spir. Audienc mark the down as a moral tale and a flight of cematic fantasy, but now Northern Ireland has a real versn of this formulaic players leavg trag muddy and bised every Tuday, Thursday and Saturday are members of the Ulster Tans, Northern Ireland's first gay-iendly gby team.

NORTHERN IRELAND FALLY GETS AN LGBT-INCLIVE RUGBY TEAM"IT'S GREAT N BE YOURSELF ONT OF EVERYONE AND BE FORTABLE." {FONT:NORMAL 800 1.2REM/1.2 "D BOLD",SANS-SERIF;TEXT-TRANSFORM:NORMAL;LOR:HER;DISPLAY:LE-BLOCK;PADDG-BOTTOM:6PX;POSN:RELATIVE;TEXT-TRANSFORM:UPPERSE;}{BACKGROUND:#89308A;BOTTOM:0;NTENT:'';DISPLAY:BLOCK;HEIGHT:2PX;LEFT:0;POSN:ABSOLUTE;RIGHT:0;-WEBK-TRANSN:ALL 0.2S EASE;TRANSN:ALL 0.2S EASE;WIDTH:100%;}{LEFT:51%;RIGHT:51%;WIDTH:0;}{FONT:NORMAL 800 1.2REM/1.2 "D BOLD",SANS-SERIF;TEXT-TRANSFORM:NORMAL;LOR:HER;DISPLAY:LE-BLOCK;PADDG-BOTTOM:6PX;POSN:RELATIVE;TEXT-TRANSFORM:UPPERSE;}{BACKGROUND:#89308A;BOTTOM:0;NTENT:'';DISPLAY:BLOCK;HEIGHT:2PX;LEFT:0;POSN:ABSOLUTE;RIGHT:0;-WEBK-TRANSN:ALL 0.2S EASE;TRANSN:ALL 0.2S EASE;WIDTH:100%;}{LEFT:51%;RIGHT:51%;WIDTH:0;}LIFEBY CODY GOHLAPRIL 27, 2016/1:42 PMBY CODY GOHLAPRIL 27, 2016 / 1:42 PM{"@NTEXT":","@TYPE":"NEWSARTICLE","HEADLE":"NORTHERN IRELAND FALLY GETS AN LGBT-INCLIVE RUGBY TEAM","DATEPUBLISHED":"2016-04-27T17:42:41.000+0000","DATEMODIFIED":"2016-04-27T17:42:41.000+0000","IMAGE":{"@NTEXT":","@TYPE":"IMAGEOBJECT","WIDTH":1920,"HEIGHT":1080},"URL":","THOR":{"@TYPE":"ORGANIZATN","NAME":"LOGO TV"},"MAENTYOFPAGE":{"@TYPE":"WEBPAGE","@ID":"},"PUBLISHER":{"@TYPE":"ORGANIZATN","@ID":","NAME":"LOGO TV","URL":","LOGO":{"@TYPE":"IMAGEOBJECT"}},"CREATOR":"CODY GOHL","ARTICLESECTN":"LIFE"}{BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#354A4E;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}IN HOP OF MAKG GBY A MORE CLIVE SPORT, A GROUP OF IRISH ATHLET HAVE GOTTEN TOGETHER TO FORM NORTHERN IRELAND'S ONLY PREDOMANTLY GAY GBY {BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#354A4E;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}IN THE SPIR OF TE CLIVY, THE BELFAST-BASED AZLANS GBY CLUB IS OPEN TO ALL: YOUNG AND OLD, GAY AND STRAIGHT, TOTAL BEGNERS AND TRAED EXPERTS {BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#354A4E;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}KEV BARTLETT, THE MAN BEHD THE TEAM, EXPLAED TO THE BELFAST TELEGRAPH THAT "THE AZLANS WELG EVERYONE AND MAKG EVERYONE FEEL WELE."{BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#354A4E;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}BARTLETT WAS A MEMBER OF NORTHERN IRELAND'S FIRST GAY-IENDLY GBY TEAM, THE ULSTER TANS, BEFORE S DISBANDMENT, AND SAYS HE CID TO FOUND THE AZLANS AS A SPACE THAT WOULD PTURE THE TANS' OPEN {BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#354A4E;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}"IT ME ABOUT BEE A LOT OF PEOPLE WERE SAYG TO ME THAT THEY WOULD LIKE TO PLAY GBY BUT THEY DIDN'T KNOW WHERE TO GO," HE {BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#354A4E;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}"WE ARE THERE FOR PEOPLE WHO MAYBE HAVE NEVER PLAYED GBY BEFORE, FOR WHATEVER REASON, OR MAYBE THEY WOULD LIKE TO GET BACK TO THE SPORT. YOU N E ALONG AND LEARN AND TRA. EVERYONE IS ACCEPTED— DON'T MATTER WHO THEY ARE."{BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#354A4E;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}BARTLETT'S TEAMMATE STEPHEN AIKEN, WHO HAS BEEN VOLVED WH THE TEAM SCE S CEPTN, FDS THAT THE AZLANS CLUB OFFERS A SAFE SPACE FOR HIM TO BE EXACTLY WHO HE {BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#354A4E;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}"WHEN WE ARE OUT ON THE PCH, YOU REALIZE HOW WELL EVERYONE GETS ON—WHAT HAPPENS ON THE PCH DON'T AFFECT WHAT HAPPENS WHEN YOU E OFF . IT'S GREAT BEE YOU DON'T HAVE TO PUT ON A ONT, YOU N BE YOURSELF ONT OF EVERYONE AND BE FORTABLE."{BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#354A4E;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}TO FD OUT MORE ABOUT THE TEAM, CHECK OUT THEIR FACEBOOK PAGE!{BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;CLEAR:BOTH;}{BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;MARG:0 TO;WIDTH:90%;M-WIDTH:288PX;MAX-WIDTH:1440PX;M-HEIGHT:194PX;}LATT NEWS

They have been the targets of policians and general cynicism, but have still played the knockout stag of a world club champnship, the Bgham team's wger, Dunn Neil (25), a technician at Belfast’s art llege, n see why there have been so many raised eyebrows at the mentn of a gay gby team.

”Life for any new team any sport is tough but for a gay team gby the stak seem all the higher.

He says: “I thk is important that is gay-iendly. Their road to ternatnal gby has cid wh a renewed spotlight on Belfast's gay muny. We want to foc on the gby, not the gay element to .

THE ULSTER TANS, NORTHERN IRELAND’S FIRST GAY IENDLY GBY TEAM

When Iris Robson ma her ments they were about the whole gay muny and my reactn was as an dividual, not as part of the team. He acced the team of apartheid sport, claimg would be unacceptable to produce an all-black team or an all-whe team so why was an all-gay team acceptable. The then Mister for Culture, Arts and Leisure said that to him was equally unacceptable to produce an all-homosexual gby the lm manner of a man who has faced flack om 20-stone prop forwards, Sean flected the ments.

At the time he said ostensibly that the Tans are a gay team but are by no means exclive. ”It was buoyed up by this support and beg followed a BBC documentary team that the Tans ma their way to the Bgham Gay Rugby World Cup. This was the fourth biannual tournament dited to Mark Bgham, one of the hero who stormed the ckp of Uned 93 on 9/11 and a gay gby player.

THE BEST BELFAST GAY CLUBS & BARSGAY CLUBS & BARS BELFAST

Caledonian Thebans Rugby Football Club are Stland’s first – and currently only – gay-iendly gby club. Swansea Vikgs are a Gay & Inclive gby team. Gay and clive gby unn team for Chter.

The Aberen Taexali is Aberen’s first Inclive Rugby team, for gay, bisexual, straight and trans men. He is also an athlete himself, havg peted  athletics, badmton and gby, and brought home a gold medal om the Gay Gam Vanuver 1990.

The sports enthiast has advoted for greater acceptance of LGBT+ people sports, and told the BBC a 2020 terview: “I’ve e across homophobic ments.

NORTHERN IRELAND GAY GBY SQUAD SCM FOR CUP TO HONOUR 9/11HERO

“It’s not that long ago we’ve heard even famo people makg homophobic ments, and I’ve heard them muttered the background, I’ve heard them said actually blatantly on a pch, so happens. “We’ve got a long way to go still before beg gay or havg any sort of difference sexualy is pletely accepted, but I thk more than anythg ’s jt about feelg that you’re safe. In May 1973 merged wh the lol GLF group to form Belfast Gay Liberatn Society.

In May 1997 an off duty RUC police officer was the gay Parliament Bar Belfast when he was shot ad by an unintified assass om the Irish Natnal Liberatn Army.

IRISH MISTER SLAMS GAY GBY TEAM

There are a number of gay bars, many of them ncentrated the Cathedral Quarter.

Ulster Tans is a lol gay-iendly gby team. Gay Belfast. ↑ Blood on the Dancefloor: The gay police officer murr which shocked NI BBC May 2023.

DISMANTLG STEREOTYP: 10 INSPIRG GAY RUGBY PLAYERS AND PERSONALI

Adjourng the se for four weeks to January 26, Mr McStay said Bartlett “mt make an appearance on the next ocsn” part of his bail ndns, Bartlett is barred om ntactg the alleged victim or prosecutn wns and is also prohibed om “practisg as a personal massse at any time” 2016, registered sports phystherapist Bartlett found the Belfast Azlans, a predomantly gay gby team.

He has won a gold medal at the Vanuver Gay Gam, peted natnal champnships and excelled gby and athletics.