Pro and amateur athletes across Australia will lace up their athletic shoes with LGBT rainbow laces this weekend to raise awareness of homophobia in sports.
Modeled after a similar program in Britain, the “Rainbow Round of Sport” involves players from Aussie Rules Football, pro soccer, National Rugby League, Super Rugby and Super Netball matches from Thurday through Sunday, as well as athletes in amateur and recreational sports.
Pro rugby player Johnathan Thurston did a promo for the weekend:
Australian sportswear company SKINS is the force behind the campaign and is using Twitter to highlight problems faced by LGBT athletes in Australia.
This is unacceptable. Help us lace-up for the love of sport this weekend. #RainbowLaces pic.twitter.com/E2fOO2nME8
— SKINS Australia (@SKINSAU) April 3, 2017
Just not good enough.
— SKINS Australia (@SKINSAU) April 2, 2017
Help us lace-up for the love of sport with #RainbowLaces next weekend! pic.twitter.com/seE2UhYiuN
It is a great campaign since awareness of an issue is always a good thing. And the laces look cool to boot. I’d wear a pair.