Pride Month: Celebrating Inclusivity & Diversity
Date: June 1, 2021
To: Brams United Soccer Club Membership
From: Brams United Soccer Club Board of Directors and Staff
Subject: Pride Month: Celebrating Inclusivity & Diversity
June marks International Pride Month. A month to celebrate and honour members of the LGBTQ2S+ Community. It is an opportunity to remember the history of injustice towards members of the Community, celebrate the accomplishments, encourage safe and inclusive spaces for those to celebrate their sexual and gender identities in public, and a reminder that though there has been progress, there is still work to be done.
At Brams United, our guiding principle is to provide our members a place to participate and stay active in an environment that is safe, welcoming, and inclusive. We believe there should be a place for everyone on and off the pitch and we welcome and embrace diversity, treat everyone with respect and actively seek opportunities to research and educate in order to create a more inclusive environment.
In celebration of Pride Month, Brams United is pleased to announce the release of our Inclusion Policy, designed to create an inclusive environment for transgender participants. In partnership with PowerUp Sports, Brams United will be introducing new registration features to ensure members feel welcomed right from the first step of registrations and follows through to how they enjoy the game of soccer on the pitch. The new features allow members to share their preferred pronouns such as he/him, she/her, they/them which will be included on the game sheets. Use of incorrect pronouns, whether it is inadvertently or purposefully is equally harmful and contributes to the alienation of the members of the LGBTQ2S+ Community. Brams United focus is to be supportive in affirming a participant’s gender identity.
Finally, in recognition of Pride month, Brams United will be flying the Progress Pride flag via our social channels in support and celebration of diversity in all programs and communities. The Progress Pride flag includes the rainbow colours of Pride, incorporates black and brown stripes representing people of colour and baby blue, pink and white representing trans individuals.
We are excited to kick off Pride month on a positive note and remind all members of our community that Brams United is a safe space for you, no matter race, gender, age, religion, or sexuality. We are committed to being an organization that advocates for all and will continue to collaborate, develop and learn to ensure our members and community have a place where they feel safe, included and are proud to be part of. Soccer is universal and as such there is a place on and off the pitch for everyone, this is what makes our game so beautiful! The Board and Staff of Brams United embrace the differences that make everyone unique. Soccer is for All. This month and every day, we celebrate you, our members, our community.
Sincerely,
Brams United Soccer Club