Under Armour Teams up with Chloe Logarzo, Sydney WorldPride and Sydney Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras to Show Support for LGBTQIA+ Community
To celebrate the launch of its new Pride Collection, Under Armour partners with Sydney WorldPride, other not-for-profits, and Chloe Logarzo to champion equality and inclusivity in sport.
As Sydney WorldPride makes its way to the Southern Hemisphere next month for the first time in history, global sports performance brand Under Armour is proud to announce its partnership with the festival and Sydney Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras to celebrate and support the LGBTQIA+ sport community, with football legend Chloe Logarzo, a Sydney WorldPride Rainbow Champion, on board to help inspire the next generation of athletes.
With recent research from Pride in Sport revealing how important it is for players to be their authentic selves on the field, Under Armour has teamed up with Chloe as an LGBTQIA+ Advocate to show how crucial diverse role models are in the sporting world. Chloe will be joining celebrations at the Sydney Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras Parade on Sábado 25 Fevereiro and repping the new WorldPride-endorsed Under Armour Pride Collection. The range, which has been designed by a group of LGBTQIA+ teammates and allies, is available from 15th Fevereiro online and in Under Armour Brand Houses, where proceeds will support youth-based LGBTQIA+ non-profits, Unmatch Athlete and Rainbow Labs, as well as Sydney WorldPride; each with the goal of providing safe places for LGTBQIA+ athletes and allies to play and compete.
“I think it’s important to have someone that you can look up to in the community and to feel like you’re included. For me, when I was a kid I didn’t have anyone to look up to because I didn’t know anyone who was like me. So to be that person in the LGBTQIA+ community, that a young kid or adolescent can look up to, and can connect with is something I don’t take lightly. You can’t be what you can’t see and SWP is all about representation and celebrating the LGBTQIA+ community, including all the amazing athletes”. – Chloe Logarzo
Whilst there is still a way to go for equality and inclusivity in sport, encouraging research from Pride in Sport, which surveyed people from the LGBTQ sport community in 2022, found that 78% of LGBTQ respondents would recommend their sport as an inclusive space for those in the community and 88% felt included in the past year based on their sexuality.
Further research showed that despite only 34% of LGBTQ respondents being openly ‘out’ to everyone in their sport, 67% of those that were ‘out’ believe it has improved their level of engagement in the team.
“Sydney WorldPride is excited to partner with Under Armour and the legend that is Chloe Logarzo. The sporting and LGBTQIA+ community go hand in hand and we couldn’t be more proud to work alongside them towards equality in sports for all” says Sydney WorldPride CEO, Kate Wickett.
“We’re thrilled to partner with Under Armour and Chloe Logarzo, to celebrate and support the LGBTQIA+ sports community and advance equality and inclusivity in sport,” said Sydney Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras CEO Albert Kruger. “This partnership will help us inspire the LGBTQIA+ sporting community, and provide a platform to make a positive impact.”
To further celebrate the Sydney WorldPride season, Under Armour is also supporting the Sydney 2023 International Gay & Lesbian Football Association (IGLFA) World Championships with a $20,000 donation that will help fund the tournament, providing player health and safety services, inclusivity services – including AUSLAN interpretation, accessibility infrastructure and hardship support – elevated game day spaces, playing gear, photography and tournament prizing for the players.
Sydney IGLFA 2023 Tournament organising committee member, Ky Menzies, shared her excitement and hopes for the tournament:
“Holding this tournament during Sydney WorldPride is an amazing opportunity to celebrate LGBTIQA+ diversity and inclusion and immerse ourselves in football at the same time! We want to create a space where LGBTIQA+ football players of different ages and skill levels can come together to participate in a fun and inclusive environment.”
She explains what the Under Armour support means to the players and broader LGBTIQA+ community:
“Support from partners like Under Armour can’t be understated. It means a lot that our local LGBTIQA+ grassroots community clubs, The Flying Bats Women’s Football Club and Sydney Rangers FC, receive support that directly promotes inclusion in the game. Along with our co-host, Pride Football Australia, this support and the tournament will provide us a springboard to increase our outreach and community participation in football”.
To cheer on players, meet with fans and present the winning trophies, Chloe will attend the IGLFA World Championships finals on Quinta-feira 23 Fevereiro in Tempe Sydney. Those in attendance will also get the chance to go home with a signed piece by Chloe from the Under Armour Pride collection.
