COVERED 2025 Spring

33 JOIN OUR MAILING LIST FOR ALL THE LATEST: TRENTBRIDGE.CO.UK/MAILINGLIST “O ut in public I can put a bit of a demeanour on when I’m walking down the streets, because there’s still that prejudice out there.You don’t know if there will be someone out there who will start shouting at you or will attack you.” It’s a revelation from Robbie Jacques, of the OUTlaws LGBTQ+ Supporters Group, that stops you in your tracks. In 2025, the simple act of walking down the street should surely not feel fraught with risk. But, in a sentence, it encapsulates exactly why awareness needs to be raised, prejudices challenged, if society – and sport – is to feel welcoming to all. Robbie is one of the founding members of the group, which now boasts over 100 members and played a prominent part inTrent Bridge’s commemoration of the Rainbow Laces weekend. “I didn’t realise there would be so many people interested in joining the group when it started,” he says, as we overlook Trent Bridge in midwinter from beneath the Stuart Broad End scoreboard. “We want to make sure that people from the LGBTQ+ community who might feel a little bit anxious about going to a sports game know that the ground is a place where they can feel comfortable. “Whenever I come toTrent Bridge I feel like I can be myself and have a bit of a laugh. I don’t feel like I have to worry about the prejudices from out- side the ground. “If we can help more people to feel the same, then we’re doing our jobs properly.” Those who attended Notts Outlaws’ Vitality Blast fixture against Birming- ham Bears last summer would have noticed a number of rainbow-themed touches around the ground, as Trent Bridge joined the wider game in supporting cricket’s Rainbow Laces weekend. In advance of the fixture, Sam from the OUTlaws visitedTrent Bridge to discuss the importance of showing visible support for the campaign with players and coaching staff. And for Robbie, it was the tangible allyship across the venue which made the biggest impact. “It was slightly surreal to see the things we’d been planning come to fruition,” he recalls. “Seeing the staff around the ground wearing rainbow shirts and lanyards was really nice, and the players warming up in rainbow t-shirts made a huge impact too. “When I was growing up, watching and playing football and rugby, there weren’t really those visual displays of support in sport, and I did struggle with my sexuality. “But for younger people now who are discovering their sexuality to see professional players showing their THE OUTLAWS