On May 17, Belgravia Leisure and Belgravia Foundation proudly stood with the LGBTIQA+ community to celebrate IDAHOBIT, the International Day Against Homophobia, Biphobia, Interphobia and Transphobia. More than just a date on the calendar, IDAHOBIT is a powerful reminder of our commitment to inclusion, visibility and belonging.
Across the country, our venues came alive with rainbow colours, meaningful conversations and messages of support, showing that every individual is welcome, seen and valued in our spaces.
According to the Belgravia Leisure Census, nearly 1 in 10 team members in Australia identify as part of the LGBTIQA+ community, serving as a reminder that inclusive actions in our venues reflect and support the diversity of the people who work in them.
Small and large initiatives are meaningful reminders that inclusion is a daily practice and visibility matters. Our venues are more than just places for health and fitness; they are hubs for belonging, understanding and change.
“Celebrating IDAHOBIT is important for many reasons, including bringing awareness to the community and workforce, but it’s also a meaningful step toward creating safer, more welcoming and inclusive spaces for all. These local activations not only show our commitment to LGBTIQA+ inclusion, but they also spark important conversations and local collaboration that help build stronger pathways to participation now and into the future,” said Emma Lowe, National Access and Inclusion Coordinator.
From regional facilities to large leisure centres, our teams took the opportunity to engage with their communities, educate team members and patrons and bring vibrant visibility to this meaningful day. Here are just a few highlights from across our network:
Mill Park Leisure and Thomastown Recreation & Aquatic Centre (TRAC) proudly gave visibility to IDAHOBIT with solidarity messaging displayed across social media, internal TVs, and websites. Team members wore rainbow accessories and ally badges, with Mill Park Leisure featuring a bright Rainbow Arch at the entrance, while TRAC was decorated with rainbow colours throughout the centre.
Monbulk Aquatic Centre, Yarra Centre, and Jack Hort Memorial Pool decorated their facilities with rainbow elements, shared messages of support on digital screens, and encouraged team members to wear rainbow attire to spark important conversations.
Lawnton Aquatic Centre added a burst of colour to its Learn to Swim classes, with posters, flags, and rainbow displays that sparked meaningful interactions with customers.
Albany Creek Leisure Centre went all out with a rainbow balloon arch, colourful streamers and posters throughout the gym and aquatic areas, and staff proudly donning bright colours. Social media also helped amplify their message of inclusion.
Manning Aquatic Centre Bathurst created a vibrant wall display in the reception area with the help of the community, while also sharing solidarity messages through social media tiles.
WaterMarc created awareness with eye-catching displays in both the pool hall and health club foyers, and also shared their support across social media. At Gympie Aquatic Recreation Centre, a display at the reception desk sparked meaningful conversations with customers, creating great opportunities for awareness and connection.
IDAHOBIT is an opportunity not only to celebrate diversity, but also to reflect on the work still needed to ensure that every individual feels safe, respected, and welcomed regardless of their sexuality, gender identity or expression.
Belgravia Leisure and Belgravia Foundation are proud of the teams who led these inclusive actions and remain committed to continuing our journey toward greater awareness, education, and equality for all. Together, we can continue creating spaces where everyone truly belongs.
This commitment is reflected in Belgravia Leisure’s Social Inclusion Statement, which clearly outlines our intention to welcome the LGBTIQA+ community into all that we offer. You can read our full statement of support here.
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