King’s College London rugby team strip off for LGBT domestic violence charity
King’s College London men’s rugby team has stripped off for a naked calendar to benefit an LGBT domestic violence charity.
The rugby squad teamed up with the student newspaper Roar News, to shoot the calendar.
The first team post naked at several locations at the London campus.
Proceeds from the calendar will go to Broken Rainbow, a domestic violence charity for the LGBT community.
Over 5,000 people a year are helped by the charity, which notes the figure that at least a quarter of LGBT people have experienced domestic violence.
The university has endorsed the project.
A spokesperson from Broken Rainbow said: “We are so pleased to hear that Roar News has chosen to donate proceeds from the King’s College London Men’s Rugby Calendar this year to Broken Rainbow UK.
We think it’s a brave step taken by Roar to choose us as their charity of choice, as the issue of domestic violence and abuse within LGBT communities is often overlooked and made hidden even within the LGBT community itself.
We have many young LGBT callers and we hope that by buying the calendar, students will become aware of the issue and that our helpline is there for them if ever they, or someone they know, need it.”
Head of the Men’s first team, Barney Lynock, said: “It is the greatest passion of so many people across the world, and yet issues of exclusivity continue to cast a heavy shadow over sport, be they related to gender, race or sexual orientation. It is a problem that cuts across all levels of sport, from the professional to the amateur, from the lifelong fan to the curious explorer.
“We must endeavor to bring attention to these issues of exclusivity so as to ensure fairer, more ethical and more equal sporting opportunities for all; it is with this in mind that we have chosen to demonstrate our solidarity with the LGBT cause.
“By taking our kit off and posing naked for the calendar, we hope to remind people that action still needs to be taken against homophobic, prejudiced sentiments that plague the sporting world, but also to be proactive about these problems, and in doing so change the unwelcoming stereotype that is often attributed to sporting clubs, particularly at university level.”
Editor of Roar News, Dulcie Lee, said: “This calendar demonstrates that homophobia can be tackled by anyone – whether that be tabloid newspapers, men’s rugby clubs, or our world-leading universities.
We hope that those who buy the calendar will of course enjoy the view, but will also remember the hidden horror that blights the lives of so many each day.”
The calendar is available purchase from the Roar News website.
