LGBT International Powerlifting Championships (LGBT IPC) introduce Mx category for transgender, non binary and intersex athletes.
Registration for the LGBT International Powerlifting Championships 2018 is now open and organisers have introduced a new optional Mx category to encourage people from Transgender, Non Binary and Intersex Communities to participate in sports.
The LGBT Championships are open to everyone regardless of sexuality, health status, HIV status, gender or ability.
At last year’s event the Union of Lifters that organises the Championships agreed unanimously at congress to equalise weight classes for all participants and to introduce the Mx Category as an option for Transgender, Non Binary and Intersex Participants.
The LGBT International Powerlifting Championships is an annual event, with an aim of developing LGBT Powerlifting worldwide and increase participation in the sport leading up to the Gay Games in Hong Kong in 2022.
One of the key aims of the Federation of Gay Games is to reach out to under-represented groups within sports and next year’s LGBT IPC 2018 will be the first sporting event in the world to welcome Transgender participants with an optional Mx third gender category.
The principles of the Gay Games are built on the core principles of Participation, Inclusion and Personal Best and LGBT IPC aims to encourage these principles as they grow.
Chris Morgan, Male Co-President, LGBT Powerlifting Union and nine time World Champion in the sport, said: “LGBT IPC was hugely successful in 2017 in bringing together LGBT Powerlifting athletes from all corners of the globe, in 2018 we aim to expand on this by reaching out to the new LGBT Powerlifting clubs we see emerging around the world. We aim to be as inclusive as possible by equalising all weight classes and offering the new third gender Mx category”.
Charlotte Wareing, Female Co-President, LGBT Powerlifting Union and seven time World Champion, said: “Issues effecting Transgender, Non Binary and Intersex participants were discussed in detail at our congress in 2017 and we decided as a group to make our event as inclusive and as a safe as possible by offering an optional MX category. Athletes from within the Trans, Non Binary and Intersex communities are very welcome to participate within LGBT IPC without any fear of discrimination”.
Last year’s LGBT IPC attracted participants from all corners of the globe with nine nations represented including Australia, Belarussia, Canada, France, Germany, Iceland, Ireland, United States of America and of course the host nation Great Britain.
Participation numbers are expected to grow significantly this year with Team GB and Team USA Powerlifting Workshops and Seminars scheduled to take place in Atlanta (USA), Chicago (USA), London (UK), Blackpool (UK) and Birmingham (UK).
The bidding process is already under way for LGBT IPC events happening in 2019, 2020 and 2021 with expressions of interest received already from Blackpool UK, Munich Germany, Athens Greece and of course Hong Kong, China who will host the Gay Games in 2022. Powerlifting was included in Hong Kong’s successful bid document and the LGBT Powerlifting Union look forward to working with them between now and the 2022 Gay Games.
For more details about the LGBT International Powerlifting Championships 2018 and to register your interest, click here:
Brenda Emmanus, selection panellist, said: “Artists are invited to create work that stimulates dialogue about the representation of lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer, intersex and straight identities.”
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