GREAT CAMPAIGNERS BLAST LACK SHAME OF INCLUSION
Scotland’s biggest running event has failed to include gender neutral athletes
Campaigners have criticised organisers of Scotland’s biggest running event for being closed to gender neutral athletes.
Entry forms for this year’s Great Scottish Run only offers a male or female tick box.
But the Equality Network said making the event gender neutral is a “no-brainer”.
And they also want the Great Scottish Run to include prizes for non- binary athletes.
Scott Cuthbertson, Development Manager at the Network, said: “If the aim of your event is to be inclusive and get as many people as possible involved, then this is a no- brainer. We’d be happy to support the Great Scottish Run, as we have other running events, to become more inclusive.”
We revealed in February that Scottish Athletics had agreed to license races where participants do not want to identify as either male or female.
The governing body also called for sports bodies to offer prizes to athletes who don’t identify as male or female.
It is understood around 30 events, including trail races and ultra marathon events, have taken up the category in 2018. Some of these events have taken place and some have yet to happen. Scott added that the gender neutral option makes events inclusive. He said: “Nonbinary people exist. If you take the UK Government National LGBT Survey for example, it had more than 108,000 respondents in total and more than 7500 people said they were non-binary.
“If you put on an event which requires registration and only allow people to register as male and female, there will be some people who will be excluded and either can’t take part, or won’t feel able to.”
A spokeswoman for the Great Run said they opened their entry system last November which was ahead of the guidance issued by Scottish Athletics. But she confirmed that they are now reviewing their applications process. She said: “Providing a non-binary option for runners at entry is something we are looking at.
“We’re currently investigating the changes that would be required to our entry system and the practicalities of implementing this option for next year.
“We’re working in collaboration with Scottish Athletics on this. Great Run events have always welcomed anyone who wants to take part, without prejudice.”
Scottish Athletics who have about 150 member clubs, say race directors can show in event publicity that they are “nonbinary friendly”.
A spokesman said: “We’ve made advice and guidance available to event organisers on how to include a non-binary category for races and events. The feedback we are getting is that a number of events are either now doing so or making arrangements to do so in the future. There are practical issues involved and we’re trying to help on that.”
The guidance, produced with help from Scottish Trans Alliance, Equality Network and Leap Sports Scotland, suggests runners be allowed to opt out of giving a title on entry forms or have the option of using gender neutral title “Mx”.
Up to 30,000 runners will take part in the Great Scottish Run this year. Participants can complete a Toddler Dash, Junior Run, Family Mile, 10k or Half Marathon over the weekend of Saturday and Sunday, September 29 and 30.