On July 2nd, the Museu de l’Art Prohibit hosted a round table on how to make sport a space free of LGTBIQ+ phobia. The guests were the president of the Panteres Grogues club, Alberto Martín, the Olympic athlete Javier Raya and the audiovisual manager of the company RPM Sports, Mariona Faixat. On the mediation of Eli Martín, the speakers talked about their own experiences, stories of the community, current problems and challenges for the future of the collective.
The massive audience listened attentively to the talk that lasted just over 40 minutes. During the dialogue, several precious testimonies were offered to the public, such as the one of Javier Raya. The former artistic athlete commented that, in 2016, when he revealed his sexual orientation, he received, beyond support, invitations to participate in events potentiating the visibility of the collective. “I realized that I could become a referent”, he noted.
About the Panteres Grogues club, Alberto Martín said “it is a work of sport and activism”. The institution, which has been in existence for more than 30 years, seeks to help people, other clubs and companies to look at sport as a mechanism of union. On the other hand, Mariona Faixat spoke about the collaboration between RPM Sports and Panteres, their work to bring inclusion into marketing and plans for the future such as a marathon scheduled for next year dedicated to diversity.
Following Raya’s comments about children being discouraged by prejudice and examples offered by Martin of discrimination, Faixat added “I think sports still has a long way to go. It is still a somewhat hostile space for the collective”. She reflected on what happens to athletes when they come out of the closet, opportunities for expression, issues related to non-binary people and the hope that women’s soccer provides because of its recent journey.
Next, the virtual participation of Chase Johnsey, CEO of the Barcelona Ballet, gave the audience an optimistic look after he spoke about his accomplishments which allowed for the setting of the mood for FUTURACHICAPOP’s performance. The lively presentation, which included the debut of a song, left the crowd energized and ready for the last part of the night, which brought everyone together on the terrace of the Prohibit sharing anecdotes, beers and celebrating pride.
You can follow the entire conversation through the Museu de l’Art Prohibit’s Youtube channel: