Out to Swim marching in Pride London 2011.

Out To Swim is a British aquatics sport club offering swimming, water polo[1] and artistic swimming club for predominantly LGBTQ+ people and allied members. The club was founded by AGM when the name was agreed in March 1992. In 2006 "Out to swim Brighton" was formed in Brighton and Hove[2] and 2018 "Out To Swim West" in Bristol.[3]

Inspired by the swimming teams at the Gay Games in Vancouver in 1990, the club has competed at national and international competitions; it has expanded to include a synchronized swimming team, and regularly competes in open water events.[1][4] Their first annual swimming competition was held in 1997 and attracted 23 gay and straight teams from all over Europe.[5]

In June 2012 a team of six members from the club swam the English Channel for charity.[6]

The club is also one of the few aquatics clubs in the world that offers men participation in synchronised swimming. In 2012 the club were part of a campaign for men to be allowed to compete in synchronized swimming at the 2012 Summer Olympics.[7] Until 2022 artistic swimming was one of only two Olympic sports that discriminate on the basis of gender.[8]

In 2019 Out To Swim registered as a charity in England & Wales with the stated aim of "The promotion, for the public benefit, of equality and diversity in swimming and other aquatic sports".[9]

Out To Swim is a member of the International Gay & Lesbian Aquatics[10] association and European Gay & Lesbian Sport Federation (EGLSF).[11]

References

  1. 1 2 "Gay water polo in London - Gay & Lesbian - Time Out london". Timeout.com. 6 January 2011. Retrieved 8 November 2012.
  2. ↑ "Brighton".
  3. ↑ "Bristol".
  4. ↑ Colin Nicholson (10 May 2002). "Gay: Swim Group Goes To New Lengths; Swimming". The Mirror. Retrieved 5 October 2014.
  5. ↑ "Ivan Bussens". The Times. 12 September 2007.
  6. ↑ Joe Morgan, "Gay team to swim English Channel for charity", Gay Star News, 24 June 2012
  7. ↑ , Irish Times, 7 July 2012.(subscription required)
  8. ↑ "Artistic swimming men finally get the pool to themselves". France 24. 13 August 2022. Retrieved 28 April 2023.
  9. ↑ "OUT TO SWIM - Charity 1181454". register-of-charities.charitycommission.gov.uk. Retrieved 28 April 2023.
  10. ↑ "IGLA Team Map « IGLA: International LGBTQ+ Aquatics".
  11. ↑ EGLSF. "Members". EGLSF.info. Retrieved 28 April 2023.
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