Wits Sport Safe Spaces
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With the rise of gender and queer based violence, rape culture, racism and the constant need for transformation within the sporting community, a safe space is needed to ensure that athletes can thrive in an environment that not only fosters their growth but also allows them to express themselves in their purest form.
Safe spaces, an initiative started by Wits International Relations student; Tayla Johnson (head of Gender and Equity at the Wits Sports Council) and the rest of the Wits Sports Council colleagues, provides a voice to all those within marginalized positions in the sporting community. This community is inclusive of those who partake in university sport as a whole but specifically emphasises the need for equality and diversity within High Performance (HP) sports. This generalized statement applies both to coaching staff, managers, and the Wits Sports office environment and most importantly to the athletes.
The initiative strives to open doors and conversations for athletes around all of these issues. It seeks to have in an increased social media presence of women and queer bodies on social media with content that speaks to their struggles, consideration of black athletes in every regard and specifically those who are black or part of the queer community.
Johnson speaks on some of her experiences; “as a person of colour and a woman, I have faced many difficulties in being an athlete. These may have been direct or indirect representations of social injustices but they have an effect on performance and confidence. I am aware that these issues extend everywhere and rage further beyond my grasp, however, it is important to raise the platform of equality and diversity within our sporting communites in order to create a healthy environment for all athletes; this is the aim of Safe Spaces. We wish to instill a firm knowledge on the effects that these social issues can have on athletes and pose solutions for coaching staff, as well as to provide a support system to all athletes.
In the hopes of hosting gender and transformation seminars for all clubs, specifically HP clubs, this initiative hopes to expand people’s knowledge on issues such as GBV, LGBTIQA+, rape culture, and racism and how these issues not only hinders an athlete’s performance but also infiltrates the dynamics of each club and its proceedings. In collaboration with the Wits Gender and Equity office (GEO; a holistic and integrated office that deals with all aspects of gender and sexual misconduct on campus. Offering its services to the Wits community at large).
In addition to this, Safe Spaces will host conversations around building safer spaces for all who enjoy and compete in sport.
“No one should feel unsafe in a space where you are supposed to express yourself and sport is a form expression. Safe spaces hopes to build this and only make it easier for the athletes and coaching staff here at the University of the Witwatersrand and the entire sporting community at large. I hope to build this platform with a strong base in 2021 for future gender and equity leaders to expand on it. “– Tayla Johnson.
Any Wits community member who is facing hate crimes or violence is encouraged to reach out to the GEO or a Safe Zones ally.
Official Wits Sport X Wits Gender Equity Office (Wits GEO) Safe Spaces Logo
Designed by Robyn Johnson