The Story of
Rainbow Sweats
I've always loved exercising and playing sport. However as I was discovering myself at 16, a lack of LGBTQ+ sportspeople had me thinking:
'I can't be gay, I play sport'.
Acceptance of the LGBTQ+ community is growing around the globe, but queer people are still shunned and ostracised in sports and fitness.
In gyms, on courts and on pitches around the world, we exist. United together under the rainbow, I want to help show that LGBTQ+ people belong in sports and fitness as much as anyone else.
And so Rainbow Sweats was born.
x Owen x
Rainbow Sweats Mission Statement
For LGBTQ+ participation and involvement in sports and fitness to be without prejudice or discrimination.
About the Founder
The founder is me, Owen Lee. I'm currently 30 years old, and since a young age loved the world of sport. As a little history, after I started out playing football as most British boys do, I moved on to be in the county setup for table tennis and cricket through my teens, whilst also dabbling in sports like judo and tennis. I was the captain of my University cricket team and played for the squash team, whilst discovering white water kayaking and cycling along the Brighton coast. After University I moved to London where cricket gave mea social outlet in my first year or so. I then joined the LGBTQ+ squash club Outplay, which helped me accept my sexuality whilst also introducing me to my partner Jeremy. I've since taken up badminton and compete at international LGBTQ+ tournaments with London Goslings, and play in local tennis leagues.
I started going to the gym in University and increasing my commitment, now being the LGBTQ+ ambassador for fitness nutrition brand Maximuscle and starting a website to help people with their Core Fitness: Quick Fun Abs.
Now being comfortable and proud of my sexuality I felt it was time to try and be more of an advocate. I've got so much out of sport and fitness. It's given me skills, found me friends, at times helped greatly with my mental health. I know though, that it's not a world that's very open to the LGBTQ+ community. The disproportional lack of out LGBTQ+ sportspeople shows that. So I wanted to try and create something to help those of us that are comfortable in ourselves to show others that we exist. I want to start to move the dial to help LGBTQ+ people of all ages, genders, races and sexualities be welcomed and encouraged in sport and fitness, and experience more of the benefits I've had from doing what I've loved.