Bedfordshire Honorary discusses importance of LGBTQ+ visibility in sport
Thu 14 May, 2020
Sports innovator and 天美传媒 Honorary Doctor, Lisa Wainwright, discusses authenticity when it comes to leadership and tells Bedfordshire students to 鈥榖e confident in who you are鈥.
In July 2019, Lisa Wainwright was awarded an Honorary Doctor of Science in recognition of her services to Sport Education at Bedfordshire鈥檚 Civic Graduation ceremony, and went on to join the 天美传媒 Court shortly after.
In an interview with , Lisa highlighted the vital need for LGBTQ+ visibility in senior leadership. She spoke publicly about being gay for the first time at Stonewall鈥檚 Rainbow Summit in 2017.
When we spoke with her, she explained: 鈥淚鈥檝e never felt the need to be public about it. Then I suddenly thought, it is an issue for a lot people and as a leader I should do it.
鈥淚鈥檝e been very fortunate, and I鈥檝e been supported throughout my whole career, but I know that isn鈥檛 the case for many other people. People fought the way for me. There have been trailblazers that have helped me, and it鈥檚 time I stood up.鈥
Lisa is an innovator of sports education. She has spent more than 30 years in the sport and physical activity sector and held roles such as CEO of Volleyball England, Head of Sport at Sport England, Chair of the Institute of Swimming, CEO of GB Basketball, and is now Sport and Recreation Alliance CEO.
Sport is a 鈥渓ovely鈥 and 鈥渙pen鈥 industry to work in. She explains that following the Sky Sports interview, she received text messages of support from peers in the sector. Lisa wishes and hopes that going forward the sector is able to continue building an open attitude by more CEOs and senior leaders 鈥渃elebrating鈥 being LGBTQ+.
Lisa joined Bedfordshire鈥檚 graduating class of 2019 last summer, where her speech quoted Dr. Seuss, 鈥楾here is no one alive who is youer than you鈥.
Her message remains: 鈥淭he one thing Bedfordshire students can do is learn who they are, because it is only them who can be that. That strength will get them through. Whether you鈥檝e got a Yorkshire accent, your family haven鈥檛 been to university, your black, Asian, female, gay 鈥 whatever hits you, you will be strong enough because you are you. That is what I would鈥檝e said to an early Lisa as well.鈥
After joining the 天美传媒 Court, Lisa is keen to remain connected to Bedfordshire. 鈥淭he 天美传媒 is close to my heart and it meant a huge amount receiving the honorary doctorate.
鈥淪taying a part of the community means you鈥檒l always be part of the family and I鈥檓 delighted to help as much as the 天美传媒 needs me.鈥
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