We have a crap ton of lgbtq+ grapplers at our gym. I'll harass a couple folks to set up their profiles on here (finally) so maybe y'all can connect.

I've never heard about that one. He had a problematic on and off relationship with his fiance and now ex-wife Dawn.

On one hand I agree that sexual orientation shouldn't be at the center point of the gym. I mean we do explicitly discourage that for heterosexual people right. However - it is a part of an individuals identity and shouldn't be shunned. I mean or gym doesn't forbid for couples to express that they are a couple. And mat etiquette is common sense right - don't do stuff that'd make others uncomfortable / unsafe.

For minority groups though it's good if they can feel that their identity is not threatened but accepted. So what I think is that this shouldn't be treated as a black and white issue AND gyms can help people feel comfortable with their identity. Their behaviour - just like everyone else's - needs to be compliant with gym/mat etiquette though.

Please lets not turn this into a post about if LGBTQ should be discussed in the gym that was not the intent.

“ n my view, the practitioners sexuality should not be discussed inside the academy, for many reasons. There are many positions that might look awkward for the average untrained joe, encourage a gay moviment in the community would create some problems.”

See this is why it doesn't get talked about! “A gay movement” sir….. no one said anything about a gay movement I was simply inquiring if there were others out there who practiced.

Not discussing a practitioners sexuality is fine if that is a guideline for all sexualities. If “there are positions that look awkward to the untrained eye” i assume then that you also would not let women roll with male training partners for the same reason.

Obviously sexuality is not and should not be part of training BUT many people view the gyms as COMMUNITY as well and having people in your community that understand you and you relate to helps add to that

My gym is in the gay village of Montreal, so I'd be surprised if there weren't a bunch of queer folk in the mix. TBH though, sexual preferences have never come up during class.

I think the context of the OP may have been taken out of context.

From what I read, the OP would like to connect with others as part of the same group. Nothing wrong with that, just like students from some clubs may like to get together outside of training to go fishing, go for a pint, have a post training social, play chess, enjoy sports cars or whatever activity they may have in common.

It has its place off the mats. On the mats I don’t care if you identify as a street lamp…… if you’re hygienic, a good roll , no ego, and we can help each other improve then let’s go!

Wait what :D

Post deleted :/

if the person respect the dojo and the people inside, he's welcome, i don't care about religion, origin or sexual orientation... we should stop those bullshit of putting people into category, we are all humans.

depending on the gym i'm sure there's practitioners who are lgbtq+ (whether they are out or not is another question). It's just like all sports- assuredly there will be. I think it's imperative that we keep our gyms as a welcoming and nondiscriminatory environment. The fact that someone may or may not be attracted/attractive to me should make no difference in how I treat them, period.