Zero flags

BWF World Championships: Scottish badminton star Kirsty Gilmour has called for greater LGBTQ+ inclusion and visibility in Asian sport, saying small gestures of acceptance can provide important reassurance to athletes from the community.

Speaking to reporters on the sidelines of the BWF World Championships at the Indira Gandhi Stadium, Gilmour said she would like to see more progress on LGBTQ+ inclusion across Asia, while pointing to the visible support she has encountered during her stay in New Delhi. “I would love to see that, actually,” Gilmour told the media when asked whether LGBTQ+ inclusion needed greater discussion in Asia.

Gilmour said the hotel where the Scottish team is staying has a large LGBT flag displayed in its lobby, while members of the staff wear LGBT flag pins. For her, such gestures carry significance even if they may go unnoticed by many other guests.