Meet the Argentine queer rugby team
Since it saw the light in its foundation almost eight years ago, Los Ciervos Pampas Team, is the first LGBTIAQ + rugby team in Latin America demonstrating that the stereotype that it is a predominantly heterosexual sport of upper-middle class is not so true.
Argentina and more countries add diversity to sport. ©janeb13/Pixabay
This is the first team from Argentina that openly encourages and supports diversity in this game without restrictions. In addition, it is about the the only institution in the region to belong to the Gay Rugby International League . With two training sessions per week, the team supports all those who want to play in an inclusive environment.
Against stereotypes in favor of diversity
Openly challenging the vain stereotypes, this Argentine team breaks down the barriers that scare away people who belong to the LGTBIAQ+ community to give a space to all those who wish to develop in this game. In this way they make the community aware that everyone is welcome .
Los Ciervos Pampas Team, whose name is related to the Pampas XV competitive rugby team, founded in 2010 that won the Vodacom Cup of South Africa in 2011, is proud to be a club that accepts everyone equally without prejudice or discrimination , counting on members who do not identify within the LGBTIAQ+.
The existence of this club is not something minor in the Argentine rugby world that has been in the focus of several violent conflicts. In the year 2018, the player Jonathan Castellari suffered attacks for being homosexual on the part of other rugby players who received three years in prison.
It is not surprising that it was in Argentina that the first queer team in the region was founded . The fact is that the country has always been at the forefront of human rights struggles despite its fifty-three years of uninterrupted dictatorship in the twentieth century.
In a continent where there are still states that condemn homosexuality such as Guyana, Argentina was the first to legalize marriage equality in 2010, being a breakthrough. Today, they are already six states that recognize the union between same-sex couples .
The struggle for openness towards a more open and diverse society, the Ciervos Pampas rugby club Team, carries out active community work in order to raise awareness . In these meetings, team members openly discuss with those present about sexual diversity and human rights.
Growing diversity in the sports world
In Argentina, it has already existed for many years gay and queer sports teams fighting for diversity, freedom and human rights . Perhaps the most recognized example is that of the football team ‘Los Dogos', founded in 1997 which was the first team of its kind in South America.
But this is not the only case of a queer team in Latin America. In Mexico, a country that is going through a severe homophobia crisis , for example, there is a renowned LGBTIAQ+ football team called "Los Lobos" that participates in international tournaments. In fact, they played at the 2020 Sin City Classic.
This tournament, held in Las Vegas, is the largest and most important LGBTIAQ+ sports event in the world with 24 different sports in competition and it had more than 8,000 athletes. This event might seem like news, but in 2020 it celebrated its 14th edition proving that times are changing.
No wonder the Sin City Classic became the famous sin City. It's not all casinos in the middle of the Nevada desert because there is one of the most important queer communities in the world. With the support of the "Center”, people in the community have a safe space .
It is clear that there is still a lot to be done in this regard, but in such a few years a lot of progress has been made. With the endorsement of Las Vegas to host an event of this magnitude, it shows that it would not be surprising that more sports include more people by raising the stakes for everyone .
