Thrive with Pride: Sprint cyclist hopes to inspire next generation

Sprint cyclist Kalinda Robinson hopes she may be a role model for young LGBTIQ+ athletes that she never had growing up.

Robinson, 19, is one of 16 Australian athletes, including BMX Freestyle Olympian Natalya Diehm, appointed as 2023 AIS Thrive with Pride ambassadors.

The program will see the rainbow athletes and allies drive LGBTQI+ inclusion initiatives within their sporting communities over the next six months.

As an ambassador, Robinson wants to inspire the next generation to be able to be their true selves in a safe and inclusive environment.

“As a member of the LGBTQ+ community, I am well-aware of the discriminatory views individuals still hold, regardless of how progressive some may perceive the world today. Discrimination is hugely damaging to people’s confidence and self-esteem. Regardless of sport being club, state or national level, if the environment is not supportive of LGBTQ+ people, they cannot feel completely safe to express themselves truthfully,” she said.

“My goal in being a part of the Thrive with Pride Program is to instigate change through education to help create a safer environment for all.”

Robinson started cycling on the track when she was just six-years-old with the Bathurst Cycling Club and has had a steady rise to the top level of the sport, last year gaining categorisation in the AusCycling Performance Pathway system as a Podium Potential athlete.

Growing up in the rural NSW town of Bathurst, Robinson said conservative views were very common in the small, tight-knit community.

“This meant there were no LGBTQ+ role models to look up to and no positive representation. Anything related to the LGBTQ+ community that was discussed was usually not positive, even amongst younger generations,” she said.

It was important, she said, for young people to see openingly LGBTIQ+ people in the sport so that they might be brave enough to live true to their identity, and to educate others in creating a safe and supportive community.

For her, it was the likes of 2022 Thrive with Pride Ambassador and two-time Australian Road Cycling Champion Gracie Elvin who had inspired her.

“She provided me with an example of a cyclist being true to herself and the world. With there not being many openly LGBTQ+ people in cycling, the people that are, like Gracie, are crucial for young people struggling with their identity to be able to see that it is okay to be openly queer in the cycling community,” she said.

And while there had been progress towards inclusivity and stamping out discrimination, there was still a long way to go, Robinson said, and education was key to creating change.

“It is hard for people who are not a part of the community to understand just how difficult it can be existing as an LGBTQ+ person in sporting environments as it is a typically male dominant, masculine driven culture and anything outside of this norm is not accepted,” she said.

“I have found homophobia to be present directly and indirectly within cycling, as some people are purposefully being homophobic, and others stand by and let it happen.

“If people can have an open mind to understanding how the comments that they think are just part of Australian culture are hugely hurtful to those with this lived experience, everyone may have an equal opportunity to succeed. A safe environment is a right all athletes should have access to. Currently, this is not the case.

“My hope for cycling is for everyone to have an equal opportunity to be true to themselves, to be able to speak their truth and thrive with pride.”

Main picture: Mat Gilfedder

Find out more about the Thrive with Pride program here