Inclusion

As the UK’s LGBTQ-inclusive rowing club, our mission is to be a safe space for anyone to learn and enjoy rowing as their authentic self. Inclusion is our strength and we are proud of it.

Trans inclusion and rowing

Our squads are not split by gender, and most of our training takes place in mixed crews. We have trans and non-binary rowers across our squads as well as among our coaches, captains and committee.

Our national governing body is British Rowing, and they set the eligibility rules for competitions in the UK. Events are categorised as ‘Open’ (anyone may compete) or ‘Women’s’, which British Rowing has restricted to people assigned female at birth. When we set women’s crews for British Rowing regattas and races, we are required to follow that policy. We are in ongoing dialogue with British Rowing to help them understand the impact of this policy on our community and to be involved in future decisions.

If you are trans or non-binary and considering joining the club, and would like to know more, please contact us.

Our diversity plan

In 2023 the club set out a three-year diversity plan, setting out to implement sustainable change to make the club even more inclusive and diverse. Over that time we have roughly doubled the proportion of women in the club and the proportion of people of global majority (non-white) ethnicities in the club, among other progress, though there is still more to do.

We are currently working on our next three-year plan, which will be published here when it is ready. As part of the process the club has appointed representatives for Women Otters, Trans and Non-Binary Otters, Otters with Disabilities and Black and Ethnic Minority Otters.