At a time when the rights of 2SLGBTQIA+ athletes continue to be threatened, Queen’s Queer and Gender Diverse Student Athlete Association (QGDSAA) seeks to provide a space for 2SLGBTQIA+ athletes to build community.
Founded in 2023 by former Gaels Women’s Hockey captain, Charlotte Melindy, ArtSci ‘25, the torch has been passed to the current Gaels volleyball stars Chris Zimmerman, ArtSci ’26, and Holly Biasi, ArtSci ’26.
“[The QGDSAA is] a space for 2SLGBTQIA+ student athletes to connect and share their experiences,” Zimmerman and Biasi wrote in a joint statement to The Journal. “Whether it’s through casual
movie nights, study halls, discussions about the unique challenges we face in sport, or guest speakers, our goal is simply to create a supportive environment where people feel safe to be themselves.”
The club fills a major gap that exists for 2SLGBTQIA+ athletes, the co chairs explain. According to Canada’s Sport Information Resource Centre, 67 per cent of all lesbian, gay, and bisexual athletes and 85 per cent of trans athletes surveyed experienced at “least one homophobic episode,” and as a result, “feel pressured to stay in the closet” or are excluded by their peers.
“Both of us have personal experience navigating our identities within our respective team dynamics,” Zimmerman and Biasi said. “It can be isolating and difficult. We want to help in every way possible to ease that process for all 2SLGBTQIA+ athletes on campus.”
In the upcoming school year, the co-chairs are working to expand its reach to queer students through campus partnerships and increased visibility. More specifically, the club plans to collaborate with the Yellow House Student Centre for Equity and Inclusion to better connect 2SLGBTQIA+ athletes with the broader community at Queen’s. The goal is to create events that foster a stronger sense of belonging and comfort for these athletes within the broader 2SLGBTQIA+ community.
“Generating more participation really just stems from creating awareness that outlets such as the QGDSAA exist,” Zimmerman and Biasi said.
For both chairs, their work with the QGDSAA feels like just the start of a broader movement toward greater inclusion and visibility in sport at Queen’s. As they look ahead, Zimmerman and Biasi hope their efforts will not only strengthen the QGDSAA but also help shift the culture of sport at Queen’s toward one that celebrates and supports all identities.
By building community and visibility, they’re laying the groundwork for lasting change—on campus and beyond.
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