Keighley Cougars, a rugby league team from West Yorkshire, has become a symbol of inclusivity and acceptance for the LGBTQ+ community. The club, which was on the brink of extinction, was saved by Ryan O’Neill and his husband Kaue Garcia in 2019. The couple not only brought the team back to success, but also made it a champion of LGBTQ+ inclusivity.
When O’Neill took over the club, he knew that Keighley was a unique setting – a former mill town in West Yorkshire where he had struggled to come to terms with his sexuality. The couple decided to make inclusivity a cornerstone of their vision for the team. Six months after taking over the Cougars, they made history when they played in front of more than 2,000 people in the first Pride game ever in British professional sport. The players wore a special kit that raised money for LGBTQ+ charities, and a drag queen entertained the supporters.
The Pride game was a huge success, but the couple soon realized that they still had a lot of work to do to bring new fans on board. They have already faced negative and slightly homophobic comments aimed at them, but they remain committed to their message of inclusivity. They continue to fly the rainbow flag at their ground all year round, and they have hosted two more Pride games since 2019, with plans for another this season.
Despite the challenges, O’Neill and Garcia remain proud of what they have achieved. They have not only saved a rugby league team, but they have also shown that inclusivity is possible in even the most traditional of sports. The Cougars have become a beacon of hope for the LGBTQ+ community, and a symbol of what can be achieved when people are allowed to be themselves.
