Diversity & Inclusion in Out to Swim
Out To Swim (OTS) is an inclusive aquatic club that welcomes LGBTQ+ individuals and allies. We believe that aquatic sports should be accessible to everyone, celebrating diversity across gender, ethnicity, age, ability, socioeconomic status, sexual orientation, and religion within a supportive and discrimination-free environment.
As the UK’s largest LGBTQ+ aquatic charity, we proudly support over 500 members across Bristol, Brighton, Newcastle, Bournemouth and London, offering swimming, water polo, artistic (synchronised) swimming and open-water swimming.
Guided by our motto, “Aquatics for All,” we are committed to creating an environment where everyone feels welcome, valued, and empowered to take part. We recognise that inclusion is an ongoing journey, and we are dedicated to continually improving — fostering a culture of respect, openness, and belonging within OTS. If you think there’s something we can improve, please reach out to us at inclusion@outtoswim.org.
Welfare Officers
Each OTS club has their own appointed Welfare Officer. Our Welfare Officers function as the first point of contact for any issues regarding welfare, poor practice, or potential abuse within the club. Contact details for our regional Welfare Officers can be accessed through your Regional sub-committee page.
Gender
OTS welcomes swimmers of all genders, and most of our training sessions are mixed-gender. We are committed to providing safe, respectful, and affirming spaces for everyone, and we actively work with our pool providers to ensure these values are upheld.
We recognise that public pool environments can sometimes feel challenging or hostile for trans and non-binary individuals. If you ever experience or observe behaviour that makes you feel uncomfortable, please don’t hesitate to raise your concerns with the lead coach or with your OTS regional welfare officer.
Please click here to see a message from the Trustees regarding the High Court ruling in April 2025.
At our London OTS branch, we offer a weekly swimming session called She/They/Them, open to women (cis and trans) and non-binary swimmers. For more information or to request booking access, please email shetheythem@outtoswim.org.
In addition, we run a monthly water polo taster session for trans and non-binary folks at our London OTS branch on the first Monday of each month. To request access, please email attendance@outtoswim.org. You can also find us on Instagram at @seahorses_wp. These sessions are open to both members and non-members.
Ethnicity
OTS welcomes members from all ethnic and cultural backgrounds, and we recognise that aquatic sports have historically struggled with representation and accessibility.
To further support inclusion at our London OTS branch, we run a monthly Global Majority swimming session on Monday evenings. ‘Global majority’ refers to people who are Black, Asian, Brown, dual-heritage, Indigenous to the global south, or from other racially minoritised backgrounds, who make up the majority of the world’s population. If you’d like to take part, please email london.coach@outtoswim.org to request access.
We also have a presence at UK Black Pride, where we connect with potential new members and fast-track people from these communities on our waiting list to help remove barriers to participation.
Age
As a Masters Aquatics Club, our sessions are open to all adults aged 18 and over. Across all our disciplines, members of different ages and abilities train and compete together.
At our London OTS Branch, we also offer a monthly Vintage session on the last Monday evening of the month, welcoming swimmers in our older age group. If you’d like to participate in this session, you can request access by emailing join@outtoswim.org.
Disability
OTS recognises that disabled people often face multiple barriers to joining sports clubs — particularly those at the intersection of LGBTQ+ and disability. We warmly welcome members with disabilities, including those with invisible disabilities, to participate in all aspects of our club.
Our Head of Aquatics, a former Paralympic coach, is happy to discuss individual accessibility needs to help ensure that every member can take part comfortably and confidently. Accessibility information for the pools we currently use for training can be found below.
Additional Information
Swimwear
Members are free to participate in any swimwear they find comfortable (e.g., trunks, swimming briefs, jammers, one-piece suits, two-piece suits, rash vests, etc.). Any swimwear worn must also comply with local swimming pool policies.
Pool information and changing facilities
Information regarding changing facilities and accessibility at our facility providers can be viewed by selecting your city below:
● London
● Brighton, Bristol, Bournemouth and Newcastle.
Competing
The club participates in numerous competitions at local, national, and international levels. Eligibility rules for many events in England are determined by the national governing body, Swim England.
Under the current Swim England Transgender and Non-Binary Competition Policy (2023), events are categorised as:
● Female – for competitors whose sex recorded at birth is female.
● Open – for all other competitors, including trans men, trans women, and non-binary participants.
This policy applies to all licensed Swim England competitions. More information can be found in the official Swim England Transgender and Non-Binary Competition Policy.
OTS also participates in a range of LGBTQ+ competitions, including the Gay Games, IGLA, and our own GLLAM. At these events, participants are welcome to compete under their self-identified gender, reflecting our commitment to inclusion and respect for everyone’s identity.
Artistic swimming competitions (London only)
OTS Angels compete in a variety of competitions at local, national, and international levels, including LGBTQ+ events. While artistic swimming has historically been a women’s-only sport, the Angels are proud to be at the forefront of gender inclusivity within UK Masters. Some of our members have even been featured in the media and appeared in films highlighting mixed-gender and men’s artistic swimming.
We enter mixed-gender routines wherever permitted by the competition’s governing body. Many of the events we participate in are run under Swim England rules, which follow the same categories used in swimming competitions.
Water polo (London only)
London Orca is part of the Champagne League, which includes three to four tournaments each year hosted by our sibling clubs across Europe. These tournaments are mixed in both ability and gender, with no specific gender quotas — the focus is on enjoyment and participation. Whatever your experience level, you’ll have plenty of time in the pool. For those who prefer a more competitive edge, we also send one or two competitive teams to these events.
Within the UK, Orca fields one women’s team and two men’s teams that compete in the London Summer and Winter Leagues. These competitions are regulated by Swim England and follow its ‘Female’ and ‘Open’ categories in line with national policy.