Thomas Petty
Thomas Petty (Robinson, 2023) is a rugby Blue and an advocate for LGBT+ inclusion in sport.
Having studied opinions from within rugby relevant to the inclusion policies of World Rugby and England Rugby as an undergraduate, Tom returned to the subject in his graduate studies at Cambridge. His research on the views of cis female rugby players has found that they are largely in favour of trans inclusion in rugby, especially recreationally, and that actual experience of playing with trans female rugby players significantly increases the tendency to be inclusive.
Tom has championed LGBT+ inclusion at Cambridge with roles as Welfare and LGBT+ officer at Robinson College, and as the first male LGBT+ officer at CURUFC.
Tom’s PhD will look at the psychosocial benefits of being included in sport for LGBT+ folks and the associated barriers and facilitators for them. He hopes to continue being at the forefront of allyship with this project and beyond.