Athletics Pride Network Spotlight: Charlotte Young, What Pride means to her

UK Athletics is celebrating Pride month, and caught up with a member of the Athletics Pride Network (APN), Charlotte Young, a middle-distance runner, Loughborough University student, about her journey into athletics, what Pride means to her and the importance of visibility.

Finding Freedom in Running

Charlotte’s journey in athletics began at a young age. “I started running at primary school when I was about 8 or 9,”. School cross-country races sparked her interest, and she then joined a local athletics club in Maidstone and Medway. This led her to Loughborough University, where she competed in events like BUCS in the 800m and 1500m.

“I preferred being in complete control of how I was doing rather than playing a team sport,” she says. “It was something I could do any time — after school, in the middle of the day. It became a form of stress relief, especially around exams.”

What Pride Means in Athletics

Charlotte shared what Pride means to her: “Celebrating Pride is nice to bring into the sport and create awareness.

“It’s a way to express yourself and be individual in sport… just being able to go and do your sport, be yourself and feel safe. That’s what I like about it. I personally find that in athletics, they’re all generally welcoming.

“There’s a lot of the mental side to athletics,” she says. “You want to be confident on the start line — in your ability and in who you are. If something’s holding you back mentally, that affects performance. For me, being able to wear rainbow laces, earrings, little things that show who I am — that matters.”

Through her role at Loughborough University Athletics Club as one half of the Welfare and Diversity Officer, Charlotte embraced the role to foster inclusivity at her club. From the club selling rainbow laces at BUCS indoors, to curating informative Instagram posts highlighting queer athletes and signposting support resources, her initiatives aimed to blend visibility with support.

Entering the Athletics Pride Network

Charlotte’s involvement in the Athletics Pride Network came through a very creative opportunity. Photographer Fiona Freud had launched a project celebrating queer identities in sport. “She put out a message in Loughborough asking if anyone queer or an ally wanted to take part in a photo shoot on the track,” Charlotte says. “We went down to see her exhibition in London and just like celebrating different people, being queer in other sports – it was really nice.”

“From that, I learnt more about the Athletics Pride Network and attended a couple of APN meetings from there,” Charlotte explains.

Noting the Athletics Pride Network banner at the UK Athletics Indoor and Outdoor Championships really makes her feel seen at events; “At the British Champs, they have the athletics pride network on the barriers around the side. You feel that little bit more comfortable, and think they see me.”

Creating Belonging for Others

Charlotte’s openness about her own journey — including coming to terms with her sexuality — underpins her desire to create spaces where others feel safe to explore and express their identity.

“I didn’t realise I wasn’t straight for ages. So I wanted to be more involved in athletics in a way that could help others realise it’s a safe space. Because for a lot of people, athletics is their whole world — and they need to know that world accepts them.”

She acknowledges the need for greater visibility at elite levels too. “It’d be great to see more top athletes talking openly — it helps others realise they’re not alone.”

Looking Ahead

“If there’s one thing I want people to take away from Pride Month,” she says, “it’s that athletics is a place where you should be able to be yourself — whatever that means to you. Because it’s an individual sport, that space for self-expression is already there. We just need to make sure it’s safe and welcoming for everyone.”

With new members, we have new opportunities and potentially more stories to share, we’re excited for the future in store for us and our sport. If you’d like to get involved or have any questions about us as a network, message us directly on Instagram or email us at athleticspridenetwork@gmail.com