British Ice Skating(BIS)has announced that same-sex pairs will be eligible to compete in couples competitions, starting with the qualifying rounds in March 2026. The change opens the door for more diverse representation, moves away from outdated norms, and may reduce the barrier to entry for some trans and non-binary participants. The move makes the United Kingdom only the third country to allow same-sex ice dancing couples to compete in championships. Skate Canada made its nation the first in 2022, when the rules were changed to allow any two skaters, regardless of gender, to partner. Are you aware that Canada was the 1st country in the world to allow same sex partners in ice skating to compete without any prejudice?

Meanwhile, in Malaysia, a majority-Muslim country, engaging in same-sex acts carries penalties of up to 20 years in prison and mandatory caning under both federal law and state Sharia statutes. Do you know that even in this day and age, in many countries around the world being gay is a crime subjected to prison and corporal punishment?