Young woman to cycle from Adelaide to Melbourne for her gay sister
Image: Ang Roan with Frances Abbott. Image: Supplied.
A young Melbourne-based woman is planning to ride her bike and cycle from Adelaide to Melbourne to raise money for research around homophobia in young people playing sport.
Ang Roan said she’s hoping to raise half of the $100,000 needed to kick-start the research, a joint venture between Monash University and Stand Up Events.
The issue is one quite personal to her, as her sister Katherine is gay and sport was a big part of their lives growing up.
“We played pretty much every sport under the sun,” she said.
“Thankfully [Katherine] never felt exclusion from our football team that many in the LGBTI community feel. We actually had so many gay women in our team.
“It kills me that she might not have been able to play if the team was homophobic.”
Roan will ride her bike over six days, after months of campaigning.
“Monash has asked for $100,000 to start the research, and if the trials here are successful they’ll expand it,” she said.
“No-one’s done much research into it, and I was happy to get behind it 100 per cent.
“Homophobic language is quite entrenched in sport, and it’s something we need to learn more about and change.”
Roan said her sister is incredibly supportive and excited about her trip, as well as a number of sponsors that have gotten on board.
Her sponsors include Matcha Maiden, Sweater Club, Kloopr and Nest Insurance Consult.
It will be her 21st birthday while she’s on the road, and Roan wants as many people at the finish line – Albert Park – to celebrate.
“We want everyone to come to the finish line,” she said.
Ang Roan will leave Adelaide on January 29 and arrive in Melbourne at Albert Part on February 3. You can follow her journey on Instagram on @goodwheel_hunting and donate at www.goodwheelhunting.com.au.
