Gay badminton star Gilmour calls for progress on LGBTQ rights in Asia

Scotland's Kirsty Gilmour, the first European women's singles champion, has called for greater LGBTQ+ acceptance in Asia. The 32-year-old openly gay athlete, who won the biggest title of her career in April, urged for broader progress across the region where the community continues to face discrimination and stigma. Gilmour expressed her desire to see this change while staying at a hotel in New Delhi decorated with prominent pride symbols and staff wearing LGBTQ flag pins.

She noted that such gestures provided a small comfort to LGBTQ+ athletes, assuring them they would not be treated differently. Gilmour highlighted Asia's significance as badminton's heartland, producing many leading players, but emphasized the rarity of openly gay athletes in the sport. She credited her recent victory for being a defining moment in her career, ending years of near-misses and allowing her to claim a definitive championship title.

Gilmour believes her success can inspire a new generation of Scottish badminton players, potentially sparking broader improvements in the sport's participation within her country.