Gay badminton star Gilmour urges progress on LGBTQ rights in Asia

Scotland's European badminton champion Kirsty Gilmour, who came out as gay in 2021, said she hopes to see greater acceptance of LGBTQ people in Asia.

The 32-year-old urged broader progress across a region where the community largely continues to face discrimination and stigma.

"I would really love to see that actually," Gilmour, who has advocated for inclusivity in sport, said in the Indian capital New Delhi in response to an AFP question on the issue.

She was speaking on Saturday after a training session at the Indira Gandhi Indoor Stadium, where the world badminton championships begin on Monday.

Gilmour said she and another member of the Scotland team who is also part of the LGBTQ community appreciated staying at a hotel in New Delhi displaying prominent pride symbols.

"The hotel that we're staying at has a massive LGBTQ elephant in the lobby and all the staff wear LGBTQ flag pins," she said.

"To most people that stay in the hotel that would just maybe not really register or not be that important.

"But for me... it's just a little comfort to us to know that we're not going to be treated any differently."

Asia is badminton's heartland, producing many of the sport's leading players, but openly gay athletes remain relatively rare.

Gilmour arrives in India on a high after winning the biggest title of her career in April, defeating Denmark's Line Hojmark Kjaersfeldt 21-17, 21-15 to become Scotland's first European women's singles champion.

The breakthrough ended years of near-misses for the Olympian, who had previously finished runner-up at the European Championships five times and won Commonwealth Games silver in 2014.

"I think I've spent a lot of my career being defined by silver medals, and nearly, and almost," she said.

"But I think it's really nice to have something on my CV that is definitive, and I can just say that I'm European champion."

Gilmour said the title was particularly significant given Scotland's modest badminton tradition and population of about 5.5 million.

"We're a very small population, so for us it's a real numbers game," she said, pointing to grassroots initiatives in her country aimed at growing participation.

She hopes her European triumph can inspire a new generation of players.

"My European title win might be the springboard to something bigger for Scottish badminton," she said.