Boxing Mar 17, 2026

Terri Harper on facing hate: 'Just be your authentic self. Don’t change who you are'

👤
By Admin
Sports Journalist
Terri Harper on facing hate: 'Just be your authentic self. Don’t change who you are'

Professional boxing can be a hostile environment for members of the LGBTQ+ community.

But Terri Harper, a multi-weight world champion, looks to help where she can.

"I've had a couple of people in and around the gym, they just feel comfortable coming to me and chatting to me. I'm not an expert but I do like to just give a couple of words of advice," Harper told Your Site.

"I think it's always important to be true to who you are. Just be your authentic self and just do what you truly believe in and try not to change yourself for anybody else despite if they have other opinions.

"Because we're all entitled to an opinion but it doesn't mean you have to change who you are."

After her lightweight world title unification fight with Caroline Dubois on April 5, Harper will start planning her wedding with partner Gemma.

Harper added: "I think I've been quite lucky throughout my career to not really have much hate.

"I think I've got to that age now where it's just over my head because I know who I am as a person."

There are positive signs from grassroots gyms, the sport's community and amateur boxing.

Martin Stark, an activist against homophobia in combat sport, said: "A number of women in the sport are real champions of change, real trailblazers. I think that gives a level of hope and the hope is obviously the vast majority of people involved in the sport who are against this.

"The people who welcome someone into their gym, or are supporting their mates, what I call real boxing, that's the hope."

But he doesn't see similar support more generally in the professional sport. "A gay boxer, or bi boxer who is in the closet and is bullied, who are they going to go to for support? There's nothing," Stark said.

"I'll separate the amateur and the professional. Amateur boxing has made good progress and absolutely would call out hate speech and discrimination.

"But at the moment when we look at the professional level and the leadership and where it's heading, it's going to get worse.

"I don't think homophobia in boxing will be solved in my lifetime."

Watch Terri Harper fight Caroline Dubois for the WBC and WBO world lightweight championships live on Your Site on Sunday April 5

Tags:

boxing news

Share this article

Related Posts

Tyson Fury to fight Arslanbek Makhmudov at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium on April 11 in heavyweight comeback bout

Tyson Fury to fight Arslanbek Makhmudov at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium on April 11 in heavyweight comeback bout

Tyson Fury’s comeback fight against Arslanbek Makhmudov will take place at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium when he returns to boxing on April 11, according...

Josh Kelly: Conor Benn 'not on my level' but super-welterweight world championship fight can happen at Stadium of Light

Josh Kelly: Conor Benn 'not on my level' but super-welterweight world championship fight can happen at Stadium of Light

Josh Kelly does not consider Conor Benn a worthy challenger for his newly won world championship, but would accept that fight at the Stadium of Light...

Tyson Fury wants to fight Oleksandr Usyk again, he wants to be the best, says promoter Frank Warren ahead of comeback

Tyson Fury wants to fight Oleksandr Usyk again, he wants to be the best, says promoter Frank Warren ahead of comeback

Tyson Fury will target his old rival Oleksandr Usyk after his comeback fight, says promoter Frank Warren.Fury will return to boxing to take on Arslanb...

Prince 'Charles' Martin believes he can become a world heavyweight champion again ahead of Efe Ajagba fight

Prince 'Charles' Martin believes he can become a world heavyweight champion again ahead of Efe Ajagba fight

'Prince' Charles Martin believes he has 'unfinished business' in boxing.The former IBF world heavyweight champion returns against Efe Ajagba in the Zu...

Fabio Wardley to defend WBO heavyweight title against Daniel Dubois at Co-op Live Arena in Manchester on May 9

Fabio Wardley to defend WBO heavyweight title against Daniel Dubois at Co-op Live Arena in Manchester on May 9

Fabio Wardley will face Daniel Dubois in an all-British world heavyweight title fight on Saturday May 9.WBO champion Wardley makes the first defence o...

Tyson Fury: Arslanbek Makhmudov wants to send 'Gypsy King' back into retirement 'for real!'

Tyson Fury: Arslanbek Makhmudov wants to send 'Gypsy King' back into retirement 'for real!'

Arslanbek Makhmudov's "objective" is to send Tyson Fury back into retirement "for real", says his promoter Camille Estephan.Fury is preparing for a co...