Rowan Moulder

Why I’m Sweating with Pride

I’m taking on Sweat with Pride this June to raise money for our Rainbow communities! 💦🌈

Our schools, workplaces, and doctors’ offices are still not safe places for many Rainbow folks in Aotearoa. More than half our rainbow whānau have experienced mental illness. One in five of our rainbow rangatahi (youth) have attempted suicide. Life changing STIs like syphilis, mpox and HIV are still far too common. Things need to change.

So, this June I’m fighting discrimination with perspiration, and I've committed to exercising EVERY DAY to raise money to support Rainbow Kiwis.

Last year, I managed to raise over $600 sweating for 21 minutes a day. This year I'm going for a whopping 42 minutes per day!

This cause means a lot to me. I’d be SO GRATEFUL if you could chip in to help me reach my goal. Every dollar I raise will fund life-changing mental, physical and sexual health services for Rainbow New Zealanders.

Thank you so much ❤️

My Impact

So far in this year’s challenge I have…

Unlocked three counselling sessions for someone struggling with their identity or sexual health.

Sponsor Me

Track my Progress

I’m sweating for 42 minutes
per day this June!

4,472 minutes completed

1,260 minutes goal

My Ranking

I’m #420 out of 4,346 Sweaty Bettys

420

Rowan Moulder

Raised

$511

View Full Leaderboards

My Updates

Why Sweat with Pride?

Monday 10th Jun

This may come as a shock to you but... diverse folks often face discrimination (stop the presses!!)

Fundraising to provide resources to those folks can help balance and maybe even lessen the mental and material impact of that discrimination. But why excercise?

I mean sure, it takes rain to make a rainbow, but wait... that's precipitation not perspiration! So what's the reason for participation?

Well, here's my not-so- secret: I used to really hate physical activity at school.

Shared changing rooms are a gauntlet for young rainbow folks, whether it's P.E class, the pool or the Gym. When you regularly experience homophobic and transphobic slurs, don't match the highly gendered body "ideals" and feel uncomfortable with how you're perceived, it's easy to get discouraged from excercise. I sure did.

Now I want to support others who might not have access to safe excercise spaces by funding mental health resources like I needed back then. One day, I hope I can be the guy that makes a changing room, training space, yoga class or gym safer for someone like others have done for me.

Lots of folks supported me by crowd funding my top surgery almost 2 years ago. I couldn't move much during recovery and it made me pretty miserable. I realised part of how I could align with my body was movement. Finding movement that wasn't prescribed according to my gender, that feels good and right for me has been amazing for reconnecting to my body. It helped me find peace through out my transistion.

The collective support from my community united with exploring intuitive, joyful movement as my body healed was life changing. My fundraising through Sweat with Pride now is a celebratory to honour that.

With much love and sweaty, sweaty pride...

Ngā mihi,

Rowan