Help the Melbourne Chargers get to Nashville! - Australia Gay News Network

Melbourne gay rugby club The Melbourne Chargers are baring all in a bid to get to the Bingham Cup in Nashville, USA. In their fourth installment of ‘In the Flesh – Mile High Rugby Club’, a fundraising event, the Chargers will be stripping down to their bare essentials for their audience’s pleasure.

The event is open to everyone and is guaranteed to be a night of fun and laughter.

‘In the Flesh’ will be hosted by Polly Filla and stars the players from the club.

This will be the first time since 2010 that the Bingham Cup returns to the United States.

The Bingham Cup is named in honour of Mark Bingham who was fundamental in the establishment of two premier gay rugby clubs – the San Francisco Fog and the Gotham Knights. He is also now known internationally as one of the heroes of 9/11. Bingham died in the September 11 attacks on board United Airlines Flight 93. He was one of a group of passengers who took measures to attack the hijackers, which eventually led to them crashing the plane into a vacant field in Pennsylvania instead of its targets of Washington, D.C.

At the time of Mark Bingham’s tragic death, only six gay and inclusive rugby clubs existed worldwide. Two of those were co-founded by Bingham. Today there are almost 60 clubs. The Bingham Cup is the global event that promotes rugby union as an inclusive non-discriminatory sport.

In the Flesh – Mile High Rugby Club, March 19, Sircuit, 103 Smith Street Fitzroy, melbournechargers.tidyclub.com

Author Rachel Cook