Addressing LGBT Issues in College Athletics: Observations and Resources

2. Cross Campus Engagement Ensuring Fair Treatment of LGBT Student-Athletes:  Issues and Resources )

3. Observations, Emerging Issues, Resources What I See While Working With College Administrators, Coaches and Student-Athletes Pat Griffin, Director of It Takes A Team

4. Observations: Issues of Concern to Coaches of Women’s Sports • Romantic/Sexual Relationships Between Teammates • Negative Recruiting/Lesbian Coaches’ Fear of Being Open • Openly Lesbian Athletes Perceived as a Source of Distraction, Disruption on Team J

5. Observations: Issues of Concern to Coaches of Men’s Sports • Assumption that No Gay Men Play on Our Team (This is a women’s sports issue) • Hostile Climate: Anti-Gay Slurs, Lack of Tolerance • Openly Gay Athletes in the Locker Room, Showers

6. Generational Differences: Coaches and Student-Athletes • Student-Athletes Are More Comfortable With Gay/Lesbian Teammates Than Their Coaches Are • Women Are More Comfortable With Gay Teammates Than Men Are • Student-Athletes Acknowledge Pervasive Use of Anti-Gay Language, Coaches Do Not Date

7. Emerging Issues: Participation of Transgender Student-Athletes • Lack of Policies, Adoption of Problematic Policies • Lack of Understanding of Transgender Issues/Identity • Fears About “Unfair Competitive Advantage” • NCLR/WSF National Think Tank • Forthcoming Report and Policy Recommendations

8. It Takes A Team! Education Campaign for LGBT Issues in Sport www.ItTakesATeam.org griffin@educ.umass.edu

9. It Takes A Team Resources • Classroom Activities/Educational Material • Best Policies and Practices Recommendations • Resources/References • Discussion of Issues www.ItTakesATeam.org

10. What Can You Do On Your Campus? • Inquire about Athletic Department policy re: LGBT issues? Does it reflect school policy? State Laws? • Encourage Athletic Staff Education on LGBT Issues/Institutional/Legal Responsibilities • Link Campus LGBT Resources to Athletic Department Leadership Date

11. View from the AD Laurie Priest Chair of Physical Education and Director of Athletics Mount Holyoke College

12. Critical LGBT issues from the AD’s view: • Ability to bring full self to job or team • Negative recruiting • Ability to participate in a safe environment • Team cohesion Date

13. Typical Athletic Department Climate • Open and Welcoming • Hostile and Homophobic • It’s ok, but don’t ask, don’t tell Date

14. What is the role of the FAR in addressing LGBT issues within athletics? • Assess the athletic climate for LGBT coaches and student athletes on your campus. - Talk with the athletic director and other athletic administrators - Talk with the coaches - Talk with the student-athletes and/or the Student Athlete Advisory Council (SAAC) Date

15. Determine needs in conjunction with administrators, coaches and student-athletes • Policies • Education Date

16. Facilitate collaboration of athletics with other departments/resources on campus • Health Center • Diversity Office and/or Programming • LGBT campus organizations/allies groups Date

17. FAR Can Facilitate Positive Change • Establish appropriate policies and programming to support and educate athletic personnel and student athletes. Date

18. National Center For Lesbian Rights Sports Project Helen Carroll, Director

19. What Is NCLR? The National Center for Lesbian Rights is a legal organization committed to advancing the civil and human rights of lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender people and their families through litigation, public policy advocacy, and public education. Date

20. NCLR’s Sports Project Our Goal: To level the playing field for LGBT players and coaches. Date

21. Current Trends for LGBT Issues in Intercollegiate Athletics • Parents of student-athletes are contacting NCLR with concerns of discrimination • Student-athletes contact NCLR before or after they have been removed from team and lost scholarships Date

22. Current Trends for LGBT Issues in Intercollegiate Athletics • Coaches speak out in Title IX retaliation cases when sexual orientation is being used to silence them. • Transgender student-athletes of all ages are asking how they can participate on teams Date

23. Current Trends for LGBT Issues in Intercollegiate Athletics Organizations work together: • National Collegiate Athletic Association • Faculty Athletic Representatives Association • Women's Sports Foundation’s It Takes A Team • Coaching Organizations • National Association Collegiate Women Athletic Administrators (NACWAA) • Gay Lesbian and Straight Education Network (GLSEN) • Gay and Lesbian Advocates and Defenders (GLAD) • Gay and Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation (GLAAD) Date

24. NCLR/NCAA Think Tank 2006:The Positive Approach Negative Recruiting: The practice of playing on stereotypes to deter recruits from attending rival athletic programs by alleging or implying that a rival coach or team members are gay or lesbian. Date

25. Understanding Negative Recruiting Based on Sexual Orientation in Intercollegiate Athletics: • Harmful consequences to all in sport • Benefits of addressing this practice Date

26. Best Practices for Challenging Negative Recruiting Based on Sexual Orientation For: Coaches Athletic Administrators Student-Athletes Involved in Recruiting Parents and Recruits Date

27. Sample Non-Discriminatory Policy • The sample policy may be added to or integrated into existing policies that address recruiting in general or negative recruiting specifically • The sample policy recommends the best practice of adopting non-discrimination policies based on gender identity and expression as well as sexual orientation. Date

28. Faculty Athletic Representatives Make Change Happen! Is your institution's non-discrimination policy reflected in: • Athletic/Policy Statements •  Reviewed Yearly with Coaching Staff and Student-athletes

29. Faculty Athletic Representatives Make Change Happen! Does the student-athlete handbook include:   • The clearly stated non-discrimination policy •  A respect statement including LGBT teammates •  A  safe and confidential place/process for the LGBT student-athlete to voice their concerns                        

30. Legal Resources:National Center for Lesbian RightsSports Project http://www.nclrights.org/sports Date

31. 40 Years of “Coming OUT”(Stonewall 1969 to 2009) Versus40 Years of “Coming IN” (2010 to 2050) Mark Schuster, Senior Dean of Students Rutgers University What Students Have Taught ME In A Decade of Teaching A Course on Sport & Sexuality

32. COMING “OUT” NEED TO APOLOGIZE FOR Who We are and Who We Love Deficit Model & Fear - Based Date

33. COMING “OUT” • Actions Based on Rejection from Team/ Family/ CoachIsolation of Athletes:6-10 Times More Likely To Commit Suicide • Choice of Sports vs. Affectional Preferences • Women: No Lesbians Allowed Policies (90s)Men: So Afraid No Need For Written Rules Date

34. COMING “IN” Emphasis is on the Importance of Allies, Family Members and the Entire University Community. Importance of BROAD Liaison Training &Making Contacts Available to Athletes. Creative Ways to Incorporate LGBT Awareness into the formal curriculum and programming. Date

35. COMING “OUT” MYTHS (Hegemony): Homos As Sickos 1953 Psychologist Evelyn Hooker, with a NIH grant, determines no psychological differences between homosexual and non-homosexual men. However, it takes over 20 years for APA and AMA to “come out” with it! 1972 The American Psychological Association finally removes homosexuality as a mental illness. 1974 The American Medical Association finally removes homosexuality as a medical disorder. Date

36. BARBIE DOLLS, ACTION FIGURES & “GIRLYMANS…” SHRINKING Vs. BULGING Arnold slams 'girly-men'18/07/2004 : Accused Cali state legislature of being "girly-men" Date

37. Why This Matters Men are getting BIGGER: Body Dismorphia Women are SHRINKING: Increased Eating Disorders MEANS TO SUBVERT AMBIGUOUS GENDER and FLUID SEXUALITIES AND IDENTITIES… Underpinning reason is HOMOPHOBIA: CARTOONS OF MEN AND WOMEN to reassert images of REAL MEN and REAL WOMEN!! • Research Blames Barbie Dolls For Contributing To Eating Disorders...The Sunday NYTimes  | Roger Dobson  | May 14, 2006 Date

38. Rutgers April 2007 Date

39. TODAY: FLUIDMULTIPLE &“INTERACTIVE”INDENTITES …Day After Imus &Rutgers Women's Basketball “Megatext” Transgender Kate BornsteinDedicated Her Lecture to the Rutgers’ Women(in front of an audience of 300) Date

40. Why was the national discussion primarily about race? Why wasn’t “Nappy Headed Hoes”Deconstructed? Socioeconomic Status, Sexism, and Sexuality took a back seat, and in many discussions no seat!! Date

41. When Athletic DepartmentsCOME “IN” Pick/Invite and Train Liaisons/Allies from EVERY Aspect of the University: Faculty, staff, athletics, etc. Make choices NOT based on position, but based on people that are more affirming and not afraid to be a strong and supportive ally for LGBT Athletes. CRITICAL: After the training, posting allies’ names and contacts are visible and on websites for athletes to reach out to them when needed. Date

42. STRESS ASSESSMENT TEAMS FOR LGBT ATHLETES: Based on Safety Net /Threat Assessment Teams Meet once or twice a month. Trained liaisons should attend to increase communication across divisions, departments,etc. Invite SAAC Leaders to present cases of athletes and teams that need support. Train SAAC Leaders as peer advocates in this area (train-the-trainer model). Date

43. Presence/Visibility of Athletic Director and Leadership Team: Best Way To Send Message issue is important. LESS OBVIOUS WAYS BUT AS VITAL: Show up to Opening LGBT Receptions and encourage teams to attend major programming. Put up obvious posters, pictures of OUT athletes, and Certifications of Liaison Training and Service in office. Let the shy and invisible know you are an ally. Date

44. FACULTY: No more “Faculty of One”…you are a “Start Up” CEO Expand Involvement and interaction with Every Level of administration and faculty departments. Encourage faculty to include LGBT athletes in their syllabi for relevant courses, this includes sport management and sport & exercise science courses. Teach faculty how to create “alternative assignments” in exchange for a paper or assignments. Have class attend films, lectures, panel discussions relevant to this the topic. Then, write reaction or analysis papers on how their perceptions have changed. Date

45. Invite Less “Relevant” Departments to “Come In” (Stop Teaching to Converted): Approach the most affirming members of EVERY department to attend liaison training (good witches). Encourage them to attend programs that target these issues at least once a semester. Pull in Graduate Students and TAs of the moretraditional or less likely departments. Invite faculty doing relevant research on gender, sexuality, identity etc. to present and participate in athletic and SAAC discussions. Date

46. ALLIES ARE CRITICAL TO THE COMING “IN” PROCESS: Alliances are really very simple they arise out of the fact that we are different and yet may have common goals they grow on the two conditions that you and I both of us understand that we need each other to survive and that we have the courage to ask each other what that means. From the poem, Alliances, by Judit Date

47. WE ARE ALL ONE TEAM: ATHLETES ARE ATHLETES !!! OUR BLOG OF RESOURCES FOR THIS PANEL & SESSION: athletesrathletes.typepad.com