Transcript Document
Cross Campus Engagement Ensuring Fair Treatment of LGBT Student-
)
Athletes: Issues and Resources
Observations, Emerging Issues, Resources
What I See While Working With College Administrators, Coaches and Student-Athletes Pat Griffin, Director of It Takes A Team
J 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
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
Date 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
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
It Takes A Team! Education Campaign for LGBT Issues in Sport
www.ItTakesATeam.org
It Takes A Team Resources • Classroom Activities/Educational Material • Best Policies and Practices Recommendations • Resources/References • Discussion of Issues www.ItTakesATeam.org
Date 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
View from the AD
Laurie Priest Chair of Physical Education and Director of Athletics Mount Holyoke College
Date 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 Typical Athletic Department Climate • Open and Welcoming • Hostile and Homophobic • It’s ok, but don’t ask, don’t tell
Date 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 Determine needs in conjunction with administrators, coaches and student-athletes • Policies • Education
Date Facilitate collaboration of athletics with other departments/resources on campus • Health Center • Diversity Office and/or Programming • LGBT campus organizations/allies groups
Date FAR Can Facilitate Positive Change • Establish appropriate policies and programming to support and educate athletic personnel and student athletes.
National Center For Lesbian Rights Sports Project Helen Carroll, Director
Date
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 NCLR’s Sports Project Our Goal: To level the playing field for LGBT players and coaches.
Date 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 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 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 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
Understanding Negative Recruiting Based on Sexual Orientation in Intercollegiate Athletics:
• Harmful consequences to all in sport • Benefits of addressing this practice
Date
Best Practices for Challenging Negative Recruiting Based on Sexual Orientation For:
Coaches Athletic Administrators Student-Athletes Involved in Recruiting Parents and Recruits
Date 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.
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
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
Date Legal Resources: National Center for Lesbian Rights Sports Project http://www.nclrights.org/sports
40 Years of
“Coming OUT”
(Stonewall 1969 to 2009) Versus
40 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
Date
COMING “OUT”
•
NEED TO APOLOGIZE FOR Who We are and Who We Love
•
Deficit Model & Fear - Based
Date •
COMING “OUT”
Actions Based on Rejection from Team/ Family/ Coach Isolation 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
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 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
BARBIE DOLLS, ACTION FIGURES
& “GIRLYMANS…”
SHRINKING Vs. BULGING
Arnold slams 'girly-men' 18/07/2004 : Accused Cali state legislature of being "girly-men"
Date 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 Rutgers April 2007
Date TODAY: FLUID MULTIPLE &“ INTERACTIVE” INDENTITES … Day After Imus &Rutgers Women's Basketball “Megatext” Transgender Kate Bornstein Dedicated Her Lecture to the Rutgers’ Women (in front of an audience of 300)
Date
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!!
When Athletic Departments COME “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
Date 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 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.
FACULTY: • No more “Faculty of One” …y ou 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
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 more traditional or less likely departments.
• Invite faculty doing relevant research on gender, sexuality, identity etc. to present and participate in athletic and SAAC discussions.
Date
Date 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