Is Sport a Safe Place for LGBT Athletes?

     In recent years, a lot of ground has been gained to make sport a safe environment for LGBT athletes, however to currently identify it as a "safe" place would be a stretch. Although more support for the LGBT community is being found throughout athletics and society, many athletes still have troubles feeling comfortable in their own skin and coming to terms with their sexuality. NBA center Jason Collins came out in 2013 and detailed his experience in an article published in Sports Illustrated. Collins has a twin, who is also in the NBA, and he first realized he was different from his twin just before his teen years, as he could not identify with his brother's attraction to girls. It was not until he was 33 that he came out for the first time, which was in confidence to his aunt who revealed that she knew for years of his sexual orientation, she just also knew that he needed to come to terms with it before addressing it. In 2012, Collins decided he was finally ready to come out to the public when the Boston Marathon bombing made him realize, "Things can change in an instant, so why not live truthfully?" (Collins, 2013). However, Collins decided that he would wait until the end of the 2012 season to go public with his announcement because he made a commitment to his team and did not want his personal life to interfere with his athletics, which is probably an attitude shared amongst many LGBT athletes. 

     Collins also touched base on the stereotype that gay players must be "soft"; he quickly identified himself as a example against that common misconception as he is known to be an aggressive player on court. He attributes that feature of his game to his desire to win and do everything he can to help the team and mentioned that he hopes after making this announcement that players will not see him differently on the court, in the locker room, or outside the basketball world. That concern is legitimate as others' perceptions of one's sexual orientation is often the reason that individual works so hard to hide the truth and once ready to face the truth, he/she must learn how to actually handle the attitudes of those around them. Many LGBT athletes have identified the loss of support from teammates and the public as one of the most troubling barriers preventing them from coming out during their careers, as well as the fear of being "ambushed" via social media and "humiliated" on camera (Zirin, 2014, pg. 13). 

     Near the end of his article, Collins states that we are living in a more accepting time, but there is still a ways to go and that everyone has the power to take action. This idea is shared by the You Can Play Project, which is an organization who mission is to "Ensure equality, respect and safety for all athletes, without regard to sexual orientation" (Mission Statement, 2014). This program appreciates the recent support from professional athletes of all sports leagues and their public statements addressing such support, as it positively impacts locker rooms and every other sporting realm (Price, 2014). I can see why the announcement of professional athletes' support for the LGBT community has such a great influence on society and I think that it has the ability to shift the attitudes of those who follow and participate in sports. 

     Statistically, I am not sure if certain sports/standards of competition are safer than others for LGBT athletes, however being a collegiate athlete, I have what I consider a good understanding of which sports are and are not inclusive. I have noticed that women's sports tend to be more accepting of LGBT athletes, a trend that I also observe in professional athletics. Additionally, I have noticed a drastic shirt in attitudes between my high school and college careers; collegiate athletes are much more supportive of LGBT athletes and non-athletes, which I attribute to the greater self-confidence most achieve during their college years both in sexual orientation and attitudes regarding such issues. Softball has been stereotyped as a lesbian sport, a tag that I have also heard placed on women's basketball, and though I disagree with coining any sport as such because it is done in a disrespectful manner, I do believe that both sports provide very safe environments for LGBT athletes. Due to this "safe" environment, I have found that LGBT athletes have an easier time coming out to teammates in these sports, which I admire and hope spreads throughout the sporting world because not only does it provide a better culture for the LGBT community, but it also teaches those outside the community.

Works Cited

Collins, Jason. (2013, April 29). Why NBA center Jason Collins is Coming Out Now. Sports Illustrated.

"Mission Statement." You Can Play Project. You Can Play, 2014. Web.<http://youcanplayproject.org/pages/mission-statement>.

Price, N. (2014, January 8). National Hockey League Becomes First With All-Team Support For Gay Athletes And Fans Through You Can Play. PR Newswire US.

ZIRIN, D. (2014). THE LGBT MOVEMENT TAKES AIM AT SOCHI. (Cover story). Nation, 298(6), 12-17.