Helping Coaches, Faculty, and Administrators

Create a Safer Environment for Homosexual Student-Athletes

Panel Presentation, July 22, 3:30 – 5 p.m.

As recommended by the Committee on Women’s Athletics and approved by the Management Councils in all three divisions, there will be an educational session on July 22 for the Management Councils regarding creating a safer environment for homosexual student-athletes.

The outline for the panel is as follows:

Nora Beck, Associate Professor of Music and FAR, Lewis and Clark College – Professor Beck will comment that tolerance and support for homosexual student-athletes is a matter of student-athlete welfare and that all students need a safe and secure college environment in the classroom and on the playing fields.

Daniel Creighton, student, Brown University, two-year varsity lacrosse – Daniel will speak about the current situation and problems that gay men face in college athletics and what straight teammates can do to remedy these problems.

Lauren Ruffin, student, Mount Holyoke College, three-year varsity basketball – Lauren will discuss necessary steps needed to create an environment that is tolerant of diverse sexual orientations from a lesbian student-athlete perspective.

Andrew Holder, former student, Lewis and Clark College, four-year varsity swim team member – Andy will discuss the current collegiate athletic climate from the perspective of a gay male student-athlete with an emphasis on what coaches, faculty and administrators can do to make athletics safer for LGBTA students.

Preliminary questions for Management Council members to consider in advance of the session:

1) Is anyone close to you gay or lesbian? Are they out to you?

2) What is the biggest concern when it comes to dealing with homosexual student-athletes?

3) Have you heard derogatory or hateful speech about homosexual student-athletes? Where have you heard this language?

4) What should educators and administrators do to make it safer for gay and lesbian student-athletes?

NOTE: The three divisional student-athlete advisory committees will receive a similar presentation in July entitled: "Not on My Team! Equity and Respect for Homosexual Student-Athletes from the Locker Room to the Playing Fields.”