On Campus

Our model of ending homophobia and transphobia in sports is rooted in allyship. The strongest movements for equity are supported by allies. Being an ally is not an identity—it is a process of building relationships with those LGBTQI+ athletes who are most affected based on trust, consistency, and accountability. Allies are here to support and make use of their privilege as athletes, coaches, or athletic staff to turn the spotlight towards the voices of those who are continuously marginalized, silenced, and ignored.

That depends on your campus culture. If the conversation surrounding LGBTQI+ inclusivity and affirmation has never been discussed within your athletic communities, a keynote speech to all athletes would be a great place to start. If there are key leaders on campus that want to have a discussion, we can facilitate roundtable, workshops, and small meetings. We also meet with decision makers on campus to help implement long-lasting policies and practices. If you would like to know more about how we can work with your campus, leave us a message.

Some athletes don't realize that LGBTQI+ people are very active in sports. It's estimated that 40% of LGBTQ youth have played at least one team sport. Chances are that you and your teammates have played alongside LGBTQI+ athletes before, though they may not have realized it. The only thing that changes when a player is open about their sexuality is they feel more comfortable being themselves with the community.

You can tell your teammates that LGBTQI+ athletes are there to play the game, just like everyone else, and they deserve the same opportunities and respect.

Faith is personal, which means that every individual has a unique experience incorporating allyship into his or her religious beliefs. Countless Athlete Allies are also people of faith. We recommend that you look closely at the values of allyship and see how they fit in the larger context of your religion.

For example, being an ally means treating others with respect, dignity, and kindness. It means embracing difference and respecting people rather than judging them. We also suggest that you study why some members of your faith may negatively view LGBTQI+ people and ask yourself if those views make sense to you. Seek out LGBTQI+ affirming organizations within your religion. We promise, they exist, and we are happy to help you and them. Learn about their views, ask constructive questions and share the answers with members of your religious community. Thoughtful questions are often the rst point of productive conversation about being an ally of faith.

There are countless ways that campus athletics could be more inclusive to LGBTQI+ people involving values, policies, and practices. To start, athletic departments should have a written nondiscrimination policy that explicitly covers “sexual orientation,” “gender identity,” and “gender expression” for their teams, staff, coaches, and fans. Team specific codes of conducts are great spaces to reiterate commitment to LGBTQ inclusion. Training for all staff and coaches, inclusive dress codes, and asking of pronouns are other ways to make campus athletics more inclusive. Need help specifically for your campus? Feel free to send us a message.

Athlete Ally works closely with LGBTQI+ athletes across the world. We also collaborate with affiliate organizations that specialize in providing support to LGBTQI+ athletes who are considering coming out. Don't hesitate to reach out to us for support, guidance or resources. We also recommend connecting with the LGBTQI+ center on your campus.