NCAA, Drexel try to tackle homophobia in sports

By: James Mason

Posted: 11/9/07

The NCAA has made strides in educating its coaches and athletes on lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transsexual issues, but there is still room for the NCAA and the schools it governs to improve.

Currently, the NCAA sponsors an array of diversity education programs for all of its schools, which includes homophobia in sports. Charlotte Westerhaus is the Vice President of the NCAA's Office of Diversity and Inclusion, which coordinates these diversity programs.

"If a school would like to have a presentation, we require the athletic department to go through an introductory course on diversity," Westerhaus said. "We want people to have a primer on it first, before they have an advanced course. Then a university can bring in a person from a half day to a full day on issues. Homophobia is one of our more requested workshops on an advanced level. In addition to that, what we are now putting together is a best practices document that will highlight diversity related best practices that support student athletes, coaches and administrators."

Additionally, the NCAA works closely with Dr. Pat Griffin on diversity education. Griffin is the Director of the It Takes a Team! Education Campaign to End Homophobia in Sport.

It Takes a Team produces an educational DVD about homophobia, which the NCAA distributes to schools through their CHAMPS Life Skills initiative. Griffin noted the progress the NCAA was making in addressing homophobia in sports in recent years.

"The NCAA has initiated several initiatives addressing LGBT issues in sport," Griffin said. "Moreover, in the last year, NCAA President Miles Brand has publicly noted the need to address lesbian and gay issues in collegiate sport. In addition, the NCAA sponsors training for individual school athletic departments on what they call 'Sexual Orientation Issues' in athletics."

Griffin also said that there was still room for improvement, in particular in issues related to transgender athletes.

"I believe the NCAA, with the assistance of initiatives like It Takes A Team and the Sports Project of the NCLR, has made great strides in trying to address LGBT issues in sport over the last four to six years," said Griffin. "Is there more to be done? Absolutely. However, the communications lines are open, and there is reason to believe that the NCAA will continue to work on this issue."

However, Jim Buzinski, co-founder of Outsports.com, a prominent gay-themed sports web site, was critical of the NCAA's efforts, accusing them of having a lack of leadership in dealing with issues pertaining to gay coaches and athletes.

"They don't seem to think it's a problem," Buzinski said. "In general, they are getting better and some schools are doing diversity training, but I don't think it's a priority to the NCAA, in part because the environment is not conducive to coming out."

Kirk Walker, the Oregon State University head softball coach, is the only openly gay Division I coach. Walker was less critical of the NCAA's diversity training than Buzinski, but he said it can use some improvement.

"I think their diversity training has really grown, and that includes sexual identity, but I do think there's probably a greater need, specifically for sexuality, than is being addressed," he said.

While he has only been out for two years, he has yet to face any problems involving his sexual orientation.

"It's only been two years since I've been out, since then I've had very little obstacles or ramifications," Walker said. "I think more importantly, there is certainly a perception or perceived feeling that there would be a lot more challenges, which kept me from coming out."

Walker also said the team atmosphere is a good situation for someone to be open about their sexuality.

"Honestly in some ways I think that an athlete would have an easier time coming out in many situations because they would have a good support network within their team most of the time," Walker said.

The NCAA acknowledged room for improvement, while putting some of the onus on

its universities.

"I think the primary responsibility for individuals to have an inclusive environment; that falls on each institution," Westerhaus said. "What we can do is provide the education that we provide, to provide education about the issues, to provide examples of best practices, to fully support those universities that are doing their jobs, and by listening to our LBGT persons to figure out what are their needs and addressing those needs."

At Drexel, diversity education efforts in athletics are spearheaded by Associate Athletic Director Dr. Rebecca Gigli. Working closely with the Student Athletic Advisory Committee (SAAC), and dealing face-to-face with several student athletes per day, Gigli has a pulse of what athletes are dealing with off the court. She said that she has not heard of any major problems in athletics surrounding LBGT issues.

"I have not heard anything directly," Gigli said. "If there were concerns, I feel like students would feel comfortable about talking about whatever issues they have."

Gigli said Drexel is one of the schools that use the "It Takes A Team!" DVD in its diversity training. In addition, the Foundation of Undergraduates for Sexual Equality (FUSE) has visited with SAAC to make sure that student athletes are aware of the resources they have on campus.

"My role is to educate students about resources available," Gigli said. "As an educator my goal is to create a culture of aware, educated people who can make educated choices about their life."