GLAAD announced last week that it plans to partner with the You Can Play project, a group working to eradicate homophobia in organized sports.
"One of the biggest things is that there are so many LGBT athletes who
are now stepping out and announcing their sexuality," You Can Play
Executive Director Wade Davis said. The announcement comes five weeks
after University of Missouri football player Michael Sam came out as
gay, a move that paves the way for him to become the first openly gay
athlete in the National Football League.
The You Can Play Project also recently teamed up with The Colorado High School Activities Association (CHSAA) to present voices from all over Colorado talking about teamwork, respect and inclusion.
“You Can Play,
Colorado!” is part of the We Are CHSAA: Promoting Positive Leadership program.
It’s a video competition and educational experience dedicated to
ensuring that all students are encouraged to participate and be accepted
for what they bring to a team, and not excluded for what some might see
as differences.
Teams, clubs, student organizations and entire schools were invited to
submit videos talking about their teams, towns and why they welcome
everyone based on heart, talent and skill without excluding students
because of their race, religions, sexual orientation or gender identity,
or other factors. See all the videos here.
GLAAD, the nation's lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) media
advocacy organization, today announced an official partnership with the
You Can Play Project, one of North America's leading organizations
dedicated to ensuring equality, respect, and safety for all athletes,
without regard to sexual orientation. Together, the organizations will
expand visibility of LGBT people and allies in the sports community.
"As LGBT athletes continue to break barriers in sports, it's now
more important than ever that athletes, leagues, and sports fans see the
value LGBT people bring to the team," said GLAAD President Sarah Kate
Ellis. "There are few institutions that reach more people than sports,
and changing the conversation about LGBT athletes and sports fans will
have a tremendous impact on equality on and off the field."
Together the organizations will continue discussions on LGBT
inclusion with every major American sports leagues and expand the work
to include college level conferences and leagues. GLAAD and You Can Play
will develop resources for sports leagues, teams, and sports media to
ensure that LGBT athletes and fans are treated equally on and off the
field. The groups will also host trainings for sports organizations that
help sports officials tackle LGBT issues with the respect and urgency
they require.
The two organizations also are working on a national PSA campaign
highlighting the growing acceptance of LGBT people by professional
athletes.
"The You Can Play Project understands the need for thoughtful
innovative and collaborative partnerships," said Wade Davis, Executive
Director of the You Can Play Project. "With GLAAD’s almost 30 years of
experience educating the media, this partnership will help ensure that
LGBT athletes and coaches will be represented in the media with great
respect and dignity."
Earlier this year, GLAAD and You Can Play worked together on media
around NFL prospect Michael Sam following Sam's announcement that he is
gay. GLAAD placed You Can Play Executive Director Wade Davis in more
than 30 mainstream media outlets to talk about the importance of LGBT
visibility in sports and the shift towards acceptance of LGBT people.
