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Home > It Takes a Team! Action Guide for Athletic Directors

It Takes a Team! Action Guide for Athletic Directors




Making Athletics Safe for Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender Coaches and Athletes

Policy Guidelines for Ensuring Fair Treatment for LGBT Athletes
  1. Avoid treating LGBT athletes and the issues raised by their participation in athletics as a "special" situation. Integrate policy applying to LGBT athletes into overall team or department policy.
  2. Rather than responding to individual situations case by case, identify overall policy to apply in individual situations.
  3. Be proactive. Anticipate issues that might arise and plan sound policy before a problem arises.
  4. Make policy based on ethical principles and fairness, not prejudice and fear.
Legislate

Develop Institutional Policies and Procedures Protecting LGBT People
  • Include sexual orientation and gender identity in department non-discrimination policies and if your school or state has an inclusive non-discrimination policy, expect athletic department personnel to abide by that policy.
  • Develop anti-harassment policies that address harassment based on perceived or actual sexual orientation and gender identity, as well as sex, race, or religion. If your school has an inclusive anti-harassment policy, expect athletic department personnel to abide by that policy.
  • Develop policies that address the use of lesbian baiting to intimidate women who challenge gender inequity in athletics.
  • Develop domestic partnership policies for athletes and athletic department personnel.
  • Develop ethics policies that address sexual relationships between coaches and athletes, between athletes, or between coaches without regard to the gender or sexual orientation of the people involved.
  • Encourage coaching associations and other sport governing bodies to develop similar policies.
Educate

Provide Educational Programming and Material About
Department Policies and Expectations
  • Provide orientation programs for new athletics and department personnel about non-discrimination, anti-harassment and coaching ethics polices and procedures.
  • Provide information about non-discrimination and anti-harassment policies to parents of athletes.
  • Schedule regular workshops or seminars about homophobia or discrimination against LGBT people for athletes, coaches, and other athletic personnel.
  • Encourage coaches associations and other sport governing bodies to provide educational programs and materials.
Locate

Identify Local and National Resources for LGBT Athletes and Coaches
  • Identify campus and community resources for athletes, coaches, or parents of athletes seeking LGBT affirmative counseling or support services.
  • Identify sport advocacy or sport governing organizations that can provide resources and support for addressing homophobia in athletics.
  • Identify campus and community resources for athletes, coaches, or other athletic department personnel who engage in anti-gay harassment or discrimination.
    Identify print, video, and Internet resources for addressing homophobia in athletics.
  • Identify workshop or seminar leaders and consultants who can address homophobia or other issues related to LGBT people in athletics.
  • Encourage coaches associations and other sport governing bodies to develop resource materials or collect resource lists for coaches, athletic directors, parents, and athletes.