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Home > It Takes a Team! Action Guide for Coaches

It Takes a Team! Action Guide for Coaches




Making Athletics Safe for Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender Coaches and Athletes
  • Educate yourself and colleagues about LGBT issues in sport (read, attend workshops, talk with school counselors or community groups).
  • Put a "Safe Zone" sticker on the locker room door and your office door.
  • Discourage slurs, jokes or other comments or actions that demean or attack lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender people.
  • Use inclusive language that does not assume that all coaches or athletes are heterosexual.
  • Schedule an educational program on LGBT issues in athletics for your team.
  • Use the words "lesbian," "gay," and "bisexual," "transgender" in positive ways.
  • Always assume that there are LGBT people on athletic teams, among the coaching and support staff even if they have chosen not to identify themselves.
  • Monitor your own stereotyped beliefs about LGBT people and commit yourself to challenging them.
  • Treat all athletes and coaches fairly and respectfully regardless of their sexual orientation or gender expression.
  • Make clear your expectations for acceptance of diversity among all members of athletic
    teams.
  • If LGBT athletes or coaches identify themselves to you, respect their right to confidentiality
    and privacy.
  • Be prepared to provide information about Parents, Family and Friends of Lesbians and Gays (PFLAG) to parents of LGBT athletes.
  • Expect the same standards of behavior from all athletes regardless of their sexual
    orientation or gender expression.
  • Ask LGBT friends or colleagues how you can show support for them.
  • Propose a non-discrimination policy for your athletic department that includes sexual orientation and gender expression.
  • Know what campus groups or agencies provide resources or support for LGBT students and staff.
  • Make it clear to athletes and coaches that anti-gay actions will not be tolerated.
  • Answer questions from athletes. parents about lesbian, gay, bisexual, or transgender people
    in your program in ways that do not support or accept prejudice.
  • Answer questions about LGBT people in sport from the media in ways that do not support or
    accept prejudice.