The University of Alberta (U of A) in partnership with the You Can Play project has established a post-doctoral fellowship in order to explore LGBTQ diversity in sports.
You Can Play is an organization dedicated to ensure equality and safety for all athletes regardless of sexual orientation, according to its mission statement.
Kristopher Wells, director of the U of A’s Institute for Sexual Minority Studies and Services, said the fellowship is unique because it will be applying its research to an already existing organization.
The fellowship’s research will help to contribute to You Can Play’s work to remove homophobia from sports environments, and work with program, coaching, and policy development, Wells said.
“We’re inviting people . . . to help build change,” he said. “Sporting communities have been traditionally very masculine places that haven’t been inviting.”
Wells said LGBTQ issues have also improved in athletic communities.
“We certainly see an unprecedented interest in this area with the Sochi Games,” he said. “We’re just in a particular moment where sporting communities . . . have really opened dialogue and discussion that hasn’t existed before.”
Wells said U of A is working to support LGBTQ students and athletes, and has recently established an annual Pride Week.
The fellowship is also looking to make more partnerships, and serve as a “catalyst to the local hockey rink . . . to international Olympic committees,” Wells said.
At Carleton University student athletes and coaches sign a contract at the beginning of their training seasons outlining behavioural conduct, according to athletics director Jennifer Brenning.
“We have a code of conduct that all student athletes and coaches sign that speaks to equity and treatment of others,” Brenning said. “We also have an orientation around hazing and harassment.”
Brenning said while there is no specific clause regarding homophobia, the code strongly stipulates dignity and respect for those who sign it.
“From our leadership, those values are being instilled,” she said.
Ravens’ quaterback Jessie Mills said his team environment is an inmclusive onbe.
“I think we have a good . . . healthy environment.”
“Everyone treats each other the same and we’re pretty much like family,” he said.
Mills said he believes the entirety of the sports community is becoming more accepting towards homosexuality.
“In respect to people coming out within the sports community, I think it used to be a lot bigger of a deal but not as big of a deal right now,” he said. “In the modern day now, it’s been more like used to, widely accepted.”
Ravens women’s hockey head coach Shelley Coolidge said while acceptance towards homophobia has advanced, there is still room for improvement.
“I do think that there still are some concerns and issues, and that more education needs to take place,” she said. “Student athletes are more educated and more open and accepting, but we still have steps to take.”
Coolidge said an inclusive environment requires both the participation of student athletes and their coaches because education is also about learning from each other.
Coolidge said the U of A’s initiative is a right step towards a more accepting sporting environment.
“It’d be nice to see Carleton be a leader in these areas,” she said.
