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October 27, 2023
New York-based LGBTQI+ advocacy group, Athlete Ally has launched an expansion of its Champions of Inclusion (COI) course – the first free online curriculum on LGBTQI+ respect and inclusion within athletics. Designed to educate student-athletes, coaches and administrators at the collegiate and kindergarten through 12th (K-12) grade level across the US, the educational program intends to eliminate geographic and financial barriers to LGBTQI+ education.
According to study by The Trevor Project, 32% of sampled LGBTQI+ youth participated in sports for a school, community league or club, while 68% never had. Among those who participated, 18% reported that they’d heard negative comments about LGBTQI+ people from a sports leader or coach. Only 4% reported that they would talk to a sports leader or coach if they were feeling sad, stressed, or depressed. Meanwhile, Athlete Ally research showed that only 5.6% of NCAA D1 athletic departments fully protect and support their LGBTQI+ athletes, staff and fans.
Athlete Ally works to end homophobia and transphobia in sport and to activate the athletic community to exercise their leadership to champion LGBTQI+ equality. It launched COI in 2018, with an online set of modules and tools designed to create inclusive environments and to break down the barriers to comprehensive training on LGBTQI+ issues. The new version of the curriculum is supported by Gatorade and includes four courses which use interactive quizzes and video modules to educate participants on sexual orientation and gender, obstacles faced by LGBTQI+ athletes, ways to proactively foster a welcoming athletic community and inclusive team and departmental policies and practices.
“Sport has the power to change lives, and yet only 32% of LGBTQ+ youth participate in athletics. All too often in sports, athletes, coaches and administrators don’t have access to the training that will most help to make their athletic community inclusive and welcoming to all,” said Hudson Taylor, Athlete Ally Founder and Executive Director. “COI works to meet that gap by providing free, online education to student-athletes, coaches and athletic staff across the country. This is an essential building block to creating and sustaining inclusive teams and laying the foundation for lifelong learning as advocates and allies.”
Champions of Inclusion introductory courses include:
- K-12 Coaches Curriculum – to help coaches working with LGBTQI+ youth in sports within the K-12 age range better understand LGBTQI+ identities, experiences and best practices.
- Athletic Staff Curriculum – designed for campus staff working with LGBTQI+ athletes to better understand LGBTQI+ identities and best practices for creating an inclusive and equitable team and campus. Coaches, athletic directors and other athletic staff will gain a stronger understanding of how to change policy, support LGBTQI+ student-athletes and build a stronger athletic program through allyship.
- Student Athlete Curriculum – provides resources and networking access with student-athletes nationwide and aims to support student-athletes to become stronger allies and to build a more inclusive team and campus for LGBTQI+ people.
- Campus Chapter Curriculum – a grassroots initiative to foster community on campuses which engages student-athletes across the globe to build LGBTQI+ inclusion in sport.
If you are a teen looking for tools to help with your mental wellbeing, please visit Head In The Game for helpful resources and inspiration, with a special focus on LGBTQI+ youth, youth of color and girls.
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