How can teammates and coaches best support LGBT team members?
For teammates: Be a good friend, just as you would for any other friend. The names may be different, but the issues remain the same. Whether your teammate has a boyfriend or a girlfriend, a good teammate—and a good friend—gives support in the same way. For coaches: create an atmosphere where the team behaves supportively. A coach should forbid homophobic language—both for himself and for the team. Most importantly, a coach should treat all athletes with equal respect and dignity. • What recommendations do you have for athletic departments or coaches about making athletics respectful and inclusive for LGBT people? The biggest challenge that I have seen is that of education. Most coaches want their players to succeed both as athletes and as people. The problem is not that coaches do not want to help; the problem is that coaches do not know how to help. An athlete struggling to come out is a unique set of issues, and schools have the responsibility to bring in educators and to combat homo
