Parents Can Help Make Youth Sports Safer for Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender Coaches and Athletes
Kicker:
From the Women’s Sports Foundation
The Women's Sports Foundation says parents can make sports safer for lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender athletes by:
- Monitoring their own stereotyped beliefs about LGBT people and commit themselves to challenging them.
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Talking with their daughter or son about LGBT people in athletics to understand questions or negative or stereotypical beliefs they have about them.
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Encouraging young people to stand up for fairness for everyone, even when peer pressure does not support this perspective.
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Encouraging their school's athletic department to sponsor educational programs for athletes, coaches, and parents on LGBT issues in sport.
- Thanking coaches and athletic directors when they do sponsor educational programs focused on encouraging fairness, safety, and respect for all.
- Stopping young people from using anti-gay or sexist language and talk with them about why it is not acceptable.
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Modeling respectful treatment of LGBT coaches and athletes for their son or daughter.
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Challenging their own assumptions about the importance of rigid adherence to stereotypical gender expression for their children.
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Considering the possibility that their son or daughter might be LGBT and identify ways they can support him or her.
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Making it clear to their children that they have a right to set their own personal boundaries for interactions with teammates and coaches and that any unwanted breach of those boundaries is unacceptable.
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Making it clear to their children that any coach, regardless of sexual orientation or gender, who engages in sexual talk or behavior with athletes is unethical.
- Attending athletic department or school-sponsored programs about LGBT issues.
- Talking with other parents about the importance of encouraging young people to appreciate differences and treat all teammates and coaches with respect.
- Reading books or news articles about LGBT issues in athletics to better understand how to make sports safe for all.
- Using inclusive language that does not assume that all coaches or athletes are heterosexual.
- Assuming always that there are LGBT people on athletic teams and among the coaching and support staff even if they have chosen not to identify themselves.
- Proposing a non-discrimination policy for the athletic department at their child's school that includes sexual orientation and gender expression.
- Treating all athletes and coaches fairly and respectfully regardless of their sexual orientation or gender expression.
Source:
Women’s Sports Foundation
Teaser title:
What Can Parents Do To Make Athletics Safe for Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender Coaches and Athletes?
Teaser text:
Advice from the Women's Sports Foundation on how parents can help make youth sports safer for lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender athletes.
Links:
[1] https://mail.momsteam.com/successful-parenting/youth-sports-parenting-basics/parents-role/parenting-male-athletes-advice-for-m
[2] https://mail.momsteam.com/health-safety/sexual-abuse/prevention/preventing-sexual-abuse-protection-for-kids-in-youth-sports
[3] https://mail.momsteam.com/health-safety/sexual-abuse/prevent-sexual-abuse-by-setting-boundaries-at-preseason-meeting
[4] https://mail.momsteam.com/health-safety/sexual-abuse/prevention/preventing-sexual-abuse-in-sports-what-should-parents-say-to-their-child