LGBTQ+

Read the original article here on Outsports

by Dawn Ennis | @lifeafterdawn

The Sports Equality Foundation hosted “A Conversation on Transgender Inclusion in Sports” on its TikTok account Tuesday evening, ahead of the Transgender Day of Visibility.

Mack Beggs led the conversation. He’s the transgender man who made headlines in high school because Texas law would not allow him to wrestle other boys. Tuesday he announced his retirement from collegiate wrestling.

He spoke with the first publicly out trans woman to win an NCAA track & field title, CeCé Telfer, and the world-famous Team USA duathlete, outstanding transgender advocate and Olympic hopeful, Chris Mosier, who is the driving force behind transathlete.com and a Nike athlete.

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Did you see my article in USA volleyball’s January 2021 magazine issue of The Court?

The article is titled Creating an Inclusive Volleyball Culture.  Don’t worry if you don’t have a subscription, you can read the full article here.

I had the opportunity to interview Galen Dodd, the technical coordinator for the U.S. Men’s Sitting Team and Giovana Melo, the head women’s volleyball for CSU Bakersfield about their thoughts and experiences around LGBTQ+ inclusion. I also share 4 tips for creating a safe and affirming space for LGBTQ+ athletes on your team or in your club.

As a cisgender lesbian woman and Athlete Ally Ambassador, LGBTQ+ inclusion is a matter close to my heart. Most people don’t realize the level of discrimination that exists within sports and the devastating impact on the mental health, performance, and retention of athletes. Here’s a few stats from the Trevor Project that I included in my article…

A national survey of more than 40,000 LGBTQ youth conducted by the Trevor Project in 2020 found that 40% of LGBTQ youth seriously considered attempting suicide, and 68% reported symptoms of generalized anxiety disorder. The survey results highlighted a correlation between LGBTQ discrimination and mental health challenges among youth. However, survey findings also showed that LGBTQ youth who participate in sports reported higher grades and fewer symptoms of depression.

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