Diversity in Sport: Beyond the Visible

Bridging Differences: Race, Gender, Religion, & Sexuality in Sport

Amy Sandler & Niki Quasney AAHPERD National Conference, April 2, 20009 Scenarios

These are examples of the ways that race, gender, religion, and sexuality can affect the climate and relationships among individuals and groups in physical education and in sport.

1. Linda is an African-American lesbian. She is the head women’s basketball coach at a small private college. She is extremely closeted out of fear for repercussions in her job and her program. She is one of very few African-American staff members at the school and relies on the support of the few other African- American staff members. They are all heterosexual and she is afraid that she would lose their support if she came out to them. The white lesbian coaches see her as distant and homophobic because she avoids associating with them. She avoids them because she is afraid that someone will find out she is a lesbian if she is seen with them and because they have no understanding of what it is like to be a black woman on campus.

2. Lisa is a gay, PE teacher in her school district. She recently found out that an African American, WNBA star that made national headlines recently for “coming out” will be speaking about her life as an “out” athlete, at a local college campus. Lisa thinks this is a great opportunity for physical education teachers, students, and, other school district employees. Lisa posted a flyer about the presentation on the school district’s physical education website. The next day, Lisa noticed her email regarding the speaker was deleted from the school district’s website. When she inquired as to why it was removed, she was told that this kind of event is not “PE related” and did not adhere to posting regulations. After her inquiry on the “PE related” website, Lisa noticed postings for Nascar tickets for sale and rooms for rent.

3. Shane is a white heterosexual woman. She is the only straight woman on the athletic department staff. She feels isolated from the lesbians because it seems they socialize together and never include her. She is always feeling on the outside, even with her assistant coaches. She believes she is open-minded and has tried to speak up to support them when she can, but is getting angry about their cliquishness.

Contact Info: Please turn over [email protected] or [email protected] Amy Sandler Niki Quasney 4. Chris is an openly gay physical education teacher at his elementary school. When handing out jump ropes, Chris has been noticing that some of the boys refuse to take the pink jump ropes. The girls have no problem taking the blue ones, but the majority of the boys are refusing to take what is handed to them or they are making comments about the pink jump ropes when they are handed one. When a boy approached Chris about the pink jump rope he was given, he told Chris that this jump rope should belong to a girl and he did not want to use it. He handed it back to Chris and asked for a different color.

5. Carla is a very attractive, young feminine white woman. She is also a lesbian, but no one in the athletic department knows. She coaches the tennis team. Male staff members assume she is straight because of her feminine appearance and gossip with her all the time about the lesbian coaches on staff or speculate about who is or who isn’t gay. They also hit on her all the time. She feels uncomfortable about these conversations, but participates in them anyway because she doesn’t want anyone to know she is a lesbian.

6. As an Evangelical Christian and advisor to the campus branch for the Fellowship of Christian athletes (FCA), Hal believes it is important to integrate his beliefs into his coaching practice as the state university in the South where he is the track coach. He also believes that homosexuality is a sin and a white problem. He leads the team in a Christian prayer before meets and sprinkles Bible quotes in his pep talks and written communications with his team. He makes sure recruits know that his coaching is guided by strong Christian values.

Discussion Questions for the scenarios:

A. Identify two scenarios you would like to discuss further. B. What do you see as the problem in each of these two scenarios? C. How do differences and/or socialization contribute to the problem? D. How do privilege and disadvantage based on identity contribute to problems in the scenario? E. What would you recommend to the participants in the scenario to help them address the problem in a win-win way?

Note: A Special thank you to Pat Griffin of It Takes a Team! for contributing several of these scenarios

Contact Info: [email protected] or [email protected] Amy Sandler Niki Quasney