The Adams State University Advocating, Celebrating, Educating Conference Equity in Sports and Other Arenas will be held April 10 and 11 on campus. The keynote speaker, Dr. Pat Griffin will address LGBTQ Inclusion in Athletics: Successes and On-Going Challenges. The event is free and open to the public.
The conference begins Friday, April 10, with a Safe Zone Training, from 1 p.m. until 4 p.m. in the Adams State Art Building. Vanessa Delgado will host the training where members develop an understanding of LGBTQ terminology and symbols, history, concepts of privilege and identity development, and build skills for identifying and interrupting language and behavior that may be discriminatory. Campus resources and reporting processes are also shared.
The conference continues from 9 a.m. until 10 a.m. on Saturday, April 11, with Griffin’s keynote address. She will discuss the dramatic changes in the visibility and acceptance of LGBTQ athletes and coaches at all levels of sports over the last five years. The on-going challenges and obstacles to full inclusion will also be discussed, including sexism, racism and cisgenderism in athletics. Saturday events are located in McDaniel Hall.
A professor emeritus in the Social Justice Education Program at the University of Massachusetts Amherst, Griffin is the author of the book: Strong Women, Deep Closets: Lesbian and Homophobia in Sports, published by Human Kinetics, 1998. She is also co-editor of Teaching For Diversity and Social Justice: A Sourcebook for Teachers and Trainers, Routledge, 2007. In addition, she is the author of Pat Griffin’s LGBT Sports Blog. Her research and writing interests focus on heterosexism/homophobia in education, lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender teachers and students, and heterosexism/homophobia in athletics.
After a short break, a panel composed of LGBTQ and ally student-athletes and coaches It’s About Teamwork: Creating LGBTQ Inclusive Climates on Sports Teams, will receive questions from Griffin focused on their experiences in athletics and suggestions for how athletes and coaches can make their teams more welcoming and inclusive for people of all sexual orientations or gender identities. The session will close with specific ideas and projects that student-athletes (SAAC) can undertake to create LGBT inclusivity.
From noon until 1:30 p.m., will be a Kindred Spirits/CIELO Luncheon Tell Your Coming Out Story.
The afternoon begins at 2 p.m. with break-out sessions, What’s Your Game Plan? Strategies for LGBTQ Inclusion in Athletics. Griffin will lead a workshop on best practices and policies for the inclusion of student-athletes and coaches of all sexual orientations and gender identities on sports teams. Coaches and athletic administrators are encouraged to attend.
The conference is free. Reserve your spot at ACE Conference.
Contact Dr. Penny Sanders, professor of counselor education at pennysanders@adams.edu. Or contact Dr. Beez Schell, HPPE chair, beezschell@adams.edu or visit LGBTQ+ Blog, if you are interested in attending or have any questions.
