Locked in the gym's closet

Group discusses the issues facing gay athletes, coaches

Imagine a Saturday night at the Bryce Jordan Center. The Nittany Lions are on fire as Pete Lisicky sinks his fifth 3-pointer of the night. As he raises his arms over his head in celebration, a confused Lisicky looks at the crowd. There is no cheering, no screaming, only the echo of the ball hitting the floor.

It's difficult to envision a forced, library-like silence at a football or basketball game. Screaming for the death of a referee, chanting "We are Penn State" and jumping up for a big play are a part of the fun. But for many lesbian, gay and bisexual athletes, competing in the sport they love means remaining silent.

- Sue Rankin, Office of the Vice Provost for Educational Equity employee and former Lady Lion softball coach

Sue Rankin, who works in the Office of the Vice Provost for Educational Equity and is a former Lady Lion softball coach, focused the discussion on women's athletics. Rankin addressed three main points: the environment in intercollegiate athletics, the experiences and perceptions of lesbians in athletics and the ramifications that result when a player or coach is open with her sexual orientation.

"Basically, that label (lesbian) has been used for a long time as a means of marginalizing women," Rankin said. "It's not so much about heterosexism -- it's about sexism."

Rankin began the discussion by having members of the audience read examples of the hostile environment often faced by lesbian coaches and athletes. The anonymous stories from athletes and coaches across the country painted a painful picture. One athlete was forced to drop out of school after her coach told her parents she was a lesbian. Another was beaten by members of her school's football team because she was a lesbian.

"You're at a game and you've got all these other people, you know, not wanting to room with you or eat with you," Rankin read from an anonymous athlete's statement. "I wouldn't say the gay issue was the biggest problem our team had, but I think it lost games for us."

The silence of administrators on issues facing lesbian coaches and athletes can add to the institutionalization of heterosexism, Rankin explained. Having athletic directors show their support at a pride rally or actively recruiting lesbian, gay and bisexual coaches and athletes are steps that Rankin hopes will be taken in the future.

"There's a long way to go, but it's hopeful," said Kimberlie Kranich, a University staff member who attended the discussion. "We have made some advances in sport. We have to know where we have to go."

Rankin proposed structural, policy and educational changes to improve the environment for gay, lesbian and bisexual coaches and athletes. Currently, there are no organized support groups for lesbian, gay or bisexual athletes and no openly gay or lesbian Division I coaches.

Penn State has no diversity training program that addresses sexual orientation for administrators, coaches or athletes. Rankin said institutional changes, such as an "athletic department code of conduct" against homophobia, have to be made to create a positive environment for all athletes and coaches.

"I think it might go back to sexism or that men have put this label on women's sports that you have to be a lesbian to be athletic or to be into sports," said Nicki Hamilton-Smith, political committee chair of the Lesbian, Gay and Bisexual Student Alliance. "I think the only way you change that is to hire new people, not necessarily lesbian, gay or bisexual, that understand and support."