Printer-friendly versionReducing harassment in the locker room, gymnasium and on the playing field is also vital for creating a positive PE experience. Standards of behavior need to be communicated early and often, and bullying and slurs need to be confronted immediately and firmly, says Pat Griffin. Griffin, a former player and coach, is now head of the Changing the Game project, sponsored by the Gay, Lesbian and Straight Education Network (GLSEN).
“Nothing can turn a kid off faster to sports and PE than bullying and name calling,” Griffin says, noting that many LGBT teens—and those perceived as LGBT—cite the locker room as a place of sheer terror. “Teachers need to be vigilant, not disappear into their office when class or practice is over. Coaches also need to monitor their own behavior and language. They can be such important, powerful role models in schools. And what they say and do is more powerful than any Safe Zone sticker.”
In some instances, students are taking the lead in educating their elders. Craig Cassey, Jr., 18, is an out gay middle-distance runner from Media, Penn. At one high school track meet, he heard a coach he liked and respected make an anti-gay comment. “He was trying to pump up a teammate,” Cassey says.
Cassey had the courage to contact the coach afterward. “He felt awful, immediately apologized and promised to never do that again,” Cassey says. “It was a relief for me because he’s a fantastic coach. I wouldn’t love track this much or have medals from the state meet without him and what he taught me.”
