Making University of Pennsylvania's athletics program inclusive

Lambda Alliance and Penn Athletics work to help LGBT athletes

While Penn is one of the most gay-friendly universities in the country, the athletic community here is arguably lagging behind.

The Lambda Alliance ­— Penn’s umbrella organization for lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender students — is hoping to change this by collaborating with Penn Athletics to develop a diversity training program for team captains, according to Lambda Chairman and Wharton and Engineering junior Tyler Ernst.

In the coming weeks, Lambda will be issuing an electronic survey to all student athletes to gauge their attitudes toward LGBT issues. ­The confidential survey, which will include questions about sexual orientation, will form the basis of the training program for captains to be implemented in spring 2011 at the earliest.

In addition to this, coaches will be required to read the University’s zero-tolerance discrimination policy at the beginning of each season.

“Our goal is to bring the athletic arena up to par with the rest of Penn,” Ernst said.

Currently, LGBT students are “tolerated” by the athletic community, but don’t always feel accepted, according to College junior Corinne Rich, current track and field team member and president of Penn Athletes and Allies Tackling Homophobia.

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