Boston, MA (10-19-11) - On October 17th, Sport in Society and Northeastern’s College of Professional Studies co-hosted GForce Sports as they presented their “Invisible Athlete” forum. GForce is an organization that is breaking down negative stereotypes about gay athletes through competitive play and educational outreach.
Boston’s Bean Pot schools were fully represented as the men and women’s ice hockey teams from each institution piled into the room. The event was open to the public and many chose to stand in the back just to get a chance to listen to the panel. Patrick Burke, a scout for the Philadelphia Flyers and son of Maple Leafs GM Brian Burke, emceed the event. Patrick's brother Brendan courageously came out to his University of Miami hockey team in November of 2009 and was the first person associated with the NHL to be openly gay. Not two months later, Brendan was tragically killed in a car accident. Patrick explained, “Since that time our family has vowed to pick up where Brendan left off.”
The “Invisible Athlete” forum is both in memoriam of Brendan Burke and a means to discuss LGBT topics in a predominantly heterosexual environment. An accomplished athletic trio made up the panel, including: Andrew Goldstein, former Major League Lacrosse standout and the first openly gay male athlete in professional team-sports; Lee-J Mirasolo, assistant coach for Princeton University and former women’s hockey captain at Boston College; and David Farber, one of the first openly gay college athletes who came out while playing hockey for the University of Pennsylvania. The panel spoke about their reasons for coming out when they did and the positive impact it has had in their personal lives as well as the world of sport.
Patrick asked the panel a series of questions relative to coming out, locker room atmosphere, their roles as leaders, and negatives they may have experienced as a result of coming out. Andrew, Lee-J and David were honest, poised, and relatable when answering sensitive questions.
The decision to come out to friends, family and teammates was discussed at length. The athletes explained the intense fear leading up to their coming out. They decided to come out not solely for themselves but for any LGBT individual who may feel trapped; for the college athlete scared to lose his/her spot on the team roster, the high school teen thinking that suicide is the only option, or the professional athlete who is ashamed to admit who they truly are. Andrew announced on ESPN that he was gay, as a way to speak to his younger self who longed for a gay role model in professional sports. Andrew never had that role model growing up so he in turn became one for countless others.
“Invisible Athlete” reached a vital audience in the effort to break down negative stereotypes about gay athletes. College athletes must become more aware that their words can create an environment of fear and oppression for their closeted teammates. Though not intended to offend their teammate, friend, coach or even their opponent, homophobic slurs still create a hostile environment.
Sport in Society coop, Courtney Mortimer, said of the event, "I hope that the panel sparked a larger acceptance of LGBT athletes, as that is a fundamental component of a team’s growth and success. If possible, I would ask that the “Invisible Athlete” group speak to every team at Northeastern in order to open the minds of college athletes and inspire those looking for resolution."
No comments:
Post a Comment