An open letter penned by Illinois Volleyball middle blocker Cari Bohm as we celebrate Pride Month…
"Dear fellow NCAA student-athletes,
An undeniable truth of mine is that sports have changed my life for the better. All of my most treasured memories, friendships, and core life lessons have come from sports. I credit my positive experience with sports as the reason I am who I am today: someone I am proud to be. For many of us, sports are such an incredibly positive space because they are a place where we can show up as our authentic selves, unreservedly. They embody values we love like fairness, equality, and deep human connection.
Unfortunately, the sad reality is that far too many LGBTQ+ athletes do not feel safe expressing their true selves when they step on the court or the field. The Human Rights Campaign reported that "84% of Americans surveyed have witnessed or experienced anti-LGBTQ attitudes in sports". This statistic is disheartening, and it is clear we have work to do.
What gives me hope is that we, as student athletes, have the power to change the game. Athletes inherently have the privilege of visibility and a platform, and with that comes the responsibility to use it to make positive change. I encourage you to be the voice for those that feel silenced. Your voice is powerful as an athlete. Use it to spread kindness, support, and love for all of your teammates, on and off the court. I encourage you all to call out the casual homophobia and transphobia in your locker rooms, use inclusive language when talking with your teammates, and continue to educate yourself and each other on these matters.
I owe thanks to the current and former teammates that have made sports a place where I not only feel safe, but also encouraged to show up as my authentic self. If we can all commit to being the type of teammate that betters the life of even just one other person, imagine the magnitude of change we can achieve together.
Inclusion starts with us. It just takes one person to stand up for what is right, and people will stand behind you. Let us use our collective power to make sports a welcoming and accepting environment for everyone.
Thank you, and happy pride month."
Some resources to continue reading on this matter:
Human Rights Campaign
The Trevor Project
Athlete Ally
An open letter penned by Illinois Assistant Athletic Director, Strategic Initiatives Kam Cox after the Big Ten Conference's inaugural LGBTQ+ Symposium…
"Pride month included a special highlight this year. The Big Ten LGBTQ+ Symposium provided me with a unique chance to better appreciate those experiences distinct to the queer community. I am sincerely grateful to have been invited into several candid conversations, intimate accounts and moving testimonies that better opened my eyes to the discrimination and cruelty faced by many of my peers. I was struck by the courage and compassion of people who had been personally rejected by their laws, their institutions and sometimes their own families just for being themselves. Their stories are not mine to share, but it suffices for me to say that significant progress still needs to be made.
Allyship requires standing in support of a cause that is not your own, and I am proud to stand alongside the queer community as an ally in the ongoing struggle to validate and guarantee their rights. I learned at the Symposium that tolerance, while necessary, is not the same as allyship. Kindness, while appreciated, is also not the same as allyship. Above all, allyship is about taking productive actions. Good allies will notice and confront the various circumstances that have the effect of invalidating the queer community. For example, an ally will push back against a friend who makes an offensive comment, and an ally will also help reshape heteronormative institutional policies that may be discriminatory. While it is valuable to be an ally in public, it is even more important to take these actions when no one is looking.
As an administrator in college athletics, I am responsible for the well-being of young people, and I take that obligation very seriously. I promise to support all of my student-athletes, regardless of who they love or how they identify. I also understand that college is the first time where many will feel at liberty to explore and express their identities, and I will create the type of inclusive environment that encourages them to do so.
Pride month will end tomorrow. But the battle to guarantee the rights of the queer community will continue, and that battle cannot be won without allies. As legislators and judges across our country attempt to retract the progress made in recent years, we must actively work to move our nation forward. I applaud the Big Ten Conference for leading in this effort, and my appreciation goes to those who allowed me to be a part of such a powerful experience. I would encourage anyone interested in growing as an ally to attend the Symposium in the future."
