By Samantha Kleinman
Manager of Player Engagement
On October 10th, 2012, the NFL hosted its first Diversity & Inclusion Symposium at the League Office. With the goal of sharing and inspiring ideas to promote equal opportunity and empower the diverse communities that populate today’s workforce, the event brought together sports leagues, organizations, and governing bodies for in-depth discussions about how issues such as gender, age, disabilities, and religion factor into working culture.
Robert Gulliver, the NFL’s Chief Human Resources Officer, opened the Symposium with a powerful statement about the event’s objective. He stated that “sports bring people together without regard to gender, race, or religion” and that this should be carried over into the workplace.
One panel discussion focused on the issue of sexuality in the workplace and featured Aaron McQuade, Director of News and Field Media at GLAAD, and Robert McGarry, Director of Education at GLSEN. Robert discussed GLSEN’s Sports Project, which is focused on affecting change in sports and physical education at K-12 schools. The project addresses the intersection of sexism and heterosexism in sports and the prevalence of bullying in physical education classes and school sports teams, both of which play such a central role in many schools. By providing resources and models for coaches and teachers, GLSEN hopes to counteract the anti-LGBT culture of sports and make K-12 athletics safe and inclusive for all children.
Aaron McQuade of GLAAD further reinforced Robert’s points through his discussion about the ramifications of coming out. He highlighted the need for visibility, stating that “there is no acceptance without understanding, no understanding without visibility” so issues of sexuality need to be openly discussed. GLAAD is helping the sports community talk about these issues through its You Can Play project, which features testimonials from NHL players in its first public service announcement. By raising the visibility of LGBT issues, GLAAD hopes to overcome the discomfort surrounding sexuality in the workplace in general and in sports more specifically.
The first Diversity & Inclusion Symposium achieved its objective of bringing together thought leaders in the fields of sports and diversity to share best practices related to diversity and inclusion. As Dr. Harry Edwards, renowned advocate for diversity in professional sports and special consultant to the San Francisco 49ers, stated in his keynote address at the Symposium, “interest and need are the foundations of a long-term commitment to diversity.” We hope that the conversation continues and that the Diversity & Inclusion Symposium is a step towards that commitment.
For more information about the GLSEN Sports Project, visit http://sports.glsen.org/
To view GLAAD’s You Can Play public service announcement, “The Faceoff,” click here.