A new study released by the Human Rights Campaign in association with the University of Connecticut revealed that a staggering 84% of Americans surveyed have at one point or another “witnessed or experienced anti-LGBTQ attitudes in sports.”
The study also revealed that 82% of transgender and gender expansive youth were not out to their coaches about their gender identity.
The comprehensive survey captured the experiences of LGBTQ youth
in their family settings, educational life, social circles, and communities. Over 17,0009 youth aged 13-17 participated in the survey, with representation from all 50 states and the District of Columbia.
Its sister research partner, Play to Win: Improving the Lives of LGBTQ Youth in Sports, took the data a step further by analyzing the sports-related responses.
Without the support of coaches, teammates and/or governing bodies, LGBTQ youth drop out of sports at a rate almost twice that of their non-LGBTQ peers.
Furthermore, youth who drop out deal with mental health outcomes worse than their peers who still play and those who never played at all.
The study also revealed that 11% of LGBTQ youth have never felt safe in a locker room and 51% of transgender youth have never use the school locker room aligned with their gender identity.
Participating in sports has been clinically proven to boost mood, manage weight, reduce risk of cardiovascular disease, potentially eliminate the threat of certain types of cancer, and decrease the impact of stress which, in turn, has been proven to assist with all of the above. When an LGBTQ youth feels threatened in a place they should feel safe, the barriers can have life-altering impacts.
More on the study can be found here.