Rise in LGBT Athletes
Americans have become increasingly more accepting of the lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender community. People who view lesbian and gay relations as morally acceptable has gone up by 16 percent int he last decade, and for many gay athletes that acceptance has allowed them to open up about their sexuality. Ilene Tsao reports on what's behind the rise in openly gay athletes.
NAT POP(:1) RT(:14) The whistle blows to signify the end of practice as the Emory University softball team brings it in for a final huddle. Natalie McLaughlin (mc-lof-lin) is a sophomore outfielder for the Eagles and has played softball almost all her life, but has never felt more comfortable in her own skin than now. NAT POP(:3) RT(:14) After entering collegiate sports, McLaughlin felt safe enough to come out about her sexual orientation. Many other gay athletes have a similar change of heart as people become more accepting of L-G-B-T individuals. Natalie began to embrace what it meant to be a gay athlete. ST(:5) Natalie McLaughlin Openly Gay Emory Softball Player It was super accepting and diverse, and I didn’t feel it would be out of the ordinary. RT(:18) According to Gallup, two-thirds of Americans now show support for gay and lesbian relations between consenting adults, the highest it’s been since the question was first asked more than 30 years ago. Alyssa, a heterosexual member of Emory’s softball team, was initially skeptical about the idea of having a gay teammate, but had a changing perspective. ST(:7) Alyssa Teammate Emory Softball Player Now they’re my teammates and they’re my best friends and I don’t identify them by their sexuality. It’s part of who they are. RT(:13) Beyond having support from teammates, friends, and family, there have also been organizations such as Athlete Ally that have been created to support gay athletes. Brian Healey (Hee-lee), the program coordinator, enjoys guiding young athletes through this tough process. ST(:4) Brian Healey Athlete Ally Coordinator I helped walk a Cornell soccer player through his coming out process, and it went so well for him. RT(:20) Many of these college athletes have found inspiration from the pros. In the 2012 London Olympics, 21 openly gay athletes participated, which is double the amount of openly gay athletes in the 2008 Olympics. Christy Thomaskutty, the Emory Women’s basketball coach, believes these professionals are a key component to the community’s changing outlook. ST(:4) Christy Thomaskutty Emory Head Women’s Basketball Coach We don’t have a third eye. We’re not different, we just have a different sexual orientation. RT(:13) Despite the growing number of openly gay athletes, Katie, who played club lacrosse at Emory, is one of the many who feel uncomfortable. She wasn’t open about her sexuality while playing lacrosse, and still hasn’t fully come out as a member of the L-G-B-T community. ST(:7) Katie Ex-Lacrosse Player I didn’t know if my teammates would be accepting of me being bisexual or if they’d act differently around me. RT(:4) According to McLaughlin, her team’s acceptance reminded her of the encouragement from her family. ST(:6) Natalie McLaughlin Openly Gay Emory Softball Player You have your teammates that are going to support you no matter what. They have their beliefs, you have your beliefs, so you’re pretty much a family. RT(:15) McLaughlin believes that the world is changing and is excited about the direction it’s headed in. She’s currently in a happy relationship with another girl on the softball team and feels she has “hit a homerun” with her girlfriend and the relationship. Ilene Tsao, Emory News Now. |
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