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Home > Action Questions for Parents

Action Questions for Parents




Action Questions for Parents

1. How would you react if your son or daughter's coach were LGBT?
  • Address concerns parents have by focusing on the importance of clear ethical standards for all coaches that apply fairly regardless of sexual orientation or gender.
  • Stress your expectations that coaches, regardless of sexual orientation, will maintain professional relationships with their athletes.
  • Address stereotypes that parents might have about LGBT people, particularly the misconception that lesbian or gay people are more likely to pose a sexual threat to their
    athletes than heterosexual coaches do.

    2. How would you react if one of your daughter's or son's teammates were LGBT?
  • Stress the importance of the parents. role in helping their son or daughter respond with support and respect rather than prejudice or fear.
  • Encourage parents to talk with their child about their reactions and concerns about having a LGBT teammate.
  • Provide resources for parents to help them with conversations with their daughter or son.
  • Point out the importance of young people learning to live and work in a world of increasing diversity.

    3. How can parents encourage respectful treatment of LGBT athletes and coaches among their children?
  • Parents can reinforce messages of respect coaches encourage at school.
  • Talk with young people about what their thoughts are about LGBT coaches and teammates.
  • Parents can role model respectful treatment of LGBT coaches and athletes in their interactions with them.

    4. How can parents support the efforts of school athletic program to create safety for LGBT athletes and coaches?
  • Offer to help the coach in team discussions.
  • Let the athletic director and coaches know you appreciate their efforts to encourage fairness, respect, and safety for all athletes.
  • Talk with other parents about your support.

    5. How can parents respond to other parents who object to LGBT coaches or athletes participation in sports programs?
  • Challenge anti-gay stereotypes.
  • Differentiate between approval of homosexuality and expectations for respectful treatment of all, regardless of sexual orientation.
  • Talk about the opportunities for young people to learn about differences in ways that will make them more compassionate and supportive team members.

    6. How can parents respond to college coaches who engage in the unethical practice of negative recruiting by cautioning parents that participating in athletic programs with LGBT participants puts their child at risk?
  • Let the coach know that having a LGBT coach or teammate is not a concern of yours and that their use of negative recruiting does not put their program in a positive light.
  • Negative recruiting of any kind is against NCAA policy. Let the coach know that you
    consider it unethical.
  • Think about reporting the incident to the coach.s athletic director and/or the NCAA.

    7. What resources are in your community or school for parents with LGBT children or for LGBT parents with children participating in athletics?
  • Check to see where the closest chapter of Parents and Friends of Lesbians and Gays (PFLAG) is.
  • What community or school groups are there who can provide resources or programming for parents?