Compete magazine and Campus Pride have released their list of the 10 most gay-friendly college athletic departments. And while some schools that made the grade are no-brainers, others are unexpected champs.
We kind of expected to see Stanford, Columbia and NYU make the list, which rated inclusion efforts, practices and policy implementation of nominated universities. They’re located in or near major urban areas with large LGBT populations.
And while they’ve all turned out some fine athletes, those universities aren’t really major players in the college-sports arena.
But Indiana University? Who knew the Hoosiers partnered with the school’s LGBT group, participated in Indianapolis Pride and had a special gay-fan appreciation day?
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As Campus Pride rightly points out, IU is setting the standard for other Big Ten schools to follow.
Another school honored for its safe and welcoming environment was Bucknell in Lewisburg, PA, where junior Taylor Harris says his coming out to teammates on the diving team was “a wonderful experience.” “I think the fact that everyone has been so accepting has really helped us behave as a cohesive team. It is so much easier to compete knowing that you have your team behind you 100 percent.”
The list is part of Campus Pride’s Out to Play Project, which combats homophobia in sports and encourages LGBT and ally athletes to be out and proud. “LGBT students today are more out and vocal than ever before and those who are also athletes deserve to know which schools and which athletics programs will respect them for who they are,” says executive director Shane Windmeyer.
The other schools on the Out to Play List are Bates College (Lewiston, ME), Bowdoin College (Brunswick, ME), Ithaca College (Ithaca, NY), Kennesaw State University (Kennesaw, GA) and Whitman College (Walla Walla, WA).
Photo: Rick Dikeman
Belize
Oh no. Heteros who are friendly towards the LGBT?! Quick JASON, we need your so-called telepathic powers to discover some whimsical conspiracy theory regarding this to remind us how evil Heterosexuals are.
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Off topic Queerty. Thank you for closing the comment section on the Matt Bremer news. I think that’s a very classy move considering the pearl clutching queens that flock this plae.
GLA
Bucknell alumnus here—-and VERY proud.
Spike
Aren’t 100% of college female college athletic programs gay friendly?
YouKnow
Just a fact check, you do realize that Stanford has had the top athletic program in America for the past 17 years right?
Let's be real here
Bucknell is a school full of white rich kids and there’s pretty much no diversity there at all.
Max
Bucknell is also a VERY small school.
LMAO they’ve got a small athletic program and small teams.
Chris S.
Actually, I’m not surprised by IU making the list. I used to live in Bloomington, and it’s a VERY queer-friendly town, especially when you consider it’s in the middle of rural Southern Indiana. Also, you’ve got to remember: IU is home to the Kinsey Institute.
CBRad
@Let’s be real here: But rich white kids usually ARE amongst the gay-friendly groups. If I go to Roosevelt Field mall in long Island (NY), a mall in the middle of a bunch of rich/upper-class/and middle class suburbs, it’s nothing to see two young guys holding hands now.
mark snyder
Bucknell is in a very conservative area of Pennsylvania. Very. I grew up in Snyder County just next to that area, and then went to Lewisburg High School later in life. Trust me, it’s no treat for queer youth living in those parts.
Valeria Mariscal
That!Great! now we are getting 1 step ahead:)
GLA
Again, my experience at Bucknell (back in the70s) was that most students came from, yes, upper middle class families. AND these families were overwhelmingly conservative. It’s the faculty that fostered different ways of thinking.
Mark
Yes Bucknell university and its student body are mainly conservative, and it’s surrounding areas are too.
joeyjoey73
@GLA: I’m an alumni as well, a mid-90s graduate. so great to see bucknell on this list. i loved my time at the school, but agree that i didn’t feel comfortable coming out until after i had graduated. so encouraging to see a school like bucknell embrace and encourage more openness and acceptance.