On Saturday, May 3rd, GLSEN Pittsburgh will be holding their annual fundraiser:
Gala to Change the Game. What is the relevance of this fundraiser? We, at GLSEN
Pittsburgh, are striving to raise awareness around homophobia and trans*phobia in K
through 12 sports environments to further our mission of creating safe and welcoming
school environments for the students of Southwest Pennsylvania.
Changing the Game is both an advocacy program and sports project created and
implemented by GLSEN, the Gay, Lesbian, & Straight Education Network. The focus of
this project is to address and reform LGBTQ issues within athletic programs and physical
education in K through 12 schools. By simply looking at the numbers, we can understand
the immense importance of Changing the Game. More than half of LGBTQ
students who took a P.E. class were bullied or harassed during P.E. because of
their sexual orientation (52.8%) or gender expression (50.9%). Furthermore, LGBTQ
students are only half as likely to play interscholastic sports as their peers
(23.3% vs. 47.8%).
Learn more about research conducted on LGBTQ students within school sports
environments at http://sports.glsen.org/resources/the-experiences-of-lgbt-studentsin-school-athletics/
Changing the Game strives to better these statistics through instilling respect, safety,
and equal access for all students, as well as teachers and coaches, in their school’s
climate and culture.
The positive effects of the participation in sports and physical activity for students
include increased physical health, self-esteem, and sense of connectedness to their
schools. As the above mention statistics suggest, LGBTQ students are not benefitting
from these previously listed positive effects because they are less likely than their nonLGBTQ peers to participate in P.E. classes or sports teams. The work of Changing the
Game is both crucial and essential for our youth.
GLSEN Pittsburgh is reaching out to any and all sports teams in the area in hopes
of joining forces to make a change, a change in the game. In order to increase
awareness across Southwestern PA of the barriers faced by LGBTQ youth and their
allies when playing on sports teams, we need to come together and connect through
our shared belief of equality for all. Together we will educate coaches, athletes, and
parents on how they can help create safe spaces for ALL students to play sports.
The Pittsburgh Pirates have
signed the TEAM RESPECT
CHALLENGE! You can too at
http://sports.glsen.org/studentinitiatives/team-respect-challenge/
HOW CAN YOUR TEAM GET
INVOLVED YOU ASK?
First and foremost, sign the TEAM
RESPECT CHALLENGE.
Your team can buy a table at GLSEN
Pittsburgh’s Gala to Change the Game. Tickets to any of your sporting events can be
donated and auctioned off at the annual fundraiser. We’ll take more than just tickets!
Donate merchandise, such as t-shirts and caps, to be auctioned as well!
As a GAME CHANGER, your sports team will have placement of materials at GLSEN
Pittsburgh’s Gala to Change the Game. Your team will be mentioned on GLSEN
Pittsburgh’s website as a GAME CHANGER, including your team logo and link to your
sports team’s website. We would be delighted to include a picture of your team on the
website as inspiration and motivation for other sports teams in the Pittsburgh
area to get involved as GAME CHANGERS.
PLEASE CONTACT VANESSA DAVIS, CHAPTER DIRECTOR,
WITH ANY QUESTIONS CONCERNING GETTING INVOLVED
AS GAME CHANGERS
[email protected]