Membership in the Ultimate Sports Club

We live in a society obsessed with, and in important ways influenced by, sports. The implication for gays and lesbians is clear. Our full acceptance by the wider society depends in part on our making inroads into what until now has been one of the last acceptable bastions of homophobia, sports. Consider becoming a member of our Ultimate Sports Club. Read more about us and our press releases.

We are a Fidelity Charitable Gift Fund/GuideStar approved charity and you may donate using your Fidelity account or donate directly to us

Top 3 reasons why you should donate:

• The sports industry affects what we SEE, what we HEAR, and how we FEEL – an influential communications vehicle (a $213 billion industry*)
• Engage the gay and lesbian community in support of creating positive role models and heroes
• Involvement with our ground-breaking conference that addresses the last bastion of homophobia

“Looking at the greater impact on society, the conference isn’t just for ‘jocks’ but it’s for everyone and it’s about growing up and having positive role models, mentors, and heroes. Could we save lives in the process and at least make the coming out process less painful and less shameful? Consider stories like those of Matthew Shepard and how it could be different.” – Mac Chinsomboon, GLAF Executive Director

Consider becoming a member of our Ultimate Sports Club.

Ø       Platinum Donor - $5,000

Ø       Gold Donor - $2,500

Ø       Silver Donor - $1,000

"Looking at the greater impact on society, the conference isn’t just for ‘jocks’ but it’s for everyone and it’s about growing up and having positive role models, mentors, and heroes. Could we save lives in the process and at least make the coming out process less painful and less shameful? Consider stories like those of Matthew Shepard and how it could be different.” – Mac Chinsomboon, GLAF Executive Director

Affecting Youth Through Sports

Ø       For many, often the first type of hero or role model a child takes on is that of a sports hero, television show hero, or comic book hero

Ø       In children, involvement in sports has a very defining role, those that have echoing effects throughout their lives

Ø       If a child is ostracized from sport, anecdotal and documented evidence exists that there are effects throughout their life

Ø       Youth thinking is very moldable and often prejudices that may be encumbering in life are often developed during those formidable years

 Affecting society through sports

Ø       Sports---professional, amateur and recreational—permeate the world’s culture

Ø       A way for impoverished children to pass the time and adults to bond, and a tool of diplomacy

Ø     The sports industry is pervasive in what we SEE, what we HEAR, and how we FEEL – a great communications vehicle (a $213 Billion industry last year, which is far more than twice the size of the U.S. auto industry and seven times the size of the movie industry*)

Ø       Like nothing else sports bring communities together, from small ones like Norman, Oklahoma (University of Oklahoma football) to big ones like New England (Patriots, Red Sox and Celtics) to even bigger ones like Brazil (the country’s 2002 World Cup victory unified its rich South and poor North). A survey by Deloitte & Touche revealed that New York area residents believed that professional sports played a positive role in comforting and unifying the country in the weeks following September 11th and has played a role in helping the country recover from the attacks.

Ø      From childhood to retirement, sports play a huge role in our emotional and physical well-being. Some of the most formative experiences growing up happen on a field, court or track. As children, the interaction with team mates is often where we all learn our social skills that are then refined through out our adult years. And, besides parents and teachers, no group of adults has a greater impact on a kid’s development than coaches. 

Ø     Sports terminology and metaphors permeate our politics and culture. Need proof? Here are two examples. When a politician gives a great speech or a movie has a smash opening weekend, they are said to have “hit a homerun.”  How many times has somebody told you to “get on the ball” when you’ve fallen behind on a project or misplaced something?

Ø       Sports is a platform for social change (e.g. business often purchase sky boxes; stadium naming rights; corporate sponsorships; etc)

QUICK FACTS

 We live in a society obsessed with, and in important ways influenced by, sports. The implication for gays and lesbians is clear. Our full acceptance by the wider society depends in part on our making inroads into what until now has been one of the last acceptable bastions of homophobia, sports. We need your help to develop positive role models and heroes.

Breaking Down Barriers

The recently formed Gay & Lesbian Athletics Foundation will be making history next spring in Boston/Cambridge when we host our first annual National Gay & Lesbian Athletics Conference. According to our organization’s Executive Director, Mac Chinsomboon, the conference will explore the acceptance and visibility of gay athletes in professional, collegiate, high school, amateur and recreational sports. “We want to give athletes an opportunity to share their experiences. Our goals are twofold: One, create a community of gay athletes who can communicate with each other regularly. Two, help cultivate an environment in sports in which athletes are accepted and respected without regard to their sexual orientation. In the process, we help to create positive role models for the society at large.”

Mission

The Gay & Lesbian Athletics Foundation is dedicated to the acceptance and visibility of gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender men and women in the professional, amateur, and recreational athletics communities. The Foundation promotes through education, understanding and respect for all members of the athletics community regardless of sexual orientation.

Conference

The annual conference will provide a forum for LGBT professional, amateur, and recreational athletes from around the world to share their stories and experiences; foster the development of inclusive and supportive athletics environments, dispel myths concerning LGBT athletes, learn from one another; a forum to build networks; foster mentoring relationships, and to promote cooperation – in essence, creating “community”.

The conference is a full weekend of speakers and panel discussions -- a forum for intellectual discussion, debate, investigation and expression of the issues concerning gay and lesbian athletes. It will include at least three keynote speakers who are recognized for their knowledge and/or involvement in the athletics communities. In addition, speakers will be selected based on their ability to contribute to the role of the conference as a forum for discussion and examination of issues concerning LGBT athletes. Panel discussions and workshops will be content-sponsored by an organization that has wide-reach within the LGBT and/or athletics community, including NCAA, Federation of Gay Games, SMIA, GLSEN, GLAAD, Women’s Sports Foundation, Outsports.com, NCLR, Center for Lesbian & Gay Studies, AIDS Action Committee, Gay & Lesbian Medical Association, and others.

MIT, Harvard University, and Boston City Hall as Venues

MIT has been selected as the main conference host with the full support of the MIT Athletics Department. In addition, other parts of the conference will be held in Harvard University’s Athletics facilities with the opening session hosted by Boston’s Mayor in Boston’s City Hall. Related, Sporting News voted Boston as the “Best Sports City” and is attributed to the city’s sports teams, traditions, fans, and overall commitment to the sports industry.

Advisory Board

We have the backing of a star-studded Advisory Board consisting of the who's who in gay & lesbian athletics and are recognized for their leadership and athletic achievements. Among the them are tennis legend, Billie Jean King; former NFL player, Dave Kopay; former pro basketball player and award-winning author, Mariah Burton Nelson; former National Baseball League umpire, Dave Pallone; author of Jocks/Jocks II, Dan Woog; the still competing Triple Ironman World Champion and member of the USA Triathlon Team, Christopher Bergland, and many others. 

Buy an airline RAFFLE ticket to help support our foundation and get the chance to win your choice of 2 domestic roundtrips or 1 international roundtrip. Details here.

All donations are 501(c)3 tax-deductible, our documentation, and printout of your receipt