Out on the court : progress for gay college basketball players comes in fits and starts

Gay college athletes have often faced homophobia from fellow players, coaches, and others on campus. Barriers are still being broken; there have been just two out gay men's basketball players at the college and professional levels combined, and some conservative institutions continue to force gay students into the closet. LGBTQ and questioning youth are already at increased risk for suicide and drug abuse, and those in hostile environments are significantly more likely to do self-harm than those in supportive or neutral settings. The responsibility for care of these students lies in part with the coaches and schools that provide the arenas and uniforms. While at some schools policies have changed with the times, Baylor serves as a high-profile example of a university that remains hostile to LGBTQ students. This report examines the experiences of two former Baylor women's basketball players and one graduating University of Massachusetts player, who came out before this past season. Context will be established by examining studies done on scholastic and collegiate out gay athletes in 2002 and 2010.