S2|E7: Gender, Sexuality, and Inclusion in Sports
Gender, Sexuality, and Inclusion in Sports – Athletes are uniquely influential as potential change makers on a broad spectrum of global issues; sport is often perceived as embodying positive values and morals, such as cooperation, mutual respect, fair play, and equality. However, it also has the potential to reflect undesirable values and unethical behaviors that divide society. June 23, 2022; marked the 50th anniversary of the passage of Title IX. Through June’s designation as LGBTQ Pride Month, we also honor the 1969 Stonewall Uprising as a tipping point for the LGBTQ movement. But, unfortunately, sex segregation in sports is as old as sports themselves and it remains an issue today.
Our panel includes:
“Mr. No Days Off” Fred Rosser (he/him), better known by his WWE ring name Darren Young. Fred is a WWE Superstar Veteran, current New Japan Pro Wrestler and a relentless LBGTQ advocate. In an interview with TMZ in 2013, Rosser discussed being gay, making him the first WWE wrestler to come out publicly while still signed with the company. Since his announcement, Rosser has been actively participating in various organizations such as the Gay Officers Action League NY (GOALNY), GLAAD, Special Olympics, Trevor Project, NOH8, Covenant House, OUTSPORTS, Brave New Trails and AthleteAlly to take on a positive stance against discrimination toward the LGBTQ community or for anyone that gets bullied into silence. Rosser also serves as a motivational speaker for his BLOCKTHEHATE anti-bullying campaign. Recently, Rosser received the Vanguard Award at the OUTshine’s film festival in Miami Beach for his outstanding leadership and support of education, equality, and representation, for the LGBTQ communities. Impressively, Rosser also still performs in the ring wrestling around the world. Welcome, Fred!
Dr. Justine Siegal: (she/her) When she was 13, Justine's coach told her that girls are only supposed to play softball - not baseball. At that moment, she vowed she’d never quit. At the age of 16, she set her sights on becoming a college baseball coach. Despite being ridiculed, laughed at, and told no man would ever listen to a woman on the baseball field, she worked toward her goal, growing even more determined to realize her dream. After earning her PhD in Sport Psychology from Springfield College, Justine became the first woman to coach for a Major League Baseball Organization (Oakland Athletics, 2015) and to throw batting practice to a MLB team during Spring Training (Cleveland Indians, 2011). Now, Justine is giving back to the next generation with Baseball For All, a nonprofit she founded to provide opportunities for girls to play, coach, and lead in baseball. She is an inductee of the National Women's Sports Museum and has been named as an Everyday Hero by espnW. Her jersey is in the National Baseball Hall of Fame in Cooperstown.
Colton Gibbons. (he/they) Colton is an Award winning Executive Director and published international author and presenter focused on mission building and increasing the value of key programs centered around BIPOC, Immigrant and Gender-Diverse communities. In 2021, Colton founded CAKE Society Co to challenge the traditional toxic health, wellness, and fitness culture. As one of the first ever BIPOC Trans + Gender Expansive-led health and fitness organizations, their goal is to increase the mental health of community members through access to health, wellness and fitness. Colton is originally from Hanoi, Vietnam and is currently finishing his PhD in Business Psychology. He was selected as a Rising Activist of the Washington, DC metro area in 2021.
Cyd Zeigler has been writing about LGBTQ athletes and issues in sports since 1999, when he co-founded Outsports.com, the world's leading LGBTQ sports site. He's consulted countless teams, conferences and leagues on best practices to build LGBTQ-inclusive spaces in sports. In 2021, Cyd and his co-founder, Jim Buzinski, were inducted into the NLGJA: The Association of LGBTQ Journalists Hall of Fame. A graduate of Stanford University - where he was a member of the Ultimate Frisbee team - Cyd is also a talented marketing strategist.
Meg Adler is a Jewish educator and illustrator born and raised in the San Francisco Bay Area. A passionate soccer player in her youth and Ultimate Frisbee player in college, she holds a B.A. from UCLA in creative writing: poetry and a Masters in Religion from Yale Divinity School. She founded her illustration company Letters, Aligned, in 2014 and, in 2021, launched Turn It, Turn It - a collection of reflections, arguments, and teachings from her perspective as a Jewish educator. She also works as the Assistant Director of Jewish Life and Learning at Camp Tawonga and she lives with her family (wife, 2 cats, parents, and their dog!) in Oakland, California.