Author(s): The Trevor Project
Published: Sept. 15 ,2021
Report Intro/Brief:
“Carl Nassib’s historic coming out as the first openly gay, active NFL player has sparked renewed discussion about LGBTQ people’s participation in sports. Nassib joins a growing number of elite athletes who are out about their LGBTQ identity. This summer’s Olympic Games in Tokyo included at least 180 openly LGBTQ athletes from around the world, including powerlifter Laurel Hubbard — the first openly transgender athlete to compete in the Olympics. In total, LGBTQ athletes won 33 different medals in the 2021 Olympics.
Amidst all of these accomplishments, there have also been a number of attacks on LGBTQ people’s right to participate in sports. Between January and September 2021, eight states implemented laws banning transgender youth from participating in school sports. Our previous research indicates that sports participation is associated with lower depression among LGBTQ youth, but that LGBTQ athletes are less likely to be out about their LGBTQ identity compared to LGBTQ youth who do not participate in sports. More research is needed to understand the role that sports play in the lives of LGBTQ youth. This brief uses data from The Trevor Project’s 2021 National Survey on LGBTQ Youth Mental Health to examine LGBTQ young people’s experiences and attitudes about sports.”
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