Monday, November 3, 2008

Fearless Campus Tour Goes to ESPN

Jeff Sheng’s Fearless Campus Tour, a traveling photo exhibit of GLBT high school and collegiate athletes, appeared at ESPN headquarters a couple of weeks ago. Some of the athletes in the exhibit also participated in a panel sponsored by the GLAAD sports media project and editor, Ted Rybka. I know I’ve written about the Fearless Campus Tour before a few times, but I had to take note of this particular event. Hosting the Fearless Campus Tour is another example of how ESPN is taking the lead among sports media in addressing homophobia in sport.

ESPN is the premier sports network in the USA. They have featured several excellent segments on “Outside The Lines” about gay and lesbian athletes and ESPN reporter LZ Granderson, who is an out gay man, has been active on several educational panels about lesbian and gay athletes. Now ESPN has an GLBTA (Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual, Transgender and Allies) Employee Resource Group. The group is looking for ways to make ESPN more inclusive.

This video clip features some of the athletes in the Fearless photo exhibit who were also on the panel at ESPN talking about what it was like for them to participate in the event.

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