Supporting Young Queer Athletes
In recent years, LGBTQ+ athletes, particularly trans athletes, have been under increasing scrutiny. Amidst debates on fairness and inclusion, sports organizations and media platforms are working to provide a safe space for queer athletes to voice their experiences and support one another. One notable initiative is Q&Athlete, a platform designed to connect LGBTQ+ youth participating in amateur sports with professional queer athletes. Q&Athlete was launched in June 2024 by Uninterrupted. This is an athlete-driven sports media platform founded by LeBron James and Maverick Carter. Q&Athlete serves as a “safe space portal” where queer athletes can anonymously submit questions, which openly queer professional athletes answer.
The platform aims to heal the pain many trans athletes experience due to the growing number of sports bans targeting them. At the heart of this movement are role models like CeCe Telfer, a trans athlete who has publicly shared her struggles with the restrictions on trans athletes in sports. Her memoir, Make It Count, delves into the challenges she has faced, while also highlighting the need for compassion and inclusion in the sports world. Other prominent athletes contributing to Q&Athlete include Nikki Hiltz, an Olympian in mid-distance running, and Quinn, an Olympic gold medalist in soccer.
Trans athletes, particularly those who identify as women, are facing growing opposition. Twenty-six states in the U.S. have passed laws or regulations banning trans athletes from participating in sports competitions aligned with their gender identity. These bans have ignited a political firestorm, with former President Donald Trump making public statements advocating for “protecting women’s sports.”
Amidst the controversy, LGBTQ+ athletes have spoken up against the anti-trans rhetoric that has become more and more common. Athletes such as Gus Kenworthy, an Olympic skier and one of the first openly gay action-sports stars, and Kevin Maxen, the first openly gay male coach in a major American men’s sports league, are using their platforms to promote inclusivity. Each week this month, two athletes will offer answers in the Q&Athlete portal, providing guidance and encouragement to the next generation of LGBTQ+ athletes. As long as there are strong people willing to speak up and support the next generation of LGBTQ+ athletes there is hope that we will one day achieve equality in sports.
