With October being LGBTQ history month and Tuesday having been National Coming Out Day, the University Recreation Center is making sure all students know they’re welcome to “come in to play.”
Executive Director of University Recreation, Laurie Braden, along with a team of staff members, came up with the “come in to play” initiative to promote the UREC as a safe space for anyone, regardless of gender, sexuality, race or other factors to participate in physical activity.
“As a member of the LGBTQ community, and having worked in higher education and the sport and fitness environment for my whole life … I know the value of physical activity to all people,” Braden said. “I also know that gyms and [recreational] centers can be intimidating spaces for people who feel threatened or insecure in this environment.”
The “come in to play” initiative is part of the UREC’s commitment to inclusivity, Braden said. The inclusivity commitment at the UREC aims to “[create] an inclusive environment through hiring and developing culturally competent staff members and providing programs that support our diverse community and perspectives,” according to the UREC website.
In addition to being committed to inclusivity, the full-time UREC staff must also undergo the University’s Safe Space Training. According to the UREC website, “this training familiarizes individuals with the LGBTQ population, how to be an ally and how to create a safe and welcoming space for LGBTQ to participate.”
“Three or four years back, we joined a video movement called the ‘You Can Play Project,’” Braden said. “We did a video, and it’s basically if you can play, you can play no matter your race, your gender, your religion, your creed, your ethnicity, your identity [or] your sexuality. If you can play, you can play.”
Patrick Burke, director of the National Hockey League’s Department of Player Safety, Brian Kitts and Glen Witman founded the “You Can Play Project” in 2012. Burke’s brother died in a car accident a few months after coming out in 2009, and the “You Can Play Project” was founded in his honor. The project “works to ensure safety and inclusion for all who participate in sports, including [LGBTQ] athletes, coaches and fans,” according to its mission statement.
The “You Can Play Project” has partnered with many organizations, including the National Hockey League, National Football League, Canadian Football League, Canadian Women’s Hockey League, Major League Soccer, World Wrestling Entertainment, America East Conference, Colorado High School Activities Association and the Canadian Olympic Committee.
“This just isn’t an October and an Oct. 11 thing,” Braden said. “We want to impart to students, all students, that we’re here to help them succeed, and our role in that is through physical activity and being better learners in the classroom.”