Breaking Down National LGBTQ+ Inclusive Sports Leagues
This blog was created by our 2022 TeamWork U Blog Post Competition winner Kala Griffin. Kala is enrolled at Michigan State University and is an aspiring sports and entertainment industry executive. Learn more about Kala below.
In recent years, the sports industry has taken the initiative to be more inclusive than ever. In 2020, the NBA established three new programs to ensure the prioritization of diverse talent. The NFL has created Affinity Groups in hopes of increasing employment opportunities despite race, gender, or sexual orientation. Despite these initiatives and the progress that was made, athletes in the LGBTQ+ community can still have trouble finding their place in the world of sports.
LGBTQ+ inclusive leagues promote the advancement of equality and allow their athletes to showcase their talents in a safe and accepting environment. The integration of members of the LGBTQ+ community promotes greater social development. Approximately 7.1% of the adult population identifies as lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, or something other than heterosexual (Gallup). This number significantly increases when the number of people under the age of 18 are included. Teams that aren’t openly accepting of LGBTQ+ members exclude a huge amount of very talented athletes. Creating sports leagues designed with the purpose of inclusion lessens the chances of discrimination and builds a stronger sense of community.
Athletes in the LGBTQ+ community deserve the opportunity to play on a team that is welcoming. The rise of LGBTQ+ leagues gives them experiences without the feeling of social isolation. Sports should always represent equality and acceptance. Inclusive leagues do a great job representing underrepresented athletes.
Here is the breakdown of five LGBTQ+ Inclusive Sports Leagues that are leading the way for a more inclusive sports industry:
1/ The National Gay Basketball Association
The NGBA was established and founded by Mark Chambers, in 2004, with the mission “to unite athletes, communities, and cultures on and off the court while promoting national and international competition, providing health education, and access to play the game” (NGBA). The league has since amassed over 1,000 athletes across approximately 120 teams.
On the National Gay Basketball Association’s official Youtube channel, the LB Rebels tell the heartfelt story of the first female coach to win a Gold Medal. Chambers had this to say about the beginning of his professional basketball career:
“In 1989, my partner found an article in the newspaper from the Lesbian and Gay Community Center and it was looking for basketball players to go to the Gay Games in Vancouver. Which was like news to my ears. It was absolutely crazy because I had been playing basketball forever and the idea of playing gay basketball intrigued me only because I always thought I was the only gay basketball player in the country.”
The National Gay Basketball Association has seen exponential growth since the developmental years of its foundation and has become a safe place for LGBTQ+ basketball players by establishing teams and leagues all over the United States.
- The NGBA has City Leagues run locally all over the U.S.
- With their many open gym locations, locals are able to play openly or on an established team. Players start their own leagues or join already existing ones.
- In 2018, their Women’s Program was established. Women are now free to join in on traveling team events.
- The U21 league is open to players ages 16–20. The program targets at-risk youth and teaches the fundamentals of the game.
Proficiency, participation, and teamwork are what keep the NGBA alive. Collaboration with local teams and players of all skill sets is what makes the National Gay Basketball Association so successful.
- How to get involved:
You could start a league of your own! On its website, the NGBA provides some advice and resources to start your own team.
2/ The National Gay Flag Football League
Founded in 2002, The NGFFL prides itself on its promotion of the positive athletics and social benefits of Flag Football Competition. The non-profit organization encourages respect, acceptance, and understanding. Through their league, they demonstrate the moralities of social inclusion, partnership, and giving back more than they take.
On the NFL Films Official Youtube Channel, NGFFL members discuss the Gay Bowl, the mission statement, and what they enjoy about the league. Denver MHC team member, Jodie Turner, had only good things to say:
“That’s one of the best things I love about this tournament; is to be able to come and hang out with the other teams. Everyone’s here to win. Other than winning and competing and playing sports, the second-best part of Gay Bowl is forming relationships with the other teams. When you talk about Gay Bowl the stakes are high. The NGFFLs mission statement is ‘compete, connect, unite.’”
Throughout the United States and Canada, there are 22 leagues and 200 teams that compete in both local tournaments and yearly national competitions.
- The inaugural Gay Bowl features almost 60 teams which include three open divisions and a women’s division; a huge increase from 2002 which featured only three teams. This year’s competition is set in Hawaii before Honolulu Pride Week.
- Their Sin City Classic Competition begins with a Round-Robin tournament on the first day and concludes on the second day with knockout rounds. The competitive and fun energy resembles that of an NFL game. The next tournament is set for 2023.
- This year’s Florida Sunshine Cup took place in the sunny city of Fort Lauderdale and was hosted by their very own South Florida Flag Football League.
- The 2022 Aloha Classic tournament was an open-play, two-day fundraiser consisting of six teams facing off in two games each.
- Game Rules:
The play style is almost identical to a regular flag football game. The only major difference is a 20% cap on heterosexual players per team.
- How to get involved:
You can help support the NGFFL by donating on their website. Financial donations help fund the entire National Gay Flag Football League or specific areas (General Operations, the annual Gay Bowl, League Expansion, or Scholarships). You may even be featured on their donor wall!
3/ The North American Gay Volleyball Association
The North American Gay Volleyball Association is a non-profit organization run by volunteers. It was founded on the mission “to provide a safe environment for the LGBTQ+ (and allied) community through the sport of volleyball” (NAGVA). The organization is home to over 5,000 members spanning the countries of the United States, Canada, Mexico, and Puerto Rico. The NAGVA openly recognizes its best and brightest members with the NAGVA Spirit Award. Rick Talley, Morgan Irvine, and Todd Swink are the latest award winners that have exuded integrity and kindness within the association.
Each year, the North American Gay Volleyball Association hosts a multitude of tournaments. Upcoming tournaments include:
- The Chicago Tournament: Windy City Open
- The New York Tournament: Golden Apple XIV
- The Washington DC Tournament: President’s Pride Cup
- The San Antonio Tournament: Alamo City Battle 3
- The Las Vegas Tournament: Sin City Classic 2023
For those who don’t have a specific team in mind, registered members are connected with a team via a matchmaking service provided on the website.
- How to get involved:
Each league is run completely by volunteers. You can contact the nearest team on NAGVA’s website.
4/ The North American Gay Soccer Association
The NAGSA puts LGBT soccer first! It is striving to represent and connect all forms of soccer and promotion of the sport within and to the LGBT community (NAGSA). The organization runs on the structure of morality, diversity, and inclusion.
- The Mission: “Promote amateur sports, particularly soccer, for all persons regardless of age, sexual orientation or preference, with special emphasis on the participation of members of the gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender community” (NAGSA).
- Diversity and Inclusion: The NAGSA has established clubs throughout the United States, Canada, and Mexico. These clubs exist to bring people from all walks of life together.
- New Heights: The goal of ending the corruption of soccer in North America and contributing to the betterment of the LGBT Soccer community is one of NAGSA’s primary missions.
- Support: The North American Gay Soccer Association supports clubs of all sizes. From big cities to small towns, the NAGSA is motivated to bring everyone together for the growth of LGBT soccer players in North America.
Club teams and affiliates host tournaments and special events year-round. There is information on how to start a club team and join a team on the North American Gay Soccer Association’s website.
- How to get involved:
Become a NAGSA Sponsor! The organization will help you reach out to clubs and players.
5/ The United States Tennis Association (USTA)
“Promoting and developing the sport's growth on every level in the US.” That is the United States Tennis Association’s mission. What started as a small lawn tennis league has since grown into an organization that is home to over 700,000 individual members. The USTA supports the belief that “anyone from anywhere should be able to play and compete” (USTA).
In a concerted effort to foster respect for others and to make others aware of urgent societal issues, including gender equality, racial injustice, and LGBTQ+ advocacy, the 2020 US Open launched a new campaign based on social responsibility and impact. “Be Open” is intended to share the stories of people, communities, and causes to exemplify the spirit of “being open” (USTA).
The USTA has embraced the LGBTQ+ community for some time now. One way includes its LGBT Engagement Guide, which coincides with its “Be Open” campaign. The USTA also held an LGBTQ+ Life in the Tennis Ecosystem virtual panel event in June of 2021 to commemorate the celebration of Pride Month. The discussion covered these four main topics (USTA):
- LGBTQ+ engagement in grassroots tennis
- How LGBTQ+ staff & volunteers give back to tennis
- Tennis as a safe space for all ages & backgrounds
- What’s next for LGBTQ+ tennis as the sport surges in the U.S.?
For 2022’s Pride Month, the USTA focused on the stories of those throughout the United States who continue to grow the game of tennis while representing the LGBTQ+ community. One of those stories was of US Open Chief Umpire and LGBTQ+ member Andrew Walker, who was on the US Open’s official podcast ‘Courtside’ to discuss his time as an official and providing a safe space for other tennis officials.
The USTA also featured these stories: USTA Central Indiana and IndyTennis collaborating for the 2022 Indy Pride Festival; USTA Kentucky President Leony Barroso’s story as a former player and member of the LGBTQ+ community; and USTA national volunteer Jessie Daw’s first-person essay about being a part of the LGBTQ+ community (USTA).
After a hiatus in 2020 and 2021 due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the USTA made sure to highlight the Gay and Lesbian Tennis Federation returning in 2022 with its 40th-anniversary edition of the United States Gay Open (USGO). The event included 150 players from California’s Bay Area, and five other states, as well as from the Philippines, in three all-gender categories (18+, 40+, and 50+ brackets). The USGO is one of 70+ tournaments worldwide that make up the Gay and Lesbian Tennis Alliance (GLTA).
The USTA has also helped promote the Gay Games since 2021, which will take place in Hong Kong, China in November of 2022. The event — which features 36 sports including dragon boat racing, and for the first time this year, dodgeball and esports — is open to people of all skill levels and sexual orientations. The Gay Games also offers non-sporting events, like music, panel discussions/workshops, and cheerleading, as well as a scholarship program to bring those from underserved backgrounds to the Games (USTA).
Billie Jean King is also an omnipresent force for the USTA and the LGBTQ+ community. Having fought for and brought awareness to the community since her playing days, she continues to be connected to the league after the USTA renamed the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center in 2006. It is home to the US Open and is still one of the largest public tennis venues in the world.
- Job and Internship Opportunities:
The USTA is one of TeamWork Online’s partners, so there’s a list of roles within the organization on our site now. There is a multitude of openings in widespread categories.
Conclusion:
LGBTQ+ inclusion in sports is on the rise. Making sports equally accessible for everyone is important. Leagues and associations like the ones in this article are taking the initiative to provide a diverse and inclusive space for athletes to do what they love.
The future of sports is all-inclusive. Although diversity in the sports and entertainment industry has come a long way, there are still steps that need to be taken to further ensure that everyone feels represented in mainstream leagues. Sports should always represent equality and acceptance.
Kala Griffin is a Harper Woods, Michigan native that lives with her parents, Yvonne and Dashaun Griffin, and younger sister, Tania. She is a former President and Vice President of her student class at Harper Woods High School. She has the goal of becoming a Social Media Manager or Sports Journalist for a smaller/minor league organization. Kala’s favorite sports team is the Detroit Lions and her favorite athlete is Aidan Hutchinson. Her collegiate journey to Michigan State took her roughly 100 miles from home down the Great Lake State’s I-96.
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