Pro LGBT rights groups help NCAA define “inclusive environments” for events

Athlete Ally and other groups that favor LGBT rights sent a letter to the NCAA Thursday with recommendations on how the NCAA should define “inclusive environments” for LGBT people when considering bids for events.

The NCAA board of governors adopted a new rule last month for sites bidding to host NCAA championship or educational events. It requires that host sites be healthy, inclusive and respectful of the LGBT community. The board directed NCAA national staff to finalize details on how to implement that.

The letter, signed by 45 organizations, offered suggestions on implementation, including that host sites should not be in cities or states with what the organizations called anti-LGBT laws. All this comes in the wake of North Carolina’s so-called bathroom bill that says public restrooms must be used by individuals based on their biological sex; other states are weighing similar laws.

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The new rule “is a wonderful step in the right direction,” Athlete Ally founder Hudson Taylor told USA TODAY Sports, “but without clarity.”

Athlete Ally’s seven-page letter includes these recommendations:

• Sites should not be selected in states or cities with anti-LGBT laws; sites in states with LGBT non-discrimination protections should be prioritized in the bidding process.
• Facilities that host events should have protections based on sexual orientation and gender identity; this should be explicitly referenced in fan codes of conduct.
• Local organizing committees should have LGBT-inclusive marketing and outreach plans; the NCAA encourages organizing committees to use minority-owned businesses for goods and services at events and they should also be encouraged to use LGBT-owned or LGBT-friendly businesses.

“We commend the NCAA for taking the important step in amending its bidding process,” the letter says, “and urge the NCAA to consider” the recommendations.

The letter was sent to Amy Wilson, NCAA director of inclusion, and Bernard Franklin, NCAA chief inclusion officer and vice president of education and community engagement. The NCAA did not immediately respond to a request for comment.