LGBT thankful to openly gay athletes

To these lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender people for the
difficult decisions they made for their lives, for their courage to
be role models, for their gifts as exceptional athletes and for the
faith they’ve had that sports will one day be welcoming of
young athletes coming out; on behalf of our students who follow in
your footsteps, I thank you from my heart:

Bill Tilden, the greatest tennis player of the first half of the
1900s; Tom Waddell, Olympic decathlon champion; David Kopay,
football; Billie Jean King, tennis; Martina Navratilova, tennis;
Bob Paris, Mr. Universe; Dave Pallone, National League umpire;
Bruce Hayes, Olympic gold medalist; Justin Fashanu, soccer; and
more than 50 other prominent professional athletes..

While these athletes chose to come out, many also choose to
remain closeted for many reasons.

Regardless, the message they should get from their institutions,
teams, coaches and peers is that every characteristic ““
including sexual orientation, gender identity, race and all the
others ““ is valued.

When athletes are allowed to be open, they wish and therefore
are able to bring their entire self in full honesty to the training
table, they will play their best.

To our student-athletes at UCLA who want information about
sexual orientation and gender identity issues, the UCLA LGBT Campus
Resource Center is here for you, as we are for every student on
campus.

We have an excellent relationship with both the Athletics
Department and Student Psychological Services and work
cooperatively to ensure your success as scholars and as
athletes.

We want you to succeed, to be and play your best, in good
physical and emotional health.

Colleges and universities must go beyond tolerance, to a place
where every one of our students, faculty and staff knows without a
doubt that they are valued and respected.

I have no doubt that UCLA is on the right path, that at the end
of the rainbow is the pot of gold.

Sanlo is the director of the UCLA LGBT Campus Resource
Center.