NFL Player Inspires Change through LGBTQ-Focused Youth Football Camp in Response to Toxic Locker Room Atmosphere
Professional athlete Khalen Saunders, a defensive tackle for the New Orleans Saints, is making waves in the sports world with his upcoming youth football camp. Scheduled for July 5, 2023, in his hometown of St. Louis, the camp will be the first of its kind, specifically designed for children within the LGBTQ+ community.
Saunders, who won two Super Bowl rings with the Kansas City Chiefs before joining the Saints, aims to create a safe space within sports where everyone feels welcome. His camp aims to promote positivity and acceptance within the LGBTQ+ community in sports, an initiative that aligns with the efforts of many professional athletes and sports organisations.
Jason Collins, the first openly gay male athlete to play in any of the four major U.S. professional sports leagues, has been a trailblazer in this regard. Glenn Burke, a pioneering figure in Major League Baseball, and athletes like Justen Glad and Zac MacMath from Real Salt Lake (MLS), NBA Cares, and stars like Billie Jean King, Brittney Griner, and Abby Wambach in women's sports leagues, have all been at the forefront of challenging discrimination and promoting inclusivity.
Saunders, however, has encountered resistance. He has received feedback ranging from extremely positive to negative following the announcement of his camp. Some comments, such as "youth and LGBTQ+ shouldn't be in the same sentence," he attributes to a lack of understanding about the camp's purpose.
Saunders believes that education is key to breaking cycles of ignorance and creating a more accepting society, especially for children. He credits his elder siblings, particularly his brother Kameron, with opening his mind to inclusivity. Kameron will join him at the camp.
Saunders has encountered anti-homophobic slurs in NFL environments, attributing it to a lack of understanding about offensive language. He hopes to speak face-to-face with those who have given him negative feedback to explain his beliefs about the importance of an open mind for a better society.
The camp is not intended to sway children towards any sexual orientation or gender identity, but rather to teach them acceptance. Saunders aims to change "toxic cultures" within sports and credits his teammates for becoming more accepting. He believes that everyone should feel welcome in sports, regardless of their gender identity or sexual orientation, and the camp is a way to remind people to stick to the "golden rules" of empathy and treating others as they want to be treated, specifically within the context of sports.
Saunders' camp is a significant step towards promoting inclusivity in sports, echoing the efforts of many other athletes and organisations. His story serves as an inspiration for those who strive for a more accepting and inclusive society.
- Khalen Saunders, recognizing the need for a more inclusive sports environment, is using his youth football camp, scheduled for July 5, 2023, to promote positivity and acceptance specifically within the LGBTQ+ community, aligning with the efforts of numerous professional athletes and sports organizations.
- In addition to his football career, Saunders places a strong emphasis on personal growth and education-and-self-development, often crediting his elder siblings for opening his mind to the importance of inclusivity and breaking cycles of ignorance.
- Despite encountering resistance and negative feedback regarding his camp, Saunders remains determined to change toxic cultures within sports and hopes to dialogue with critics to emphasize the camp's aim of teaching acceptance, rather than swaying children towards any specific sexual orientation or gender identity.
