Several Penn teams involved in the GLSEN Project

In this in-depth piece on the culture of coming out for LGBT Penn athletes, I examine what Penn Athletics has and hasn't done for the Quakers' LGBT athletic community.

But five varsity programs have stepped up for that community with the Team Respect Pledge put forth by the GLSEN Sports Project, an education and advocacy program focused on addressing LGBT issues in K-12 school-based athletic and physical education programs. Those Penn programs are volleyball, women's tennis, men's tennis, women's soccer and men's soccer.

And the Team Respect Pledge reads as follows:

We [insert team name] pledge to commit to respect, safety and inclusion for all members of our team and school community. We pledge to take leadership by setting an example of respectful interactions for all. We pledge to: • Avoid using language,name-calling or slurs that put others down because of such differences as race, sexual orientation, gender identity/expression or religion. • Remind teammates who use “putdown” language that "that’s not ok on our team.” • Treat all teammates with respect. • Believe that Team Respect is a winning strategy: When each team members feel safe and respected, they can play their best for the team. • Take leadership to set an example of respect for students in our school as well as opposing teams and fans.

Only 11 college teams in total are listed on the website as having taken the college, with Penn teams comprising almost half and Brown offering three varsity programs of their own. Not surprisingly, no college football or men's basketball teams are listed.

The strong Penn contingent here can no doubt be partly attributed to Anna Aagenes, the 2010 Penn grad and former captain of women’s track and field and cross country team who now serves in the GLSEN Project's advisory group.