© 2006 Coaching Association of Canada, ISSN 1496-1539 April 2006, Vol. 6, No. 2 Homophobia in Sport — Fact of Life, Taboo Subject Much is whispered; little is said outright. Behind the silence are many stories of sadness, shame, secrecy, and stigma. Frank and factual, “Homophobia in Sport: Fact of Life, Taboo Subject” is a long-overdue assessment of a situation that should and must be discussed if our sport world is ever to become an environment that welcomes everyone, regardless of race, colour, creed, or sexual orientation. Pulling no punches, Guylaine Demers writes of the reality she calls “the wall of silence”. She tells us what academic literature has to say on the subject and then brings it to life with moving commentary by gay and lesbian athletes and coaches. Finally, she proposes common-sense, practical solutions that could erase homophobia from sport — not overnight, of course, but the Canadian Journal for Women in Coaching considers this discussion an essential first step. The Journal is proud to be a forum for putting homophobia squarely where it belongs — out of the closet and into the open. It is our hope that Guylaine’s article achieves her goal of helping to create “welcoming sport environments for all homosexual athletes and coaches.” It is far too important an issue to be ignored any longer. — Sheila Robertson APRIL 2006 FEATURE Homophobia in Sport — Fact of Life, Taboo Subject By Guylaine Demers Preamble Before we get into the article proper, we need to have a common understanding of what the word “homophobia” means. The Oxford Canadian Dictionary defines it as “a hatred or fear of homosexuals or homosexuality.” Thus, the title of my article suggests that the sport world is not a particularly welcoming place for homosexuals. In my view, not only are they not welcome, but people also ignore the facts, taking the easy way out by pretending that there are no homosexuals in sport. This is not the case. Lesbian and gay rights regularly make the news in Canada. In the world of sport, however, people seem to be suffering from tunnel vision — they do not see the issue or recognize that homosexuality exists. The subject of homosexuals in sport is clearly taboo, and the deafening silence reflects prejudice against homosexuals, who stay