Proud to Play: Canadian LGBTQ+ Athletes Who Made History
Proud to Play: Canadian LGBTQ+ Athletes Who Made History
Have you ever had to keep a secret? The kind of secret so big you were afraid to tell anybody? The kind of secret so huge you were afraid not to tell, because keeping it to yourself was making it hard to live your life?
This book is about the secrets kept by some of Canada’s most elite athletes—and what happened when they told their truth to the world. The stories in this book belong to sports professionals, athletes, Olympians and gold medallists [sic] who worked hard and achieved elite levels in their sports. But sometimes they didn’t achieve what they wanted, or what they could have, because they didn’t feel safe or comfortable competing in the sport they loved. (p.7)
Erin Silver’s Proud to Play: Canadian LGBTQ+ Athletes Who Made History is a celebration of queer and trans athletes who have carved out a space within their given athletic field. In a series of 10 chapters, each of which includes career highlights and major events in the life of the featured athlete or coach, Silver examines the barriers and systemic discrimination that exist across sports and major competitive athletics competitions. Each athlete highlighted in the text is given a biographical account of their sporting history as well as their experiences with homophobic and/or transphobic discrimination. But with each chapter, Silver also ensures that readers are shown examples of success and acceptance, proving that change is possible, even in spaces where there is a long history of prejudice and intolerance.
Along with a specific individual, each chapter also highlights a theme and an example of a milestone in sports and athletics. For example, Mark Tewksbury is Canada’s first openly gay Olympic Champion, and his chapter features an exploration of homophobia and bullying. The chapter on Cindy Ouelette looks at being gay in Paralympic sports and the intersections of sexuality, disability, and gender. And the chapter on Brock McGillis explores the insidious toxic masculinity inherent in “locker room” culture. Additional sporting figures highlighted include Anastasia Bucsis (speed skating), Rosie Cossar (rhythmic gymnastics), Eric Radford (figure skating), Betty Baxter and Joey Lye (coaches), Chris Voth (volleyball), and Jessica Platt (women’s hockey).
Within each of these bigger chapters, other athletes who have emerged within the world of sports are also noted and their experiences within this emerging LGBTQ+ area of sports history are explored in at least some depth. Informative sidebars and footnotes explore a range of topics, from homophobia in sports, to LGBTQ+ initiatives in the Olympic Games and other large competitive sporting events, and even an exploration of intersectionality and the history of the Paralympic Games. Silver additionally examines the impacts of out and visible gay and lesbian coaches in the world of sports. It should be noted that homophobic and transphobic terms are used throughout the book when various individuals are relating their lived experiences. This point should be kept in mind when recommending the book to some young readers.
The book includes a timeline of major events related to LGBTQ+ sports history, as well as a glossary of terms for young readers to examine and learn on their own. Full-color photos, brightly delineated info boxes, and a variety of large-text quotes from athletes and coaches make this book both visually appealing and easy to navigate. This book is sure to be a hit with young readers interested in sports, LGBTQ+ history (and the present), and biographies in general.
Proud to Play: Canadian LGBTQ+ Athletes Who Made History is a powerful reminder that change is possible and the world of sports can indeed move forward to become more accepting and supportive of LGBTQ+ people, from children to adults, and everyone in between.
Rob Bittner has a PhD in Gender, Sexuality, and Women’s Studies (Simon Fraser University), and is also a graduate of the MA in Children’s Literature program at The University of British Columbia in Vancouver, British Columbia. He loves reading a wide range of literature, but particularly stories with diverse depictions of gender and sexuality.