An article in the October 8 NCAA News entitled "H -- the scarlet letter of sports" about homophobia in intercollegiate athletics has generated an abundance of mail to The NCAA News -- too much, in fact, to print in total. As of October 22, the News had received more than 110 letters and e-mails regarding the story, the vast majority of which supported the notion of further education and discussion about the matter. The following is a sampling of the responses. While some were signed and others were not, the News has chosen to print all as anonymous.

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Thank you so much for your article on homophobia in sport. As a former athlete and sport psychologist in training, I know that this issue is not given the focus and attention it desperately needs. As a gay man, it speaks to my personal experience of prejudice, discrimination, hate and violence during my athletics career. This topic needs to be brought to wider attention to protect the mental and physical well-being of our young athletes who have no safe place right now.

Thank you again for your intelligent, well-presented thoughts on homophobia and its limitation of and impact on sport and athletics.

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Your October 8 front-page story on homosexuality was a blatant editorial promoting the acceptance of the homosexual lifestyle. Shame on the NCAA for becoming involved in social engineering, dictation of morality and religious standards, leading the charge in political correctness and promoting homosexuality as an acceptable lifestyle. The NCAA should stay involved in sport and not the aforementioned.

The reason homophobia is not talked about openly in collegiate athletics is because true discussion about it cannot be had. On our politically correct campuses, anything said negatively about homosexuality is akin to a hate crime. The only way to speak of it on campus and keep your job is to accept it. As a point of fact, homosexual professionals on campus are given preferential treatment and held to lower standards than other professionals. This is especially true in matters of promiscuity and allowable partner benefits.

Your article is pushing the acceptance of homosexuality to the forefront. The mere title of the story -- homophobia -- as opposed to homosexuality, puts a slant on the article that anyone who disagrees with the concept of homosexuality as an acceptable lifestyle has a social disease. There are many legitimate religious reasons and social reasons for the nonacceptance of homosexuality as a healthy lifestyle. These should be left to the individual and the individual should not be pressured by the NCAA.

Of interest to many in the fairness of disclosure and truth of intent would be to disclose and discuss the lifestyle and motivation of Kay Hawes [the writer], as well as the editorial board that approved of this being a front-page story -- or a story at all.

I cannot sign this because it would greatly jeopardize my ability to earn a living at a politically correct public university. I challenge the NCAA in the spirit of free speech and ideas to publish this letter. But I do not think it will happen.

Shame on you. This is not your job or why you are being paid.

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Thanks for the excellent article on homophobia in sports. It's something that hurts all athletes, whether they are straight or gay. My little sister, who is straight, was a track star in junior high and high school. There was talk of the Olympics. But she was called "butch" because of her sports ability and was given the message that athletics excellence is not OK in a female. Once she developed anorexia, quit track and started spending a lot more time on hair and makeup, she was a lot more popular. That's tragic. I hope your article will help change things.

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I am writing in response to your recent article on homophobia. First, let me share with you how pleased I was to see the NCAA write such an informative and timely piece about this important topic. This issue has long been perceived to be important in higher education and yet intercollegiate athletics has ignored it as an issue of student development and learning.

I encourage the NCAA to "stay the course" regarding both educating the intercollegiate athletics community and keeping this issue on the radar screens of athletics administrators, coaches and student-athletes. I also encourage the NCAA to serve as a role model in its work as a national association regarding homophobia in intercollegiate athletics. The influences of issues such as civil rights and women's rights have made their impact in a positive way in intercollegiate athletics over the last 40 years. Now, it is time for other issues of social justice and human rights to continue to be both present and informative in our work with student-athletes.

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Why is it when people disagree with the politically correct crowd they are suddenly homophobic? The push for the discussion on homophobia is coming from homosexual administrators, coaches and others outside the norm.

While I do not condone acts against homosexuals, making the statement "you're a wussie" hardly qualifies as irrational behavior. Homosexuality is not normal and the majority of people do not believe it is any more than a sexual deviance. When a person says or does something outside social norms, chances are they will realize some backlash. Trying to promote discussion on homophobia is promoting homosexuality by demeaning anyone who disagrees.

The NCAA needs to worry about athleticsand not promoting a political agenda.

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I am writing to say how pleased I am that the NCAA has raised the issue of homophobia in sports. As a former student-athlete, even though I am heterosexual, I always felt intimidated by the homophobic taunts from my coaches. They seemed off and unfair and never motivated me. Indeed, it only made me think less of my coaches for having resorted to such hurtful language.

I now am a gender-awareness trainer and I do many workshops with men. In those sessions, I see how men have been hurt and dehumanized by widespread homophobia in society. In the name of being a "real man," many of us do things we would not otherwise do, which hurt ourselves and others. Bringing these issues to light is long overdue and can only help to improve the lives of all of us who suffer from strict gender socialization and stereotyping.

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I am a straight, white male who is really tired of hearing resistance to social justice and social change. I name those identities because I am aware it is often people in my groups who lead the resistance, and I want you to know that is not the case here. I feel it is critical to address issues of diversity and justice in sport, just as it is in any other societal arena.

As a former wrestler, I remember tons of homophobia incidences on the part of coaches and teammates. As a straight ally it was difficult to listen to this. I never saw any outright physical violence or harassment, probably because the culture of homophobia was strong enough to keep athletes in the closet, or off the team. I can only imagine what it would be like to be gay in such an environment.

Despite the stereotypes about many sports, I believe sports and organizations have a tremendous opportunity to create inroads other cultural institutions cannot. My hope is that the NCAA (as well as the NBA, WNBA, NFL, etc.) will take up the effort to challenge homophobia, racism, sexism, etc. (though I won't hold my breath). Articles such as yours should be required reading.

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I appreciated your story on homophobia in athletics and concur with so many of the thoughts expressed. Gender stereotyping is alive and well in the world of college sports to be sure, and the statistics you presented regarding the drop in percentage of women coaching women is astounding and disappointing.

Allow me to raise one point that you did not, which I believe bears mention. Sexuality (hetero or homo) has no place in coach/player relations for the same reason that it has no place in counselor/counselee, teacher/student, pastor/congregant, and similar relationships. Whether it is a heterosexual male coach or a homosexual female coach, it is inappropriate for either to sexually approach or propagandize female players, for example. I believe that in some instances we have not held female coaches to the appropriate standards in this regard and hence, have exacerbated this homophobia of which you speak. Somehow we need to decrease homophobia and at the same time call our gay colleagues to the highest standards of behavior.

Yes, yes, yes, I agree with the comments made in the story. But let's hold ourselves to the highest standards first, so that we have a stronger leg to stand on when we ask for an end to discriminatory practices based on sexuality.

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Thank you so much for your thorough examination of the near-silence around homophobia in sports. No other bigotry remains so unexamined on campuses today. I'm sure you are going to get lots of nay-sayers, but as a high-school athletics director, girls basketball coach and an out lesbian, I believe that athletics programs should be serving the educational mission of their schools -- and I certainly hope those missions include honesty, integrity and respect for others.

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Thank you for your excellent article on homophobia in sports. The content of the article clearly illustrated enough of the history of homophobia in sport and its position in contemporary sport to show the need for not only further discussion, but action.

As a pre-Title IX athlete, a university coach in 1972 when Title IX was implemented, a member of a national sport organization's women's committee and an international-level official, I have seen, felt, experienced and fought against homophobia for most of my life. I have seen homophobia work in covert and overt ways.

I teach about homophobia in my university sport sociology classes and see first-hand how undergraduate male (and many female) students react to discussions on "queers, fags, dykes, perverts," etc. (their words a great deal of the time). What amazes me most about a lot of this talk is that, as an out lesbian, I seem to be invisible within my own classes when homophobia is the topic ... such is the depth of homophobia in many people -- especially as it relates to sports.

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I just wanted to thank The NCAA News for tackling the issue of homophobia. It is a difficult issue to raise because of the negative reactions I am sure you have received. However, it is necessary to discuss homophobia, as your article clearly indicates.

I am a lesbian but had to hide this fact from many of my best friends in college because of the homophobia associated with athletics. We had several incidents at our school, such as coaches asking players to change their T-shirts because they were from the 1993 March on Washington For Gay Rights. It was definitely a taboo subject, and the way it is handled in athletics only helps with the mental anguish many gays and lesbians feel when they are discovering their own sexuality.

I am currently a teacher at a private school, and several years ago our school took the risk of bringing a guest speaker to speak about homophobia. Sure enough, we had quite a few parents who were up in arms that the subject was being discussed at school. One parent even asked that I be fired (I was not open about my sexuality at the time, but I guess she figured it out). My head of school took a great risk to invite the hatred that homophobia can bring, as the NCAA did by publishing this article. She then supported me and hence, I am still teaching at this school and am well-regarded as an integral member of the school community.

Thank you for taking the risk of publishing this article, and for dealing with the homophobic reactions. Your efforts are appreciated.

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After reading the recent article, I am saddened that your publication has come out in support of immoral sexual behavior. Homosexuality is a perversion of the lifestyle that God intended for us. It is a lawless rebellion against God's divine will for us. Consequently, we should not persecute homosexuals, but at the same time we must not aid and abet their rebellion.

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I am writing to commend the NCAA for its honest and complete coverage of the issue of homophobia in the most recent edition of The NCAA News. Athletes today face numerous pressures; for that reason, developing strategies to minimize the discrimination they may face as a result of their sexual preference is important for their success and well-being. Homophobia is alive and present at the ranks of administration, coaching, athletic training and athletes. Your willingness to provide such coverage makes me proud to be a part of the NCAA.

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Thank you for your important article on addressing the issue of homophobia and sport. For too long we have ignored this pernicious social problem and have tolerated homophobic ideology out of fear and ignorance. It is refreshing to have the NCAA take the lead in opening the dialogue needed to rid sport, and society, of homophobia.

As a therapist who has worked with college athletes, I have seen the negative impact of homophobia all too often. All student-athletes, coaches and administrators deserve to be valued and respected for who they are as unique individuals. Silence will not protect anyone, gay or straight. We need to voice our concern, and our support, on a daily basis.

Congratulations to you and your colleagues for bringing this important issue to the table. Discrimination against all GLBT people must end. It is up to all of us to take a stand against the hatred and ignorance.

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Thanks for the article on the need for the NCAA to address homophobia in college athletics. It's now 2001, and we have embraced equality for women, Blacks and other ethnic minorities. Due to the tragic events of September 11, we are also moving forward with the long-overdue step of fully accepting and embracing Arab-Americans, as well.

Who is missing from this picture of inclusion?

Gays and lesbians should not have to live in fear. This, it seems, is anathema to what the NCAA stands for as an inclusive organization that serves not only an athletics mission but an educational one, as well.

I fully support your coverage and the NCAA moving forward immediately on this long neglected area.

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I really enjoyed the article on homophobia in athletics. I am a coach who is in the closet and in fear. I have been successful in my coaching, but I am limited. I have very high morals and standards but all of that is ignored if I am labeled homosexual.

I know of three other coaches who are in the closest and are always on the constant fear of someone finding out. I know personally my partner will never be able to come to one of my sporting events and it does take a toll. I need that support but the risk is too high.

I hear every day the male coaches using sexual slang to try to get the kids motivated or revert from coming out themselves. I feel strongly about the issue and wish that it would be brought to the forefront and addressed and let it be known that it is wrong to use such slang or to discriminate in any shape or form.

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... The point I wish to emphasize the most, and would recommend the most careful consideration of the NCAA, is to remember that an athlete is still an athlete. A person's sexual orientation may justify changes in the coaching strategies employed because there are a number of unique social stressors that GLBT athletes have to confront, such as when and if the athlete tells his or her parents about his or her sexual orientation.

However, when it comes right down to it, straight or gay, a jock is still a jock. I challenged the social norm of being an openly gay college athlete not because of a self-righteous crusade to make a point, but because I am a runner. I wanted to compete, to run a race, better my team, and make my college experience that much richer. GLBT athletes, like any other athlete, just want to compete.

Savvy GLBT athletes will understand that no matter how much they do not want to have conversations focused on their sexual orientation, it is simply a fact of life that it will happen. Knowing a gay person is still a relatively new experience for a number of people, so as any rational person, teammates are going to have questions. I was lucky. Most of them came to me, and even if they didn't, the grapevine on a team is never long. GLBT athletes need to be patient with their friends and teammates.

So I want to commend the NCAA. You are doing a good thing, making better athletes, better people, and helping everyone to make collegiate sports all the more competitive.