Diversity isn't just an issue involving race, ethnicity or gender. To be inclusive the conversation needs to include the topic of lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender student-athletes.

An Association-wide session on this topic January 12 at the NCAA Convention in Nashville helped provide awareness of how homophobia adversely affects student-athlete well-being.

Neil Giuliano, the president of the Gay & Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation, cited an example of an Arizona State University male swimmer who felt he couldn't live his life openly for fear of how people would react to his being gay.

The student-athlete was a 14-time all-American and a finalist in the Olympic Trials. Giuliano, who also had a 25-year career as a senior athletics administrator at Arizona State, said the former student-athlete told him, "It took a lot of energy to hide and live a double life with my teammates and coaches."

Giuliano said he felt he had to do so because of the disparaging comments he heard in everyday conversation. The former student-athlete thought he would have been even better at his sport had he not spent so much time trying to hide his sexual orientation.

John Amaechi, a former basketball student-athlete at Penn State who also played in the NBA, can relate to that scenario. He didn't announce that he was gay until his professional career ended.

"When I was in the NBA, there were only a little over 300 people who had that job," Amaechi said. "To think you might lose your job for being yourself is deeply wounding."

Giuliano said it is imperative for athletics administrators to have written nondiscrimination policies involving gender identity and sexual orientation.

"You also need to create an environment in which topics like this can be discussed," Giuliano said.