Strong Women, Deep Closets: Lesbians and Homophobia in Sport
Griffin draws on her experience as a lesbian coach and athlete for this groundbreaking work intended to "challenge the despised sexual predator image" that so often stalks when women and sport come together. She also draws on 15 years of leading various workshops on homophobia in the world of sport, on previously published writings, and, perhaps most important, on interviews with lesbian athletes, coaches, and sports administrators that she conducted specifically for this book. The resulting 11 chapters consider such things as stereotypes old and new that keep many women out of sport; the defenses of institutionalized sport against lesbianism, including silence, heterosexual-image promotion, and downright attacks on lesbians; the role of the Christian right in sport; and identity management for lesbian coaches and athletes. Written in a brisk, readable style, this generously referenced summary of the lesbian sporting life will appeal to readers of serious sports studies as well as lesbian studies.Whitney Scott