Mizzou Athletics released a video on Friday called [“If You Can Play, You Can Play.”](http://www.mutigers.com/allaccess/?media=386242) It involves various MU athletes, coaches and administrators affirming their commitment to avoid bigotry and discrimination in the athletic program, and it includes Athletic Director Mike Alden stating the department’s anti-discrimination policy. “No individual shall be judged on the court, in the locker room or amongst each other based on their sexual orientation and their gender identification,” he says in the video, which was done in support of the You Can Play Project, an organization to combat homophobia and bigotry in sports.
It couldn’t come at a better time. Although support for same-sex marriage, openly gay military members and other major LGBTQ causes has been bubbling over in recent months, the acceptance and rights of gay athletes seems to lag behind. Basketball star Brittney Griner [nonchalantly came out as gay last week](http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/more/news/20130417/wnba-griner-delle-donne-diggins-sports-sexuality/?sct=hp_t2_a12&eref=sihp) after facing ridicule all through her college career at Baylor for her “masculine” appearance and court performance. Outspoken NFL veteran Brendon Ayanbadejo [began a series of Fox Sports columns Monday](http://msn.foxsports.com/nfl/story/brendon-ayanbadejo-tackles-issue-of-equal-rights-in-pro-sports-041913) advocating for more gay tolerance in sports.
Outside of sports, the recent Supreme Court hearings on the Defense of Marriage Act and Proposition 8 raised the national dialogue on same-sex marriage to a peak. Our Southeastern Conference counterpart Texas A&M [caused a furor](https://www.themaneater.com/stories/2013/4/12/religious-offense-no-reason-discriminate/) earlier this month when its Student Senate passed a bill allowing students to “opt out” of funding the school’s GLBT Resource Center for religious reasons (the bill was then vetoed by the student body president).
We don’t know much about the real locker room atmosphere of MU’s athletic teams or how LGBTQ student-athletes may actually be treated by their peers, but the outreach of the MU Athletic Department is a positive sign. For such a visible and influential presence such as Alden to appear making an unequivocal statement in support of LGBTQ student-athletes is a big deal — to prospective and current student-athletes, to other students, faculty and staff, to fans and to other schools’ athletic departments. It’s a message of inclusivity, of mature and open support of all student-athletes, and we commend Alden and the entire MU Athletic Department for making such a thoughtful video.
The MU Athletic Department isn’t alone in speaking up and standing up for gay rights. In an admirable response to the bigoted actions of the Texas A&M Student Senate, MSA President Nick Droege [sent an open letter signed by several dozen MSA senators](https://www.themaneater.com/stories/2013/4/9/texas-m-religious-funding-exemption-bill-addressed/) to Texas A&M criticizing the bill and its culture of intolerance. And the LGBTQ Resource Center has done a fantastic job so far with its Pride Month events, which have empowered both members of the LGBTQ community and its allies to live their lives with pride and acceptance.
None of these actions will solve homophobia or discrimination at MU, but they all help. In a time when changing one’s profile picture or sending a compassionate tweet, although certainly a positive show of support, is often confused with activism, it’s outstanding that MU’s leaders understand the impact of sending out a well-crafted message of support and love. Only a holistic university effort, with students and leaders standing up for diversity, tolerance and acceptance, can make a difference in the culture of this campus. We’re proud to see that happening.