OL Reign Announces Support for Gender-Inclusive Youth Sports and Local LGBTQ+-Owned Small Businesses
Along with its fellow Seattle professional sports teams – the Kraken, Mariners, Sounders, Seahawks, and Storm – OL Reign has announced its public support for the Washington Interscholastic Activities Association (WIAA) and its newly released gender-inclusive toolkit for leaders who interact with youth athletes across the state.
This toolkit was created by experts at the Washington Interscholastic Activities Association and nonprofit Gender Diversity. It focuses on providing resources and education to develop optimal inclusive environments for gender diverse students in K-12 schools. The teams are also partnering with Intentionalist in a month-long program to drive support for local LGBTQ+-owned small businesses.
Designed by experts at WIAA and Gender Diversity, a national nonprofit dedicated to increasing awareness and understanding of the wide range of gender diversity, the free, digital toolkit is available for all youth coaches, K-12 teachers and administrators and parents in Washington State. As the presence of gender diverse students increases on athletic teams and in classes and other activities, continued efforts toward inclusive practices and education are vital in the creation of an equitable playing field. The toolkit has been produced to address the national dialogue around transgender and nonbinary students, teaching best practices and providing resources to assist in the development of supportive and non-discriminatory environments for young people.
All of Seattle’s professional sports teams – OL Reign, Seattle Kraken, Seattle Mariners, Seattle Seahawks, Seattle Sounders FC and Seattle Storm – have come together to show support for the toolkit and encourage its use in an effort to make Washington state the most inclusive place for youth sports participation in the country. OL Reign and its fellow teams stand behind the toolkit’s purpose in promoting inclusivity and building confidence in coaches, administrators, parents and youth in having conversations regarding gender diversity. The toolkit can be accessed and downloaded at wiaa.com/dei. WIAA and Gender Diversity will continue to build on the toolkit as it is implemented and the organizations encourage feedback, which can be shared at feedback@wiaa.com.
"By providing an inclusive toolkit, coaches and administrators can take confident, educated steps towards creating the most safe and welcoming environment for all youth who are interested in participating in any sport at any level,” said WIAA Executive Director Mick Hoffman. “The support and amplification of this resource from the Seattle pro sports community is essential in its impact and ensures that Washington state, as a whole, continues to be an inclusive place for all to play."
In partnership with Aidan Key, Director of Gender Diversity, WIAA was the first state activities association to enact policy regarding transgender sport and activity participation. Successful policy and practices supporting the participation of all students, regardless of how they identify, was developed in 2007 by the WIAA office and written into the handbook for the 2007-2008 school year. The WIAA assessed and improved its Gender Identity Participation philosophy and eligibility rules in 2019 and continues to stand as one of 16 state athletic associations with fully inclusive policies that help facilitate the full participation of trans, non-binary and gender non-conforming students in high school athletics.
"We are appreciative of the chance to join with professional teams in the Pacific Northwest to celebrate and support the LGBTQ+ community, including LGBTQ+-led businesses," said OL Reign CEO Bill Predmore. "While much progress has been made, Pride Month reminds us that there is still hard work to be done, including the fight against attacks on the rights of trans youth. We are proud to support the WIAA in their efforts to make Washington state a more equitable and inclusive community."
As part of supporting the toolkit, the teams have created a public service announcement that will be shared on club platforms and used statewide by WIAA. The PSA can be downloaded for media use here and features the following representatives: Quinn (OL Reign midfielder), Cristian Roldan (Seattle Sounders FC midfielder), Mitch Hoffman (WIAA Executive Director), Jewell Loyd (Seattle Storm guard), Sue Bird (Seattle Storm guard), Karen Wilkins-Mickey (Seattle Seahawks, VP of Diversity Equity and Inclusion), Mitch Haniger (Seattle Mariners right fielder), Scott Servais (Seattle Mariners Manager) and Dave Hunter (Seattle Kraken Pro Scout).
Teams also announce month-long collaborative initiative with Intentionalist to help drive intentional spending to local LGBTQ+-owned small businesses throughout June, along with various other Pride Month activities. In additional support of LGBTQ+ causes, Seattle’s professional sports teams – in collaboration with Intentionalist – are also partnering through the month of June to collectively promote and encourage the community to visit and buy from local LGBTQ+-owned small businesses throughout the region in a program called “Spend with Pride.”
"LGBTQ-owned businesses have long provided an important space where the community can feel safe, seen, and connected,” said Laura Clise, Founder and CEO of Intentionalist. “We are excited to partner with Seattle Sounders FC, Seattle Storm, Seattle Seahawks, OL Reign, Seattle Mariners, and Seattle Kraken to encourage the community to ‘Spend with Pride’ and support LGBTQ-owned businesses during Pride Month and throughout the year.”
Fans of all teams will be encouraged to visit Intentionalist.com/Spend-With-Pride to view a list of local businesses taking part in the promotion. Throughout the month, fans can upload receipts from these businesses for chances to win jerseys or team prize packs from each team. Each time a receipt is uploaded, fans can select with team prize pack they would like to enter to win.
Teams will be encouraging this activity all month long, with the ultimate goal of reaching $25,000 in spending at these local LGBTQ+-owned businesses. If the goal is reached, all six teams will then make a collective donation to support local nonprofit Gender Diversity.
As fans return to stadiums and arenas, this June also sees the return of Pride-themed matches and games for in-season Seattle sports teams. The Mainers kick things off with their Pride game on June 22 vs. the Colorado Rockies, followed by both Sounders FC and OL Reign on June 26, as the men’s and women’s soccer teams take on the Vancouver Whitecaps and Chicago Red Stars, respectively. Each night from June 21 through June 27, both Lumen Field and T-Mobile Park will also light their distinctive rooftop arches in rainbow colors to celebrate Pride.