A toll free number has been established to facilitate communication with gay and lesbian professional athletes and future pro athletes in need of peer support and mentoring.

The Gay & Lesbian Professional Athletes Association (GLPAA) is a not-for-profit association dedicated to change in professional sport. It was developed to eliminate homophobia in pro sports and to ensure that all gay and lesbian pro athletes have an equal playing field to succeed.

Randall Reid, one of the GLPAA’s founders, said in a news release, “our aim is not to ‘out’ gay and lesbian athletes. The decision to come out is completely personal and should only be made by each person when and if they are ready. We just want to make it okay to be gay in the locker room.”

The toll free number, (866) 409-4522, is available across North America, reducing barriers to services and support that may exist for athletes not located in major urban areas. For many individuals the toll free number will be their first and possibly only link to the GLPAA. All calls will remain confidential. This is one of the first steps as the GLPAA builds a support network for both gay and lesbian athletes who want to come out of the closet and those that want to stay in.

The GLPAA has also begun to lay the foundation for a gay and lesbian professional sports hall of fame and is working with corporate sponsors to protect endorsement opportunities for gay and lesbian athletes.

“We applaud companies that promote, respect and encourage the human spirit of all athletes, regardless of their sexual orientation,” said Reid. “We’re here to make real changes in the sports world. There are lots of gay and lesbian athletes out there already. They deserve to compete in a world that allows them to be who they really are.”

The GLPAA was incorporated in October 2002 in response to continued incidents of discrimination within the professional sports community. The volunteer driven GLPAA is in the process of developing and implementing additional support programs. For more information, call (866) 409-4522.