Kye Allums, the first openly transgender Division I athlete, took the time to bridge the gap between the LGBT and sports worlds during his Pride Week visit to Ping Recreational Center on Tuesday night.
Allums played basketball for George Washington University, and the journey to become a trans man was not overnight. One analogy Allums used to describe his journey and feelings toward gender and identity was finding the right, or completely wrong, song.
“Being trans, for me, is a feeling,” Allums said. “Gender is a feeling.”
Allums’ basketball career ended with a battle with concussions that left him unable to play his senior year of college.
Now, Allums is an advocate, public speaker and LGBT mentor for youth. He also started “Project I Am Enough,” focusing on the significance of creative sharing, reaffirmation and storytelling on identity search.
Allums said one of his first steps in redefining himself through a trans identity was officially changing his name and gender marker.
“I didn’t realize that I could define myself,” Allums said.
Taylor Hufford, Student Senate commissioner of LGBT Affairs, said the committee wanted to bring Allums in for Pride Week to celebrate the “T” in the community.
The event was also held in Ping because Hufford said senate tried to bring the speech to an athletic community.
“I’m hoping people know that we’re trying to bring the gap between LGBT, athletics and the rest of the community and try to bring them together,” Hufford said.
Allums said the need for visibility and support for LGBTQ athletes is present, and that he’s not alone in either community.
“There’s LGBT athletes everywhere and they deserved the right to feel comfortable in playing the sport that they do,” Allums said. “I’ve met way too many people, and I used to be one of them, who didn’t feel like they could be LGBTQ and play sports. That’s unacceptable.”
Emma Wright, a senior studying anthropology, said she learned a lot from Allums and his perspective.
“I was really moved by what he said about, ‘You are enough,’ ” Wright said. “Even though I identify as straight female, I think that it really inspired me to be the best that I can be and that I’m acceptable any way that I come.”
Max Gulick, a graduate of Ohio State University and full-time staff member at Central Ohio Technical College, said Allums pointed out the importance of sharing your story, a message that can sometimes be lost.
“It’s easy to get caught up in the policy making, in the rules, in trying to change people’s mind on policy level that sometimes you lose sight of the personal connection, how that can help people change their minds and get different perspective on issues,” Gulick said.
Allums said onlookers should focus on being themselves, and noted that he has been a fluid person, constantly finding himself.
“Just be patient and listen to yourself,” Allums said. “Don’t listen to anybody else. Only you know how you feel and who you are, and just take the time and listen to you.”
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This article originally appeared in print under the headline "Athlete bridges sports and LGBT gap."
