Wrestler Hudson Taylor Pledge To End Homophobia In Sports

Hudson Taylor, the former University of Maryland NCAA champion wrestler in the 197-pound weight class, is already on record as an ally to the gay community, Taylor, currently a coach and active athlete at Columbia University, has called the battle for full GLBT equality “the civil rights issue” of his generation. The great-great-great-grandson of James Hudson Taylor, a prominent 19th century Protestant missionary who worked in China, Taylor, who last September married Lia Alexandra Mangagilo, became a friend of the gay family when he wore the Human Rights Campaign logo on his headgear during competition. Now, continuing his commitment to the cause, Taylor has launched a Web site – AthleteAlly.com. Described “as a resource to encourage athletes, coaches, parents, fans and other members of the sports community to respect all individuals involved in sports, regardless of perceived or actual sexual-orientation or gender identity or expression,” it encourages participants to sign a pledge, to take positive steps to end homophobia in sports, and to “inspire teams and athletic departments to commit to a new standard of athletic integrity” in order to change the “environment in locker rooms and on playing fields.”