Page 12 - BEQ Magazine Iss 21 rev01072022

How Sport Can

Help Us Achieve

Social Justice

By MELISSA LOWERY
Y annick Kluch, Ph.D., embodies the term “scholar-activist.” A member of the BEQ

Pride 40 LGBTQ Leaders Under 40 Class of 2021, Kluch is making an impact in
the world of sport as a professor, mentor, author, speaker, advocate and activist.

“My work is focused on changing the very founda- address issues of social justice and inequality.
tion that the institution of sport is built on,” said. “I’ll “That’s what makes sport a good entry point to
count that work as successful when sport becomes talk about the inequities, especially with folks holding
more diverse, equitable, socially just and inclusive.” privileged identities who do not face these injustices
Sport is a microcosm of society, Kluch said, firsthand,” Kluch said.
wherein we see the social ills and systemic injustices
of our society manifest on a smaller scale. THE PERFECT COMBINATION
“For example, the historical exclusion of racially
minoritized groups – such as Black athletes – from Kluch grew up in Hamburg, Germany, a major Euro-
sport corresponds with larger barriers these groups pean city with a diverse population and progressive
face at the societal level. Similarly, the fact that equality legislation. He earned a Bachelor’s degree
sportswomen struggle for visibility and representa- in applied media economics at Mittweida University
tion reflects larger gender norms in American society of Applied Sciences in Mittweida, Germany, before
that devalue women. And when it comes to the inclu- moving to the United States in 2012 for his graduate
sion of LGBTQ+ athletes in sport, the way we treat work. Moving to the small town of Bowling Green,
LGB athletes, as well as trans athletes, reflects larger Ohio, crystalized his career path.
power struggles of these groups to be fully accepted “I have always had a passion for social justice and
and valued members of our society,” he said. inclusion,” Kluch said, “but it wasn’t until I stepped
Sport is big business. In 2020, Kearney estimated foot onto the campus of Bowling Green State Univer-
the global sport industry’s worth at $620 billion. That’s sity that I realized I could combine my passion for DEI
billion with a “b”. And the industry’s value is growing with a career in sports.”
much faster than national gross domestic product In Germany, sport and academics are separate
(GDP) rates around the world. Whether participating entities. Schools do not have athletic teams. Kluch
or spectating, the world is interested in sports. This is played tennis and soccer as a child and teenager, but
exactly why Kluch sees sport as the ideal platform to he had no idea how integral sport is to the American

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