U.S. Sailing hosts panel on LGBTQ diversity, equity and inclusion

As part of its ongoing series on diversity, equity and inclusion, U.S. Sailing is tacking toward its community of sailing enthusiasts who identify as LGBTQ, which of late has found itself in irons.

For non-sailors who don’t speak the lingo, that means the organization is now addressing the fact there are lesbian, gay, bi, trans and queer people who sail who have not always been included, accepted, and respected as everyone should be.

A prior panel discussion tackled racial diversity in sailing. The intent of these online town halls, say organizers, is “to call out the challenges and roadblocks that exist in sailing and come up with suggestions for how people and programs can be more inclusive.” It’s not meant to be a “one and done,” process, they say, but rather “a starting point for valuable, ongoing dialogue.”

According to U.S. Sailing’s director of education, Stu Gilfillen, The Starboard Portal panel on Sept. 10th “will offer practical for conducting outreach in your local communities and best practices on fostering these relationships.”

The panel will feature a moderator and four speakers who will offer recommendations to sailing organizations on how to be more inclusive, and speak to the experience of being LGBTQ in sailing.

Stephanie Helms of Maine is a sailor, sailmaker and a transgender woman who was a guest on the Outsports podcast The Trans Porter Room. She’s also president of the Northeast Sailing Association, and a regional race officer.

In accepting their invitation to join the panel, Helms told organizers: “Given that the sport has been a lifeline for me, I’d be honored to take part, especially with the recent hysteria regarding trans people in sport.” She was referring to the worldwide debate over transgender women playing rugby.

“Pretty neat that one sport at least believes in inclusion,” Helms told Outsports.

The moderator of the panel is Kimball Livingston, the author, columnist and past commodore of the St. Francis Yacht Club. The three other panelists are Francesca Clapcich, the two-time Olympian from Italy; Liam Faudree, the junior sailing director at the Rochester, N.Y. Yacht Club; and John DeRuff of San Francisco, a 2-year captain at George Washington University’s sailing team.

DeRuff came out one year ago in Outsports: “All of the fear, anxiety, doubt and pessimistic thoughts were replaced with the most genuine feeling of belonging I’ve ever felt.”

Next week in Outsports: DeRuff, whose Twitter bio says he is “probably lost at sea, craving coffee,” updates us on life since coming out in September 2019.

Bookmark this link to watch the panel discussion live online by Thursday, Sept. 10 at 7 p.m. EDT