Locker Room Contradictions

I find this recent feature by the Harvard Crimson immensely interesting, as a sports fan, and as someone who grew up in team locker rooms. I think people underestimate how much of the homophobia in our culture is– if not born– incubated and perpetuated in high school locker rooms. In particular, the casually homophobic language that is pervasive in our society (if to a lesser degree at Harvard), is commonplace in that realm.
Teams are about unconditional love for your teammates, about loyalty, and about brotherhood (or sisterhood). And yet there is this persistent contradiction where they are also incredibly unsafe spaces for LGBT youth. The fact that that environment selects out many questioning kids only makes it worse for those that stick around.
I tend to take issue with plenty of things the Crimson publishes, but this is well done and important for athletes and nonathletes, gay and straight.