Use of Coming Out Star Activity to Improve Cultural Competence in Undergraduate Athletic Training Students

The purpose of this case study is to describe the use of an activity to give athletic training students insights into the challenges faced by the Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Queer, Intersex, and Asexual (LGBTIA) population. The students were instructed to pick a colored star and write their name in the middle of it. Students then wrote the name of a close friend, a family member, a community they were involved with, a job they wanted, and their life goals on the points of their star. Once they had finished writing on their star, their mentor informed them that the scenarios he would be reading to them would be explaining what would happen to the points on their star if they were a member of the LGBTQIA population and came out to those parties. Each star carried different consequences for each scenario, leading to various end results. Upon completing the scenarios, the mentor then led the students through a discussion on the importance of cultural competence as athletic trainers. This activity provided a framework for reinforcing the Commission on Accreditation of Athletic Training Education that requires cultural competency be included in curriculum.