How many athletes in your favourite sport do you know who identify as part of the LGBTQ+ community? Not many right? Things are changing and there are some sports where the culture is supportive enough for LGBTQ+ to feel safe to be out, however there is still so much work to be done to ensure that all athletes at all levels of sport can be themselves without fear. In Erin Silver’s new non-fiction biography Proud to Play: Canadian LGBTQ+ athletes who made history, she shares the stories of many prominent high profile athletes and coaches in the hopes that their stories will inspire the next generation of athletes.

Through her interviews and profiles, readers can learn about Mark Tewksbury, Caroline Ouellette, Jessica Platt and many others. We learn what it was like growing up and being in the public eye all while having a piece of themselves they felt they couldn’t share. Erin Silver sheds light on how things have changed in sport through these profiles. Each athlete’s experience was different and the profiles share what it was like growing up, competing and what has happened since they have chosen to live openly. There is a ton of information, information that will help young athletes know there are these incredible people who have opened the doors and are pushing to ensure sport at all levels is inclusive and supportive. Readers learn about the athletes as well as background information about organizations that are pushing for equality.  

Proud to Play is a book that needs to find its way into school libraries all over Canada, to ensure all readers know they have the right to play and enjoy sports.