PHILADELPHIA – The organization Athlete Ally, a leading national nonprofit working at the intersection of sport and LGBTQI+ equality, recently unveiled its third Athletic Equality Index (AEI). The University of Pennsylvania's Division of Recreation and Intercollegiate Athletics (DRIA) is proud to announce a perfect 100 score on the newest iteration of the AEI, making Penn the only Ivy League institution or Philadelphia city school to boast such a score.
 
Overall, Penn is one of just 10 schools nationally with a perfect score joining Arizona, Boston University, Cal-Davis, George Mason, Illinois, Kent State, Miami, Ohio State, and USC.
 
"We are honored and humbled to be recognized by Athlete Ally as the first and only Ivy League institution with a perfect Athletic Equality Index score," said Matt Valenti, Penn's Associate AD who oversees the Pottruck Center for Student-Athlete Success. "This would not have been possible without the support of our incredible partners at the University's LGBT Center and specifically Erin Cross, the Center's Director. This is a positive first step in creating a more supportive and inclusive environment for our LGBTQ+ student-athletes, coaches and staff. We are committed to developing our culture to embrace the diversity of everyone within DRIA."
 
The AEI was initially launched in 2017 to measure LGBTQ inclusion policies and practices in collegiate athletics at the NCAA Division 1 level, with updates occurring in 2019 and again in 2021. This first-of-its-kind report provides a comprehensive look at how NCAA D-I institutions are supporting their LGBTQ student-athletes, coaches, administrators, staff, and fans.
 
In the Athletic Equality Index, Athletic Departments are measured by the following policies, practices and resources:
*Policy that protects sexual orientation, gender identity, and expression
*Policy that protects transgender varsity student-athletes
*Policy that protects LGBTW student-athletes against sexual assault
*Fan code of conduct that protects LGBTQ athletes, staff, and spectators
*Providing LGBTQ educational resources
*Annually partnering with LGBTQ campus group/center
*Offering LGBTQ trainings for staff
*Offering LGBTQ trainings for student-athletes
 
About Athlete Ally
Athlete Ally believes sport will change the world when it welcomes and empowers all people. As a leading national nonprofit working at the intersection of sport and LGBTQI+ equality, Athlete Ally works to end the structural and systemic oppression that isolates, excludes, and endangers LGBTQI+ people in sport. We educate individuals and institutions to understand obstacles to inclusion for LGBTQI+ people and how they can build an inclusive culture. We work to ensure sport governing bodies, teams and leagues adopt policies that reflect the diversity of their constituents. We incubate athlete activism to advance LGBTQI+ equality in and through sport. For more information, visit www.athleteally.org or follow us on Facebook, Twitter, or Instagram.