"Fearless" Photo Exhibit Comes to Andover

Exhibit honors anniversary of the Andover Gay-Straight Alliance

October 16, 2008 A traveling photography exhibit that celebrates the courage of young athletes who are openly “out” about their sexuality has made its way to Andover after having already appeared at numerous colleges across the country, ranging from the University of Florida to Dartmouth College. The exhibition, titled “Fearless”, was brought to the Phillips Academy campus as the first in a series of events celebrating the 20th anniversary of the Andover Gay-Straight Alliance, the second oldest club of its kind in the country.

The exhibit, which features photographic portraits of high school and college athletes dressed in the attire of their sport, is currently on display in the main hallway of Borden Memorial Gym, where it will remain on display until October 31.

To date, photographer Jeff Sheng has photographed more than 50 athletes from across the country who openly self-identify as lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender or queer. In an artist’s statement that accompanies the exhibit, Sheng says, “While these individuals are only a small segment of the LGBTQ community, I wanted to photograph them and give them visibility because they exemplify a particular courage and self-confidence in being ‘out’ at a very young age while also competitively participating in the often-times homophobic world of sports. More importantly, these individuals do not let fear stand in the way of being true to themselves and enjoying what life has to offer. This is a lesson that is universal.”

Frank Tipton, who is a history and social sciences instructor and an advisor for the Office of Community and Multicultural Development at PA, calls the exhibit “distinctive and exciting,” noting that “few competitive athletes are ‘out’ at the amateur or professional level, and homophobia in sports unfortunately is still a reality. This exhibit hopes to provoke thought about that bias.”

In addition to traveling to college campuses across the country, the exhibit has been on display at several businesses including the Federal Reserve in Boston and soon ESPN headquarters. Phillips Academy is just the fourth high school to host the exhibit. For more information about the exhibit, visit www.FearlessCampusTour.org.