Feb. 17, 2010
University Park, Pa. - The Athletic Council on Diversity and Inclusion in collaboration with Penn State's Lesbian Gay Bisexual Transgender Association hosted LGBT athletic photographer Jeff Sheng. Sheng is best known for his aptly named portrait series "Fearless" in which he spotlights openly lesbian, gay, bi-sexual, and transgender high school and college athletes.
Penn State coaches and athletic personnel enjoyed a luncheon and previewed photos from Sheng's exhibits. Sheng discussed his personal experiences as an up and coming tennis player during high school and why, due to his sexual orientation, he left the sport during his years at Harvard University. The motivation for "Fearless" came from the struggles that Sheng faced as a tennis player at the collegiate level as an openly gay man.
An avid photographer, Sheng discovered that his passion and artwork could be used as a tool to curb homophobia and its adverse affects in athletics. Since its inception in 2003, "Fearless" has garnered much attention and Sheng began exhibiting the series along with giving talks in 2006. His work has been seen on college campuses across the United States. His speeches touch on what he learned working with LGBT athletes and the university support system around them. Sheng stressed to the intercollegiate athletic staff on hand, that it is important to let the student-athlete know that they are not alone.
"The feedback we received from Jeff's luncheon and presentation to ICA was very positive, as approximately 70 people filled the room to hear how the story of his life inspired the work of the project, Fearless." said ACDI Chair and Head Men's Golf Coach Greg Nye.
For his "Fearless" tours, Sheng specifically chooses non-traditional viewing areas, such as student centers and athletic facilities in order to achieve the greatest amount of viewers. Sheng's "Fearless" exhibition came to the Penn State University Park campus where it was displayed in Rec Hall, the Morgan Academic Center, HUB Robeson Center, and the White Building where more than 1800 students pass by daily. "Most people don't know what they are looking at until the artist's blurb at the end. Then they look again," Sheng said.
Greg Nye, Chair of ACDI, Jeff Sheng, Brian Patchcoski, Graduate Assistant in LBGTA Student Resource Center, Jennifer James, Past Chair ACDI and Education Committee member |
"We were simply delighted with Jeff Sheng's exhibit and the exposure it garnered by our effort to carefully locate and display his work. We choose locations where the exhibit was seen by over 3,000 Penn State students and employees over the two days we had it on campus," said Nye.
To date over 30 universities have hosted "Fearless" exhibitions including, Yale, Michigan, and Wisconsin.
Sheng's work has also been displayed at the LGBT Human Rights Conference in Copenhagen, Denmark and at the ESPN headquarters in Bristol, Connecticut. "Fearless" is currently on exhibition at the 2010 Winter Olympics in Vancouver, Canada.
In 2009, Sheng began embarking on a new portrait series focusing on the don't ask, don't tell policy banning gays and lesbians from openly serving in the U.S. armed forces. Baring its controversial name-sake, "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" spotlights closeted men and women currently serving in the United States military. Last month Sheng published "Don't Ask, Don't Tell: Volume 1."
As part of Black History Month, ACDI will host a discussion with Charlie Pittman and Adam Taliaferro. Pittman will talk about his experiences playing for Paterno on February 17 and Taliaferro will share his story of overcoming severe injury on February 24.