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Outspoken - by  Betty Baxter (Paperback) - 1 of 1

Outspoken - by Betty Baxter (Paperback)

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Highlights

  • A former Olympian recounts her experiences as a young gay athlete and coach in the 70s and 80s, turning discrimination into celebration.When Betty Baxter was hired to coach the Canadian women's volleyball team in 1980, she was met with a media frenzy as the first woman in the position.
  • Author(s): Betty Baxter
  • 256 Pages
  • Sports + Recreation,

Description



Book Synopsis



A former Olympian recounts her experiences as a young gay athlete and coach in the 70s and 80s, turning discrimination into celebration.

When Betty Baxter was hired to coach the Canadian women's volleyball team in 1980, she was met with a media frenzy as the first woman in the position. Then her career was cut short--Baxter was fired in January 1982 and tossed from volleyball at age twenty-nine because of rumours about her sexual orientation.

This personal memoir chronicles Baxter's journey from a small-town prairie girl discovering her passion for sports, through the years of international success, including harsh coaches, excruciating training regimes and the inequities in the sports system, especially for a closeted gay athlete. After her abrupt dismissal, Baxter turned to activism, seeking equality for women, initiating a new coaching school and working for a healthy, visible LGBTQ+ community through the internationally recognized Gay Games.

Outspoken: A Journey from Olympic Athlete to Activist exposes the persistent flaws of elite sport in Canada. It lays bare a system so resistant to change that forty years later the same issues, particularly for women, remain under scrutiny. But it also highlights the resilience and perseverance required of marginalized athletes to survive. Most of all, it champions the capacity to succeed.



Review Quotes




"One of the best books I have ever read about the helter-skelter creation of the Canadian sports system in the frantic buildup to the 1976 Olympics in Montreal, the state of international sport at the time and the making of a Canadian coach. I couldn't put it down. A must for every student of Canadian sport." --Bruce Kidd, Olympian and professor emeritus, University of Toronto

"At times heartbreaking, Outspoken is an inspiring account of a dark period in Canadian sports history and the intestinal fortitude it takes to recover from bigotry's injustice. Baxter's story offers a useful roadmap for perseverance and dignity in the face of devastating loss and betrayal. The author's commitment to fairness and ethics as bedrock principles, both for excellence in sport and for personal growth, shines through." --Daniel Gawthrop, Gay Games III ice hockey co-organizer and author of Cutting Edge: Hockey as Queer Culture

"A remarkable revelation of courage, grit and perseverance to overcome discrimination against the 2SLGBTQIA+ community in sports. Betty Baxter blazed a trail for change that benefits us all." --Libby Davies, member of Canadian Parliament 1997-2015


Dimensions (Overall): 8.5 Inches (H) x 5.5 Inches (W) x .66 Inches (D)
Suggested Age: 22 Years and Up
Number of Pages: 256
Genre: Sports + Recreation
Publisher: Nightwood Editions
Format: Paperback
Author: Betty Baxter
Language: English
Street Date: September 29, 2026
TCIN: 1008549043
UPC: 9780889715066
Item Number (DPCI): 247-45-9201
Origin: Made in the USA or Imported
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Shipping details

Estimated ship dimensions: 0.66 inches length x 5.5 inches width x 8.5 inches height
Estimated ship weight: 1 pounds
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Q: Who is the author of this memoir?

submitted by AI Shopping Assistant - 13 days ago
  • A: The memoir is authored by Betty Baxter, a former Olympian and coach.

    submitted byAI Shopping Assistant - 13 days ago
    Ai generated

Q: What significant event does the book recount from the 1980s?

submitted by AI Shopping Assistant - 13 days ago
  • A: It recounts Betty Baxter's experience as the first female coach of the Canadian women's volleyball team.

    submitted byAI Shopping Assistant - 13 days ago
    Ai generated

Q: What type of sports does the book focus on?

submitted by AI Shopping Assistant - 13 days ago
  • A: The book focuses on volleyball and the broader context of sports and recreation in Canada.

    submitted byAI Shopping Assistant - 13 days ago
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Q: What is the main theme of the book?

submitted by AI Shopping Assistant - 13 days ago
  • A: The book explores the journey of a gay athlete and coach facing discrimination while advocating for equality in sports.

    submitted byAI Shopping Assistant - 13 days ago
    Ai generated

Q: What does the author advocate for in the book?

submitted by AI Shopping Assistant - 13 days ago
  • A: The author advocates for equality and visibility for marginalized athletes, particularly within the LGBTQ+ community.

    submitted byAI Shopping Assistant - 13 days ago
    Ai generated

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