ESPN journalist Katie Barnes ’13 to headline third annual Grose Lecture Series
Award-winning ESPN journalist Katie Barnes ’13 will visit St. Olaf College October 8 and 9 to participate in a series of conversations focused on LGBTQIA+ people’s participation in sports.
The events are part of the third annual Grose Lecture Series, which aims to amplify voices and issues that are important to the LGBTQIA+ community. Hosted by the Taylor Center for Equity and Inclusion, the series will kick off on October 8 at 7 p.m. in the Lion’s Pause with a roundtable discussion led by Barnes focused on the importance of sports and body positivity. It will continue on October 9 at 4 p.m. in the Buntrock Commons Viking Theater with a keynote address by Barnes on the current status of inclusivity in sports. The keynote address will be streamed and archived online.
“Over the last two decades we have seen greater visibility from queer people demanding their right to participate in various sports. The public discourse has become louder, making this a timely topic for the Grose Lecture Series,” says Taylor Center Assistant Director for Multicultural, Gender, and Sexuality Damian Waite. “We have an incredible opportunity to hear from a St. Olaf graduate who has covered these issues as a journalist and an author. I’m looking forward to great conversations with Katie and the opportunity to think about how we are making St. Olaf a welcoming place for all students — including our queer athletes.”
During their time on campus, Barnes will also visit classes to continue discussions with students and share their expertise.
“I’m looking forward to great conversations with Katie and the opportunity to think about how we are making St. Olaf a welcoming place for all students — including our queer athletes.”
— Taylor Center Assistant Director Damian Waite
Barnes is the author of Fair Play: How Sports Shape the Gender Debates, which was named one of TIME magazine’s “100 Must-Read Books of 2023.” They cover the intersection of sports and gender for ESPN, and their work has appeared on ESPN.com, SportsCenter, Outside the Lines, and the ESPN Daily podcast. Barnes has profiled women’s sports superstars and rising stars alike, from Maya Moore to Paige Bueckers to Azzi Fudd to Amanda Nunes. In addition to athlete profiles, Barnes has extensively covered legislation and policy affecting transgender athletes. In 2019, they were an executive producer on the 30 for 30 short Mack Wrestles, which told the story of transgender wrestler Mack Beggs as he graduated high school and left home for college. After premiering at the 2019 SXSW Film Festival, Mack Wrestles was shortlisted for awards by Critic’s Choice, NY DOCS, and the International Documentary Association.
Barnes is a three-time GLAAD nominee and their work has been recognized by Folio, the Society of Professional Journalists, and the Curve Foundation. In 2017, they were named Journalist of the Year by NLGJA – The Association of LGBTQ Journalists.
At St. Olaf, Barnes majored in history, Russian area studies, and American studies, with a concentration in women and gender studies. They earned a master’s degree in student affairs in higher education at Miami University in Ohio while focusing on creating impactful programming for LGBTQIA+ college students. Following graduate school, Barnes began pursuing a career in sports journalism. They joined ESPN in 2015 as a digital media associate before being hired as a staff writer in 2016.