Homophobia in Sports: The Other Don’t Ask Don’t Tell

via Black Enterprise, By Andreas Hale

Amaechi is recognized as the first NBA player to be openly gay and released a memoir Man in the Middle in 2007. The book and Amaechi were met with mixed results from active NBA players. Some applauded his courage while others scrutinized the notion that there was a gay man amongst them.

Players like Tim Hardaway expressed how they wouldn’t be willing to accept a gay player as a teammate.But Amaechi’s former teammate and now retired NBA player Troy Hudson understands both the locker room mentality and sympathizes with Amaechi and other gay athletes who remain silent.

“Little things like taking a shower in the locker room would make them uncomfortable,” Hudson says when asked why players are apprehensive about having a gay teammate in the locker room. “I think that if an athlete is gay it makes it hard for him to be part of the team. The biggest concern is that they will lose friendship and brotherhood with their teammates.”

Another rationale is that some feel they may be perceived as gay by association. “It’s not just that you are not gay, but you aren’t even going to be close to being gay,” says Khalid Salaam, Slam magazine Senior Writer. “Not because you’re against it. Rather, our culture doesn’t allow you to exist comfortably in it until you get much older.”

On the other side of the coin are the struggles of the lesbian community in sports, which are nearly polar opposites of their male counterparts. A reverse sexism comes into play for female athletes who are oftentimes assumed to be gay simply because of their physical prowess. When Swoopes, who is frequently referred to as the “female Michael Jordan,” revealed that she was gay in 2005, the news came and went without nearly as much buzz as if a male athlete were to do the same.

 It’s a double standard based on presumed gender roles that show no signs of changing anytime soon.

Read more.

FTM Kye Allums is NCAA's First Openly Transgender Athlete

Via CNN - Everything will be the same when Kye Allums takes to the court in the university's season opener later this month. Just that female-bodied Allums, 21, will be identified as a man,

"I decided to transition, that is change my name and pronouns because it bothered me to hide who I am, and I am trying to help myself and others to be who they are," Allums said in his statement.

In his sophomore year, he began telling people he was a man trapped in a woman's body.

"I told my teammates first, and they, including my coaches, have supported me," he said. "My teammates have embraced me as the big brother of the team. They have been my family, and I love them all."
becoming the first openly transgender player in NCAA Division I basketball.

"This means a lot," Allums said in a statement. "I didn't choose to be born in this body and feel the way I do."

Read the rest..

Who's That Queer [Jerry Smith]

Brought to you by Pistol Pete

Jerry Smith was born in 1943 in Livermore, Calif., and raised Catholic. An NFL All-Pro TE for the Redskins from 1965 to 1977, he caught 421 passes and scored 60 TDs in his career - a record he held for nearly 25 years. Smith was the league's third best TE in pass receptions. Reporting on his performance in the 1973 Super Bowl VII, Sports Illustrated described Smith, then 29, as "an outstanding receiver among tight ends, with the ability to break open for a long gain."


Although there was much speculation and assumption of Smith being gay, he himself never really came out. He was later outed by former teammate David Kopay, in his autobiography, as his 1st lover. After retiring from football, he lived in different cities and co-owned The Boathouse, a gay bar in Austin, Texas. Before dying of AIDS on Oct. 15, 1986, Smith acknowledged having the disease.

Smith retired with a then NFL record 60 touchdown catches for tight ends. He finished 2nd All Time behind Hall Of Famer Mike Ditka for receptions and yards receiving by tight ends. To this day, he ranks tops in Washington Redskin history for tight ends in catches, yards receiving and touchdowns. He is also tied with 3 others with 12 TD's caught in a season, and tied with 10 others with 3 TD's in one game (something he did twice). His team record 67 catches (in 14 games) for a tight end in a single season was surpassed by Chris Cooley (in 16 games) in 2005. Smith still ranks 3rd in Redskin history in TD catches, and 4th in receptions.

Sources: Bleacher Report

2010 World Hottness Cup

The 2010 FIFA World Cup starts today in South Africa! Everyone wants to know who will win, but no one is asking the really important question: who has the hottest soccer team in the world? A few of the top contenders are below.

Nigeria

Japan

South Africa

Russia

Brazil

England

Portugal

Italy

United States

Who's That Queer [Justin Fashanu]

Brought to you by Pistol Pete

Justin Fashanu was a professional English footballer in the late 70's and early 80's.

He began his career as an apprentice with Norwich City, turning professional towards the end of December 1978. He made his league debut in January 1979 and settled into the Norwich side scoring regularly and occasionally spectacularly. In 1980, he won the BBC Goal of the Season award, for a very spectacular goal against Liverpool. He subsequently became Britain's first £1m black footballer when he transferred to Brian Clough's Nottingham Forest in August 1981.



His career stalled as his professional relationship with Brian Clough deteriorated; Clough, it would appear, was disturbed by the rumours of Justin Fashanu's visits to gay nightclubs and bars. His goals and then confidence dried up as he failed to fit in with the playing and lifestyle demands of Clough, especially after Clough had discovered his homosexuality and barred him from even training with the side.

In 1990, he publicly came out as gay in an interview with the tabloid press, becoming the only prominent player in English football so far to do so. Many former colleagues spoke out in anger against him, stating that homosexuals had no place in a team sport, and his brother John publicly disowned him. Although he claimed that he was generally well accepted by his fellow players, he freely admitted that they would often joke maliciously about his sexual orientation, and he also became the target of constant crowd abuse because of it.

He admitted in an interview with Gay Times that he wasn't fully prepared for the backlash that followed his coming out and that his career in football suffered 'heavy damage'.

Read the rest at Gay for Today.

It's not all sugar plums and fairies being gay.

But it's a pretty sweet place to be gay.

Vancouver's Games Will Be the Gayest Olympics Ever

With the opening of Olympic Pride Houses and more openly gay athletes, the Olympics are finally coming out of the closet.

via AlterNet, by Vanessa Richmond


The Olympics are coming out of the closet. These Games will have the first-ever Pride House. Two of them, actually: one opened yesterday in Whistler in a cocktail lounge, and the other will open in the heart of Vancouver's West End on Thursday.

People are saying, in short, it will be the gayest Olympics ever. Not only because of the Pride Houses, or the number of out athletes, but because being gay won't be an invisible part of these Games.

Read the rest.

Who's That Queer [Gareth Thomas]

Brought to you by Pistol Pete

Gareth Thomas (born 25 July 1974 in Sarn near Bridgend) is a Welsh rugby union player who currently plays at fullback, wing or centre for the Cardiff Blues and most recently played as a fullback for Wales. On 26 May 2007, he surpassed Gareth Llewellyn as the most-capped Wales player with his 93rd appearance. A prolific try scorer at international level, Thomas is listed ninth in the world on the all-time Test try scoring list. During the 2007 Rugby World Cup, Thomas created sporting history when he become the first Welshman to win 100 international caps in rugby union. During this game he scored a try and prevented another but Wales lost to Fiji and were eliminated from the tournament. He is also the first rugby player to come out while still playing professionally.


Gareth Thomas made his debut for Wales on 27 May 1995 against Japan. He held the Wales record for the most international tries with 40 until Shane Williams surpassed that total in the 2008 Six Nations Championship, but still retains the record for most Test appearances for his country, with 100. He surpassed the try record previously held by Ieuan Evans in 2004 against Italy. He also got a hat-trick of tries in the Second Test against Japan in 2001; 51 appearances after announcing his arrival on the international scene with a hat-trick in the 1995 World Cup game against the same opposition. Equally at home at centre, it was from that position he scored the longest intercept try ever seen at the Arms Park, a 90 metre dash against Australia in 1996.Thomas was named as captain for Wales' final match in the 2007 Six Nations against England after current captain Stephen Jones was ruled out with a broken wrist. When Thomas took the field, he equaled Llewellyn's Wales record of 92 caps. He broke Llewellyn's record when he led Wales out against Australia at Telstra Stadium in Sydney on 26 May 2007, a match that Wales lost 29–23 on a Wallabies try after the siren.

From 2002 to 2006, Thomas was married to childhood sweetheart Jemma. The couple married in St Brides Major, near Bridgend, and filed for divorce in 2007; during the relationship, Jemma suffered three miscarriages.

In December 2009 Thomas announced publicly that he is gay. He told the Daily Mail , "I don't want to be known as a gay rugby player. I am a rugby player, first and foremost I am a man." Thomas' public confirmation of his sexuality makes him the first openly gay professional rugby player still playing the game. In an interview with the BBC, Thomas talked about how he hoped that his coming out would mean that in the future, young gay rugby players would be able to come out and be accepted as a "talented gay rugby player". Thomas also said, "What I choose to do when I close the door at home has nothing to do with what I have achieved in rugby."

Source: Wikipedia

Who's That Queer

Brought to you by Pistol Pete

Even in 2008, the world of professional sports - especially the major men's team sports - is one of the final closets. David Kopay has achieved fame as a gay icon. Kopay was an overachieving player with five National Football League (NFL) teams from 1964 to 1972. During this time he wrestled with his sexuality and eventually decided to be honest with himself and the public.

Since Kopay, only two additional former NFL Players have come out as gay. Kopay has been credited with inspiring these athletes to be more open about their sexual orientation.

Kopay gave an interview in 1975 to the Washington Star in which he declared his homosexuality. He is believed to be the first professional athlete to have taken such a step. In 1977 he wrote his autobiography, The David Kopay Story: An Extraordinary Self-Revelation. His biography offers insights into the sexual proclivities of heterosexual football players and their homophobia. In 1986, Kopay also revealed his brief affair with Jerry Smith, who played for the Washington Redskins from 1965-1977 and who died of AIDS without ever having publicly come out of the closet.

After he retired from the NFL, he was considered a top contender for coaching positions, but was snubbed by professional and college teams because of his sexual orientation. He eventually took over the family business selling and installing floor coverings in the San Fernando Valley.

Kopay, who remains active as a speaker, is an important figure in that he exemplifies the fact that gay men can and do compete as athletes. He is a board member of the Gay and Lesbian Athletics Foundation.

Source: Gay for Today

Semenya to Keep Gold Metal, No Matter What!

Even if South African track star Caster Semenya does have both boy and girl parts, she's still a gold medal winner: The International Association of Athletics Federations ruled she can keep the gold medal she won in August in Berlin. But the bigger news? The results of the investigation into Semenya's gender (!) will be kept private. Read the rest at Queerty.

Who's That Queer

Brought to you by Pistol Pete

Mark Leduc was a former boxer from Toronto, Canada, who won a silver medal at the 1992 Barcelona Summer Olympics.


Mark Leduc was not a hero, at least not until 1992, when he won a silver medal for Canada at the Olympics in Barcelona. Before that singular accomplishment, he was only a tough kid. To his close friends, he was a hard man who happened to be gay. By the time he was 12 years old, Leduc was certain of only two things: his sexuality and his deep love of boxing. A friend invited him along to a gym in Toronto's east end, and it didn't take long before he was hooked. His parents separated when he was 15 and Leduc went to to live on the streets.

Leduc got into trouble for robbing a jewellery store at gunpoint. He had been told by an accomplice that it was an insurance scam: the owner wanted the place turned over and hired them to make it look real. Leduc grabbed the gold and gems, passed them over, pocketed a cash fee, and was picked up by the police a few weeks later. He was sentenced to over six years in prison.

After about 18 months inside, a guard took a shine to Leduc, and tried to secure him day passes so he could train in a real gym. The first application was rejected by the warden, but Leduc was ultimately awarded 72 hours a month in the outside world. He used his 'free' time sparingly: an hour to train here, a couple of hours to train there, a few more hours for a fight. He began to acquire a smart amateur record.

The 1984 Olympics came and went while Leduc languished in prison. He was released in time for the 1988 Summer Games trials, but failed to earn a spot on the team that was to go to South Korea. Leduc decided to stick with the sport for another four years. After winning both the national championship, and the gold medal at a preliminary international meet, Leduc was on his way to Barcelona, where he won silver.

Leduc turned pro in 1992 and had limited success. He retired in 1993.

Leduc came out as a gay man in 1994 in the TV documentary For the Love of the Game and attended Toronto’s Pride parade in 1999 as grand marshal (with Savoy Howe).

Leduc worked for and volunteered with the Toronto People with AIDS Foundation. His final occupation was that of set-builder and construction worker in the film industry.

Leduc died on July 22, 2009 in Toronto. He had collapsed in the sauna of a local hotel, and doctors suggested that his death may have resulted from heat stroke.

Source: Gay for Today

A Little Ben Cohen Anyone?

Towleroad has a great series called Sportrait, which featured talented (and hot) athletes. And who better to feature than Aussie rugby player Ben Cohen?


See the rest here...

Aussie Professional Rugby Jocks Fight Homophobia

Ya gotta love the Aussies.

The high-profile muscled jocks of Australia’s national rugby team, the Qantas Wallabies, have joined forces with the country’s largest LGBT-focused health and HIV/AIDS organization for a campaign to fight discrimination against LGBT people.

Team captain Stirling Mortlock and other players were photographed holding handwritten signs championing inclusiveness in sports as part of the This Is Oz campaign, an online photo blog where users can upload photos of themselves with messages that challenge homophobia and celebrate diversity and social inclusion.

Read the rest at the Advocate.

US Swimmer Ricky Berens Splits Swimsuit, Bares Butt At World Championships (NSFW PHOTOS)

Whoops!
Check out the rest of the photos at HuffPo

Out at the Center with John Amaechi

[The following item is courtesy of Out at the Center blogger Rich, who does a groovy blog via New York City's LGBT Community Center.]

Earlier this year John Amaechi came to the Center (NYC) to read from his book, Man in the Middle, and speak with blogger, Clay Cane.

Click here for the video interview.

Clay had this to say about his interaction with John - 'Ive done countless celebrity interviews and John Amaechi sticks out to me as one of the most authentic people I've had the pleasure to sit down withdeeply engaging, interesting and an overall genuine person.'

Morry Campbell edited the piece and had this to say - 'In editing the footage, I found Amaechi to be intelligent, thoughtful and articulate, a far cry from the stereotypical jock. He spoke of his time in the NBA, his views on homophobia, the difference in the political climate for gay and lesbian people in the U.S. versus England, and life in Utah (Amaechi for a time played for the Utah Jazz).'