Ruggers Campaign for LGBT Equality
December 10, 2008 by Padraic @ GLAAD
Let’s give some kudos to our athlete cousins across the pond!
The United Kingdom’s Rugby Football League (RFL) has become the first national governing body of a major sport to support a campaign for LGBT equality. The league announced last week that they have joined British LGBT group Stonewall’s Diversity Champions Programme.
“I am very proud to be a part of an organization that has a genuine commitment to equality and diversity,” RFL’s Equality and Diversity Manger, Sarah Williams said in a press release. “I am confident that the RFL as an organization and the wider Rugby League family will rise to the challenge and look forward working with Stonewall to make a real difference.”
When the new season begins in March, the league will post advertisements like “Some people are gay. Get over it!” on rugby grounds and in programs and fanzines. The RFL will also organize a forum for staff and players on LGBT issues.
This is one of the largest direct actions towards combating homophobia in sports. And it was completely proactive! According to Williams, RFL joined the campaign after regional clubs had success working with local LGBT groups.
American teams could learn a thing or two from the Brits. Go to any major sporting event, and you still hear anti-gay slurs. GLAAD’s office has fielded and taken action on calls from fans who have gone to baseball, football and other sporting events and have heard anti-gay slurs directed toward players and other fans.
But, we have seen improvement. After GLAAD connected The New York Times and some New York hockey fans earlier this year, Katie Thomas wrote about their experiences with homophobia at New York Rangers games. Then, representatives from the Rangers and Madison Square Garden met with former GLSEN executive director Kevin Jennings and Director of the New York Gay Hockey Association Jeff Kagan.
Jennings said they discussed creating a public service announcement and more sensitivity training for Rangers employees. And although Kagan doesn’t attend games as often as he used to, he hasn’t heard as much anti-gay behavior or comments recently.
Efforts to end the chants and slurs are good, but let’s address these anti-gay attitudes BEFORE they are vocalized. Teams can’t wait until someone shouts something hurtful from the stands or a player makes an offensive comment in an interview. It’s alienating and downright scary for LGBT fans.
GLAAD’s Sports Media program continues to work with professional sports organizations to provide more outreach towards fans, and to act quickly and appropriately to show that slurs will not be tolerated at games.
We’re all there (LGBT and straight) to cheer on our favorite teams. And we should feel comfortable and safe to do so.
Openly Gay Basketball Player Recruited by the ABA
December 1, 2008 by Padraic @ GLAAD
![Mike Survillion [Photo from RockDogsBasketball.com]](http://www.rockdogsbasketball.com/images/comprofiler/plug_profilegallery/76/tnpg_1009332989.jpg)
Mike Survillion - Photo from RockDogsBasketball.com
“We had 32 players and have cut down to about 17,” Dee Minor, Rumble vice president of team operations, told the Bay Area Reporter. “Mike is one of the 17. At this point, no one has signed a contract. That wouldn’t happen until after Thanksgiving.”
Minor says sexual orientation is not a factor when choosing players.
“In basketball, it’s about athletics. We’re looking for the best semipro men’s basketball team we can put on,” Minor said.
According to Outsports, this makes Survillion the second openly gay male professional basketball player in the United States. Survillion’s Rock Dogs teammate, DeMarco Majors, played with the ABA’s Hawaii team for a period of time. Perhaps the most famous gay professional basketball player, John Amaechi, did not publicly come out until after he left the NBA.
Mike has already shown up on our radars during our previous coverage of Shirts & Skins, in particular when he came out to his mother right before the Chicago championships and when he hit up Amaechi for advice on a professional career. It’s so great to see him following his dreams. Hopefully we’ll hear more about him in the future!
New Bay Area Pro Soccer Team Shows its Pride
November 24, 2008 by Padraic @ GLAAD
A new Bay Area professional sports team says the LGBT community played a role in choosing their name. FC Gold Pride, the new Women’s Professional Soccer team based in Santa Clara, announced its name, colors and logo Wednesday.
WPS Commissioner Tonya Antonucci told The San Jose Mercury News the name Gold Pride symbolizes the Bay Area, “including the connections to the gay and lesbian community.”
Professional teams in and around San Francisco have historically taken the LGBT community seriously as sports fans. For the past five years, the 49ers have organized LGBT Fan Appreciation Nights, where owners John and Denise York, former players and Gold Rush dancers visit bars in the Castro to celebrate LGBT fans and hopefully gain a few more in the process.
It’s great to see a pro sports team recognize us in such an enduring way. The Bay Area is known as a very gay-friendly stronghold, but I hope teams across the country take up the mantle and continue to reach out and strengthen their LGBT fanbase.
When the Chicago Bears head down to Boystown and hang out with their gay counterparts at Crew, then I’ll know we’ve made progress!
First Person: Making Our Voices Heard in New York City
November 13, 2008 by Padraic @ GLAAD
The scene: Thousands of people making their voices heard about the passage of Proposition 8 outside a Mormon Temple in Manhattan. As I approached the crowd, video camera in tow, I could already hear the various chants and cheers from people waving their homemade signs – at least 10,000, according to reports from organizers picked up by the AP.
After an hour outside the temple, we marched down along Broadway. Although police lined the crowd, the peaceful nature of the event left the officers to maintaining traffic flow and keeping the marchers moving. We finally stopped at Columbus Circle, where participants waved their signs and cheered under the bright lights of the Time Warner Center.
Our community suffered considerable setbacks last week. As a California expat living in New York City, I cringed as the “yes” votes came in for Proposition 8 on Election Day. I hoped against hope the next few days and lamented when it was officially announced the initiative had passed. Many friends back home shared the same sentiment: “I can’t believe this happened. It feels like a personal attack on my life, my family.” And this wasn’t exclusive just to my homestate. I heard the same from friends in Arizona, Arkansas and Florida.
But this wasn’t a time for anger or blame. We had to gather together as a community and announce ourselves. And the crowd Wednesday night was nothing less than a community coming together. Thousands of friends and family gathered for a shared purpose. I saw people holding hands, hugging, sharing in this experience that although the passage of these anti-gay amendments was a setback, there was still hope.
And then there was Whoopi. Ms. Goldberg herself joined the march holding a sign that read “For My Friends, Equal Rights.” As I talked with her, she told me about sharing in our community’s pain, that despite the excitement over Obama’s election, we still had a ways to go. “Whenever a door opens, the ceiling comes crashing down.” Other celebrities, including lesbian comedian Judy Gold and gay advice columnist Dan Savage, also showed up to give their support.
And the media took notice of the event’s impact. News trucks for the local ABC, NBC and CW affiliates parked right by the crowd, with reporters and cameramen scrambling to film the marchers. National news organizations joined in soon afterwards. I was pleasantly surprised when a CNN microphone quickly sidled up next to me while talking with Whoopi. Hopefully the media will continue to cover our stories as we work towards equality.
Stay tuned tomorrow for exclusive video coverage of the event!
Rock Dogs: New Meets Old
October 24, 2008 by Padraic @ GLAAD
With one week left until the Chicago basketball championships, tensions were high in the Rockdogs training house on Logo’s reality show Shirts and Skins.
The team was given an assignment. Each player was instructed to write down on a chalkboard what he thought his role on the team was. Jamel, ever the trouble maker, said that roles were determined by the coach and wrote a question mark next to his name.
Some of his teammates (especially Simon) were incredulous that a starter didn’t know what kind of role he had on the team.
Luckily, John Amaechi, as he did in episode 2, diffused a volatile moment. John walked into the house in the middle of Gus and Jamel’s screaming match. John asked if what they were doing was a step towards what they hoped to achieve at the basketball tournament.
That’s all it took for the guys to realize that fighting will not help them win. If the Rock Dogs win the tournament (to be shown next week) they should, at the very least, send John a gift basket or something.
After John calmed down the guys and Gus and Simon made up, the team scrimmaged against past members of the team. The alums, lovingly known as the Old Dogs, didn’t stand a chance against the younger dogs but everyone had a great time. It was great to see the current Rockdogs side-by-side with a few original members, some of whom have been around since the team’s inception in 1987.
Watching the current Rockdogs and the Old Dogs interact, it’s easy to see they are a family. Jay’s dinnertime speech highlighted this. The former (and older) players were father figures to him and clearly had an affect on his life. It’s a great illustration of why sports and athletics are so important for the LGBT community – A sports team often becomes the family for a player, and some of the bonds are stronger than those of blood relatives.
So much has changed for the LGBT community in the past two decades (when the Rockdogs were founded), but I can’t help thinking how much further we have to go. Besides Amaechi, there has never been an openly gay male professional basketball player. And there has never been an active male player who was publicly out.
But who knows? We’ve seen plenty of talented guys on the team and even a few like Mike hoping to break into the professional world. Maybe sometime soon, we’ll flip on TNT on Thursday night to see a former Rockdog shooting a 3-pointer.
Tune in next week for the season finale as the Rockdogs finally make it to Chicago.
Shirts & Skins: Sheryl Swoop(e)s In
October 9, 2008 by Padraic @ GLAAD
After a loss last week against a pro basketball team, the Rockdogs rallied back and vowed to train harder and to put the needs of the team before personal issues. Logo is showcasing the all-star gay team in a reality series called Shirts & Skins.
In episode four, Olympic gold medalist and openly gay WNBA star Sheryl Swoopes surprised the Rockdogs with a visit.
Swoopes is considered the “female Michael Jordan” and is the first female basketball player to have a Nike shoe named after her – the “Air Swoopes.” She gave the guys some helpful advice about coming out as a gay athlete, encouraging players like Mike to live their lives honestly and openly to everyone.
She also shared the positive reactions she got from many of her teammates and peers.
“After I came out, I went to the NBA All-Star Game,” Swoopes told the Rockdogs. “Shaq came up to me, and K.G. (Kevin Garnett) and Vince Carter came up and they just all grabbed me and hugged me. To me, that was so encouraging.”
The Rockdogs also worked hard on their fashion show fundraiser, hoping to earn at least $2,000 for their trip to the Chicago basketball championships. Raising money for uniforms, equipment and for travel to tournaments is a problem every sports team has to deal with.
After quelling a few grumbles and shaking off some nerves, the show went off without a hitch. The Rockdogs were surprised to find they’d doubled their goal, raising over $4,000.
With money raised and only two weeks left until Chicago, I’ll be waiting excitedly to see how the Rockdogs do next week. Will Jamel realize that being gay isn’t a choice? Will Mike come out to his family? Will Papa Joe finally give some positive words of encouragement?
Stay tuned and find out!
New York City TONIGHT – Gay Hockey Documentary
October 2, 2008 by Padraic @ GLAAD
If you live in the New York City area, come check out a sneak preview of national gay hockey team’s upcoming documentary GForce: Out of the Neutral Zone!
The show is TONIGHT at the Chelsea Clearview Cinemas and starts at 6:00 p.m.
GFo
rceThe documentary was filmed last January in Aspen, Colo., as the team prepared for the Friendship Cup, an annual competition against an all-star straight hockey team. GForce players share their stories of diversity, acceptance and personal challenges as they follow their love of the game. The filmmakers also captured the public’s reactions as the players attempted to recruit spectators for the Aspen game.
Before the film, there will be a team meet-and-greet with hors d’oeuvres in the theater’s reception area. You can also join the GForce guys following the screening for an after party at GYM Bar.
Space is limited. For reservations, contact Glenn Witman at glenn@gforcehockey.com or (303) 808-1116.
Shirts & Skins: The Rockdogs play the pros
October 2, 2008 by Padraic @ GLAAD
This week’s episode of Logo’s Shirts & Skins highlighted how one person’s antics can affect an entire team’s performance on the court. The team practiced nonstop in preparation for their game against the San Francisco Rumble, an American Basketball Association team.
But when Jamel (who last episode caused serious problems with his teammates when he inaccurately claimed being gay was “a choice”) went missing during the final practice before the big game, the team’s stress level was visibly high and affected their play.
In the end, the Rockdogs lost the game 51-41 – not a bad showing, considering the San Francisco Rumble is a professional team.
Despite the loss, it was worthwhile to see how one player missing during practice can affect an entire team at game time. It demonstrates how so much of sport is mental – if you’re not in the right frame of mind, you won’t perform well no matter how good your skills are.
Stay tuned next week when Sheryl Swoopes drops by, and the Rockdogs gear up for their fashion show fundraiser.
GLAAD Media Award-Winning Writer Kicks Off New Football Novel
October 1, 2008 by Padraic @ GLAAD
“Bobby Framingham, a 17-year-old senior at Durango High School in Orange County, Calif., is struggling. He’s highly recruited and one of the most talented players in the state, but Bobby also knows he’s different than his teammates. They’re like brothers, but they don’t know one thing: he’s gay. Can he still be one of the guys while being honest about who he is? And how will the girl who thinks she’s dating him take to the news?”
Bill Konigsberg answers these questions and more in his new novel Out of the Pocket. Konigsberg, an openly gay sports writer who won a GLAAD Media Award for his ESPN.com article entitled “Sports World Still a Struggle for Gays,” writes about the experience of being an openly gay athlete.
Out of the Pocket
The book excels not only because of its inclusive subject matter, but because of its focus on the sport itself. In his writing, Konigsberg includes just enough lingo that shows he knows his stuff while keeping from overwhelming readers who might not be football fans.
Konigsberg wrote on Outsports.com’s website that, although the book is a work of fiction, many of the attitudes expressed by the characters are based off interview with real high school athletes.
The book is written for young adults, but it doesn’t mean that adults won’t find it a compelling read.
The School Library Journal writes:
“The sports-action sequences are well drawn and engaging, and the bond among teammates is strong. Character interactions are believable and often surprising, and Bobby is a likable narrator. A few repetitive scenes are a small price to pay for a thought-provoking, funny, and ultimately uplifting story of self-actualization that masterfully defies stereotypes about both coming out and team sports.”
It’s also been placed on the Children’s Indie Next List, a list compiled from independent booksellers.
Konigsberg is currently launching a nationwide book tour to promote Out of the Pocket. Check below for upcoming dates and locations.
The Oct. 10 reading at Barnes & Noble in NY will serve as the book launch.
Oct. 5/6 – Vassar College, Poughkeepsie, NY
Oct. 7 – Wellesley High School
Oct. 7 – Wellesley Booksmith, Wellesley, MA, 7pm
Oct. 10 – Barnes & Noble, 83rd St and Bway, New York, NY, 6pm
Oct. 11 – Giovanni’s Room, Philadelphia, PA, 5:30pm
Oct.19 – Red Balloon Bookshop, St. Paul, MN
Oct. 20/21 – Macalester College, St. Paul, MN
Oct. 23 – Watermark Books, Wichita, KS, 7pm
Oct. 31 – Nov. 2 – Texas Book Festival, Austin, TX
Nov. 1 – Book People/Book Kids, Austin, TX, 7pm
Nov. 10 – Arizona State Homecoming English Dept., Tempe, AZ, 6pm
Nov. 13 – Books, Inc., San Francisco, CA, 7:30pm
Nov. 14 – A Different Light, Los Angeles, CA, 7:30pm
Nov. 15 – Changing Hands Bookstore, Tempe, AZ, 7pm
Nov. 29 – Clinton Book Shop, Clinton, NJ, 12pm
Dec. 11 – Books & Books, Coral Gables, FL, 7pm
John Amaechi Drops In on Shirts & Skins
September 30, 2008 by Padraic @ GLAAD
In episode one of Logo’s new reality show Shirts & Skins , we were introduced to the Rockdogs, an all-star gay basketball team with aspirations of winning the National Gay Basketball Championship in Chicago.
Last week, openly gay former NBA player John Amaechi stopped by to offer some guidance both on and off the court. Amaechi watched the team play, suggested a few technical tips and then visited the guys at their house.
“I don’t think you guys realize how powerful and influential you can be,” Amaechi told the Rockdogs, explaining their potential to serve as role models to young gay athletes. While he gave the players insight into thinking of themselves as role models, he also encouraged the athletes to stay true to themselves.
I love the fact Amaechi reinforced the idea these athletes don’t have to live by any stereotype. He told them to be authentic – themselves – whoever that may be.
John Amaechi
For readers who may not know, Amaechi is also an experienced motivational speaker. His skills were used to great effect during his visit with the team.
In episode one, you couldn’t miss the controversy that stirred when Jamel inaccurately claimed that being gay was “a choice.” It caused a major rift (and some shouting matches) among his teammates that then carried into episode two.
Amaechi worked to resolve the conflict by creating a safe space for the players. He started by passing a basketball around and allowing only the person with the ball to express how they felt about Jamel’s comment.
What started out as verbal attacks aimed at Jamel ended up as a healthy conversation. Rather than giving into bickering and frustration, the players had an honest, heartfelt discussion. They let Jamel know both how his words affected them and also how much they cared about him.
Monday Night Basketball
September 17, 2008 by Padraic @ GLAAD
Shirts & Skins, Logo’s new gay basketball docu-series, premiered Monday delivering plenty of talent, drama and heart.
Although the Real World-style of creating drama by throwing a bunch of young people into close quarters has been done before, it’s refreshing to see the members of the San Francisco Rockdogs depicted as talented basketball players who also happen to be gay.
The producers seem to try to give a full picture of the athletes – showing their interactions both on and off the court. The first episode highlights their game against a team of firefighters, who the Rockdogs easily crush by about 30 points. But you also get a chance to see the guys relate to their fellow teammates as they goof around and wind down after the game and welcome back a former player. You can tell they care a lot about the team and support each other.
One of the biggest problems with the show is the airtime. Cyd Zeigler of Outsports.com rightfully laments that the only sports show on Logo airs Monday nights at 10:00 pm, going up against Monday Night Football.
Be on the lookout for next week’s episode when openly gay former NBA player John Amaechi stops by to offer the Rockdogs some advice.
Shirts & Skins: A slam dunk?
September 15, 2008 by Padraic @ GLAAD
Take a bunch of gay basketball players, put them in a house to train for two weeks and what do you get? A slightly different twist on Big Brother? Not exactly.
Logo aims to showcase the talent and complexities of gay athletes in their new docu-series called Shirts & Skins, premiering tonight at 10:00 pm.
During its six-episode run, Shirts & Skins follows the players, managers and coaches of the Rockdogs, a gay basketball team, as they prepare to defend their title at the National Gay Basketball Championship in Chicago. The team has a notable history, winning more Gay Games gold medals over the past 20 years than any other basketball team.
AfterElton has a review of the show by Cyd Zeigler, co-founder of Outsports.com, calling it “a testament to the diversity of gay people and what should be a source of real inspiration for young gay men who, more and more, don’t want to turn their backs on sports.”
Shirts and Skins. [Mon, Sept. 15 at 10 PM on Logo, 30 minute runtime.]
Hey New Yorkers!
September 12, 2008 by Padraic @ GLAAD
If you live in the New York City Metropolitan area, come to GLAAD’s exclusive cocktail reception with the New York Liberty this coming Sunday, September 14!
The reception, located at The Club Bar & Grill inside Madison Square Garden, will kick off the Liberty’s last regular season game against the Detroit Shock.
The event will include special appearances by Liberty legend Kym Hampton and Kate McKinnon of LOGO’s The Big Gay Sketch Show, a free one-year GLAAD membership for attendees who are new to the organization and a raffle with fabulous prizes.
And to top it all off, it’s fan appreciation day! The first 5,000 fans will receive a free t-shirt. You can’t ask for anything more!
This is a great opportunity for you to support GLAAD as a VIP Fan while cheering on the NY Liberty.
Social networking site OurChart recently wrote about the event, calling it a chance to “facilitate the acceptance of LGBT athletes in professional sports.” I couldn’t agree more.
The game itself is sold out, but tickets for the 2:30 p.m. cocktail reception are still available. For additional info on how to get tickets, check out the event listing here.
Hope to see you there!
[events_list event="8"]
Swing Batter Batter Swing!
September 5, 2008 by Padraic @ GLAAD
Last week more than 3,000 players, coaches and fans headed to Seattle, Washington for the Gay Softball World Series. (Click here to view pictures from this event.)
The series, dubbed the “Northwest Quest,” is the largest LGBT sporting event held annually. It was a perfect opportunity for GLAAD’s Sports Media program to do some outreach and help shine a light on LGBT athletes, coaches and fans. It was also the first time GLAAD helped sponsor the tournament, and we provided media outreach assistance to the organizers and a free one-year membership to GLAAD for every athlete in attendance.
Stories about Northwest Quest ran in various LGBT publications across the United States, and both LGBT and mainstream media outlets highlighted some of the wonderful stories of the athletes that participated. Check out the Seattle Post-Intelligencer, Gaywired, Seattle Gay News, and the Southern Voice for more.
Despite a torrential downpour during the opening ceremonies (it is Seattle, after all), the rest of the week played out fairly well with mostly cloudy skies and cool weather. Over the course of five days of competition, 175 teams from 41 different cities played games in eight divisions, with over 3,000 players, coaches and fans participating.
Throughout the week there were cheers, chants, skinned legs, iced shoulders, and above all, fun. By Saturday afternoon there were eight division winners. Take a look at the winning teams and scores below:
| Division |
Northwest Quest Series 2008 Championship game scores |
| Open A | LA Vipers 32 San Francisco D2 28 |
| Open B | Boston Café Crew 17 Long Beach Rough Riders 15 |
| Open C | Dallas Xplosion 13 Philadelphia Triple Play 11 |
| Open D | Seattle Atomic 7 Atlanta Muddogs 5 |
| Women’s A | Seattle Vibe 12 Long Beach Not Done Yet 2 |
| Women’s B | Kansas City Pride 16 San Diego Urban Mo’s 7 |
| Women’s C | Seattle LunaChix 25 Atlanta Gamma 24 |
| Women’s D | LA Nemesis 8 Atlanta Gamma Lite 7 |
.
In addition to the superb competition that took place, organizers managed to keep everyone busy at night as well, with parties, events, and excursions to Seattle Storm and Seattle Mariners games. It was a great chance to meet organizers, athletes and fans in order to extend our support and provide them with information about GLAAD’s Sports Media program.
Hats off to the Host Committee for running the tournament so smoothly and for presenting a wide range of activities after the games were over.
Next year, the series will be split between two host cities in Wisconsin. Milwaukee will host the North American Gay Amateur Athletic Alliance (NAGAAA) tournament for men and Madison will host the Amateur Sports Alliance of North America (ASANA) tournament for women.
Start planning now!
