UPDATE: Jim Harbaugh’s Official Statement
December 4, 2009 by Ted Rybka, GLAAD's Director of Sports Media
Yesterday, some media outlets and GLAAD constituents reported on a YouTube video of Stanford’s football coach, Jim Harbaugh, swearing at an official. The video appears to show Harbaugh screaming an anti-gay slur.
After reaching out to Stanford, Harbaugh told GLAAD that he did curse but did not use an anti-gay slur. He also said that an official statement would be forthcoming.
Today, Stanford sent GLAAD an official release.
Statement from Head Coach Jim Harbaugh
“I would like to state unequivocally the alleged anti-gay remark that some have attributed to me did not come from my mouth and any such assertion is hurtful to me, members of my family and the gay community. Those who know me know I never use slurs under any circumstances; the bias reflected by spiteful slurs is simply not in my heart.”
GLAAD will continue to investigate any reports of defamation. To report an incident of defamation in the media, please click here.
Related Posts:Stanford Coach Jim Harbaugh Tells GLAAD: YouTube Video is Wrong
December 3, 2009 by Ted Rybka, GLAAD's Director of Sports Media
After receiving reports from constituents regarding a video on YouTube depicting Stanford football coach’s apparent use of an anti-gay slur, I reached out to Stanford University. The video, taken from ABC’s broadcast, shows coach Jim Harbaugh swearing at an official over a penalty. Although the audio is muted, it appears as if Harbaugh screams the word “f***ot.”
Harbaugh called back to personally state he never said the word “f***ot.”
He said, “It did not come out of my mouth. It would not come out of my mouth. It’s not in my heart to ever say that.”
Harbaugh acknowledged that he did curse but did not say an anti-gay slur.
After discussing the need to create safe spaces for both LGBT athletes and for athletes who have LGBT friends and family members, Harbaugh said the university would be releasing a statement denouncing the video.
GLAAD will post Stanford’s statement as soon as it is available.
Related Posts:Hate Crimes Legislation Heads to President Obama
October 22, 2009 by Ted Rybka, GLAAD's Director of Sports Media
With a 68-29 vote, the Senate today passed legislation that would make it a federal crime to assault an individual based on gender identity or sexual orientation. The Matthew Shepard and James Byrd, Jr. Hate Crimes Prevention Act was attached to a $680 billion defense authorization bill. President Obama has pledged to sign it.
The hate crimes provision was attached to the defense authorization bill in July and passed the House in early October by a vote of 281 – 46.
According to the Associated Press, the act is one of the most significant expansions of the law since it was enacted after the assassination of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.
The Matthew Shepard and James Byrd, Jr. Hate Crimes Prevention Act is named after two men who died in violent hate crimes in 2008. Shepard was tied up, beaten and left for dead in Laramie, Wyo. Byrd, Jr. was an African-American man who was tied to a pickup truck and dragged to death in Jasper, Texas.
GLAAD will continue to follow this story through its expected passage. Please continue to check our website and glaadBLOG for updated information.
Related Posts:Online Survey for LGBT Athletes and Allies
October 6, 2009 by Ted Rybka, GLAAD's Director of Sports Media
Anti-gay and anti-transgender attitudes are powerful undercurrents within the world of sports. These fears can create hostile environments and serve to keep athletes and coaches isolated and invisible.
GLAD, Gay & Lesbian Advocates & Defenders, is a New England-based legal rights organization that is committed to ending discrimination based on sexual orientation, HIV status and gender identity and expression. GLAD’s newest project hopes to address the current homophobia and transphobia in sports, by documenting the ways in which anti-gay and anti-transgender attitudes define the sports culture.
To gather information, GLAD is conducting a survey to determine the climate that surrounds LGBT athletes, coaches and allies. From the survey website, “Homophobia and Transphobia in Sports”:
To determine how we can best address homophobia and transphobia in sports, GLAD is researching the ways in which anti-gay and anti-transgender attitudes affect LGBT athletes and coaches. Our first step is collecting the stories of LGBT athletes, coaches and allies who can shed light on the challenges and barriers homophobia and transphobia present. We’re also interested in your success stories and positive experiences.
We here at GLAAD (with two ‘A’s) encourage athletes and ex-athletes, as well as coaches and allies, to participate in GLAD’s (with one ‘A’) survey. Also, please alert teammates, coaches and friends and encourage them to participate in this important project by posting the survey information on Facebook, Twitter and other social networking sites.
With your help and the information gathered from this survey we can begin to dismantle the current homophobic and transphobic sports culture to create a more open and accepting environment for LGBT athletes, coaches and allies. This survey will help us tell more stories of LGBT athletes, coaches and allies in the media. I am excited to be working with GLAD, the NCLR, and It Takes a Team on this project.
Related Posts:Ravens Linebacker Speaks Out for Marriage Equality
September 2, 2009 by Ted Rybka, GLAAD's Director of Sports Media
Hailing from Baltimore, I always root for the Baltimore Ravens when it comes to football. So it was particularly exciting to see that Ravens linebacker Brendon Ayanbadejo is for marriage equality!
It’s hard to find allies in the sporting world who will publicly speak out for the LGBT community. It’s not to say there aren’t plenty of straight allies who have LGBT friends and family members. However, outside pressures (from agents, sponsors, teammates, etc.) often keep support limited or muted.
But there are always individuals impervious to outside pressures.
The Baltimore Sun highlighted Ayanbadejo’s desire to do good for others. In college he co-founded an organization to help elementary school children. He protested against the UCLA administration for the declining number of African-Americans accepted for enrollment who weren’t athletes. And in April he wrote an op-ed for the Huffington Post regarding marriage equality:
“If Britney Spears can party it up in Vegas with one of her boys and go get married on a whim and annul her marriage the next day, why can’t a loving same sex couple tie the knot? How could our society grant more rights to a heterosexual one night stand wedding in Vegas than a gay couple that has been together for 3, 5, 10 years of true love?”
In closing he wrote:
“I think we will look back in 10, 20, 30 years and be amazed that gays and lesbians did not have the same rights as every one else. How did this ever happen in the land of the free and the home of the brave? Are we really free?”
Here’s to Ayanbadejo and others like him (Charles Barkley, Steve Young, etc) who are speaking out in support of the LGBT community. Let’s hope others in the locker room take his cue and follow suit.
Related Posts:WWE Chairman Uses “G” Word on National Television
August 26, 2009 by Ted Rybka, GLAAD's Director of Sports Media
On the most recent episode of WWE/RAW, which airs Mondays on the USA Network, Vince McMahon belittled a pair of Cirque du Soleil performers’ outfits by saying, “Those masks are really gay.”
McMahon is the Chairman of the Board of World Wrestling Entertainment, Inc.
The episode included a birthday celebration for McMahon that included Vegas showgirls and the aforementioned Cirque du Soleil performers. As the performers bounced into the wrestling ring on springboard-type stilts, McMahon utters, “Those masks are really gay,” and later, “Just what every man wants on his birthday.”
McMahon here wasn’t implying the performers were gay, however, he used the term in a derogatory manner. It’s just another example of how people throw around the word “gay” derisively.
This came from the leader of a $500 million-plus organization who holds a lot of power in what he says and what he does.
The WWE’s website states, “WWE is committed to family-friendly, PG content across all of its platforms including television programming, pay-per-view, digital media and publishing.” However, off-handedly using “gay” in a derogatory manner is anything but family-friendly.
WWE programming reaches 16 million viewers each week. McMahon needs to understand that the words he uses and how he uses them can greatly affect people’s lives.
GLAAD is reaching out to McMahon and the USA Network.
You can view McMahon’s comments here (they occur at the 8:41 mark):
South African Sprinter’s Gender Questioned
August 20, 2009 by Ted Rybka, GLAAD's Director of Sports Media
Questions have been raised regarding the gender of an 18-year-old South African runner, Caster Semenya, after she burst onto the track and field scene. Approximately three weeks ago Semenya won the African junior championships 800-meter race with a world leading time of 1 minute, 56.72 seconds in Bambous, Mauritius.
Semenya won the 800-meter race on Wednesday at the World Championships in Berlin in dominating fashion, besting the second-place finisher by more than two seconds.
The International Association of Athletics Federations asked the South African athletics federation to conduct a gender test on Semenya after the teenager’s win in Mauritius. A gender test requires several weeks to compete. It requires a physical medical evaluation, and includes reports from a gynecologist, endocrinologist, psychologist, an internal medicine specialist and an expert on gender.
Gender tests used to be mandatory during the Olympic Games, but are now used on a case-by-case basis. Critics of gender testing point out that gender is not cut-and-dry and that many people’s chromosomes do not fall within a specific standard.
In an interview with the New York Times last year, Christine McQueen, a plastic surgeon that specializes in transgender medicine, spoke critically of gender testing.
“It’s very difficult to define what is a man and what is a woman at this point. Because of a range of genetic conditions, people who look like women may have a Y chromosome, while people who look like men may not, she said. Many times, the people do not learn of the defects until they reach adulthood. “It gets really complicated very quickly,” McGinn said.
In an interview with the Associated Press, the South African athletics federation president Leonard Cheune said Semenya is the victim of racism.
“It would not be like that if it were some young girl from Europe,” Chuene told The Associated Press in a telephone interview. “If it was a white child, she would be sitting somewhere with a psychologist, but this is an African child.”
GLAAD will continue to follow this story and advocate for fair and accurate coverage of athletes.
Related Posts:Professional Rugby Players Say No to Homophobia
August 19, 2009 by Ted Rybka, GLAAD's Director of Sports Media
Wallabies and Convicts Together Against Homophobia
Professional rugby players in Australia are taking part in an advertising campaign aimed at fighting homophobia in sport (). The Wallabies, Australiaís national rugby union team, is participating in an online photo gallery called This Is Oz.
The official website states, ìPart art project, part human rights campaign, This Is Oz is all about making Australia a place where everyone belongs.î The online photo gallery depicts LGBT people and allies holding signs to express unity and support for the LGBT community.
The inclusion of Wallabies players is incredibly significant. Only the best rugby union players are selected to play for the Wallabies. The team represents Australia during Rugby World Cup competitions as well as Tri-Nations and other international competitions. Rugby players are incredibly influential in Australia and many kids (and adults) idolize them.
The Wallabies decided to take part after consulting with the Sydney Convicts, a predominately gay rugby team. The Convicts are part of the International Gay Rugby Association & Board and won last yearís Bingham Cup, an international gay rugby tournament.
This marks the second time an overseas rugby association has taken part in a campaign to fight homophobia in sports. Last year, The United Kingdomís Rugby Football League became the first national governing body of a major sport to support a campaign for LGBT equality.
Also, last year as reported on glaadBLOG, the governing body of soccer in England announced that it was working on a promotional video starring high-profile players speaking out against homophobia.
Now is the time for their American counterparts to take on a similar campaign. It would be incredibly powerful for the Shaquille O’Neals, Derek Jeters and Tom Bradys of the American sporting world to stand up and say no to homophobia in sports.
Related Posts:Half of College Football Players Claim to Have Gay Teammates
August 17, 2009 by Ted Rybka, GLAAD's Director of Sports Media
ESPN The Magazine published a survey that claims half of all college football players believe they have at least one gay teammate. ESPN asked 85 football players a variety of questions ranging from what teams would have winning seasons to whether or not players should be paid.
ESPN asked the question, “Do you have any gay teammates?” The answer was: Almost half of those surveyed (49.4%, to be exact) said yes, they believe they have at least one gay teammate. In the Pac-10, 70% of those surveyed said yes.
Unfortunately the poll is unscientific, so it’s difficult to gauge the vailidity of the responses. Additionally, Outsports.com points out other flaws:
What the poll question does not answer, though, is whether those surveyed personally know a gay teammate or whether there are players on their team they suspect are gay. It also does not answer whether these respondents perceive having a gay teammate as a positive or negative thing.
The media should take this as a stepping off point and start delving into the subject more deeply. Is there so much homophobia in the locker room that players are afraid to have conversations about their true sexual orientation? Are players comfortable confiding in their teammates but don’t want to be publicly out?
GLAAD will continue to urge the media to shine a spotlight on LGBT athletes and on homophobia in sports.
Related Posts:UPDATE: University of Hawaii Fines Football Coach For Anti-Gay Slur
August 3, 2009 by Ted Rybka, GLAAD's Director of Sports Media
The University of Hawaii has levied serious fines against its football coach, Greg McMackin, after McMackin uttered several anti-gay slurs at a press conference last week.
As written earlier , McMackin made the remarks while speaking to reporters at a media briefing at the Western Athletic Conference football preview in Salt Lake City.
According to reports, McMackin has been suspended for 30 days without pay and will take an additional 7 percent pay cut from his $1.1 million salary. McMackin will also work with campus LGBT organizations.
Related Posts:Media Reports Anti-Gay Slur Issued by Football Coach
July 31, 2009 by Ted Rybka, GLAAD's Director of Sports Media
University of Hawaii Football Coach Greg McMackin
On Thursday second-year University of Hawaii football coach Greg McMackin apologized for repeatedly using an anti-gay word to describe a pre-game dance the University of Notre Dame football players performed before the Aloha Bowl last December. McMackin made the remarks while speaking to reporters at a media briefing at the Western Athletic Conference football preview in Salt Lake City.
According to published reports, McMackin said:
“I know most of the coaches in the country are rooting for us to beat Notre Dame,” McMackin said. “Charlie gives this talk, ‘We do something special at Notre Dame,’ and (the players) get up and they do this little cheer … this little fa**ot dance.”
Shortly thereafter, McMackin backtracked and asked the journalists in the room not to report on what he said:
“Don’t write that ‘fa**ot’ down. I was misquoted,” he said. “Just please … cover for me,” McMackin said Thursday. “Go ahead, say ‘fa**ot dance.’ No. Please cover for me on that, too — right Karl [Benson, the WAC commissioner]? I’ll deny it. Anything else?”
About fifteen minutes after McMackin left the press conference area he came back to apologize for the use of the slur.
Despite asking the press not to report on the issue, many did. While some reported the basic facts of the case, others used it as an opportunity to explain why that kind of language has no place in any forum.
Tiffany Edwards, of the Hawaiian Beacon, wrote that McMackin probably used it (as others do) to get a laugh.
The thing is, this is our University of Hawaii football coach. He’s a role model, who, up until today, was so esteemed he was given more annual pay than our governor. If he is speaking like this at a WAC conference, imagine how he is talking with the football players in the locker room. Having reported on one of the most heinous crimes against gays, the beating death of University of Wyoming student Matthew Shepard in 1998, I really don’t have very much tolerance for any slur that perpetuates hate.
McMackin again apologized through official channels and issued a statement through the University of Hawaii:
“I sincerely apologize for the inappropriate words that I used,” he said in the statement. “My comments were out of character and I have no prejudices against anyone. I’m really upset with myself and I’m truly sorry for my remarks.”
Chicago White Sox Manager Ozzie Guillen
Although anti-gay slurs used in the world of sports is not uncommon, it’s encouraging to see more journalists report on it. In June, 2006 Chicago White Sox manager Ozzie Guillen called then-Chicago Sun-Times columnist Jay Mariotti, “a fu**ing f*g” in front of members of the press.
Greg Couch, also of the Chicago Sun-Times, witnessed the tirade and reported. Shortly after he was interviewed by AfterElton and said he was amazed that others did not write about the incident.
The University of Hawaii has not announced if it will penalize McMackin. If you wish to send your thoughts, you can contact the University of Hawaii’s Athletic Director Jim Donovan at (808) 956-7301 or athdir@hawaii.edu.
Related Posts:Hate Crimes Mar World OutGames
July 29, 2009 by Ted Rybka, GLAAD's Director of Sports Media
World OutGames, Copenhagen 2009
According to local news reports and on-the-ground reports from OutSports.com, several explosive devices were thrown and detonated at a track meet during the World OutGames in Copenhagen, Denmark on Tuesday, July 28, 2009.
The World OutGames is a sporting, cultural and human rights event for LGBT people. The first World OutGames, held in 2006, drew as many as 12,000 participants to Montreal, Canada. The second World OutGames started July 25 and run through August 2.
Although Denmark is considered to be very gay-friendly (in 1989 it became the first country in the world to recognize same-sex partnerships), two hate crime incidents have taken place since the opening ceremonies.
According to local reports, two men were arrested for yelling anti-gay epithets and attacking three athletes following the Opening Ceremonies. The three men, from England, Norway and Sweden were hospitalized for injuries incurred after being punched and kicked and later released.
The police are charging the two attackers with hate crimes and the judge has ordered them to remain in jail until the end of the World OutGames. According to Danish law, a hate crime requires proof that the person charged was motivated by sexual orientation, religion or race. Hate crimes are considered aggravating circumstances and can result in longer jail terms.
After the attack, a member of the Canadian curling team told Danish TV, “Obviously it’s scary. That fear will haunt you forever. Hate crimes go beyond bruises, go beyond broken bones and they affect you as an individual and it scars you for life.”
Koga with injured hand continues to compete.
The second attack came yesterday at a track and field event. According to reports from Outsports.com, the Advocate and other sources several explosive devices were hurled onto the track just prior to a race. Police arrested a 31-year-old man and have charged him with a hate crime for the attacks. A Seattle-area athlete, Dean Koga, was taken to the hospital to remove shrapnel from his hand and released.
In an exclusive interview with Outsports.com, Koga related his story:
“The [bomb] container hit the ground and everyone yelled to run,” said Koga, who was in his running lane and then headed for the infield area. “That’s when I felt the impact” from the shrapnel that ricocheted off the ground and into the top part of his right hand.
Koga returned the next day to compete in the 800 meters.
Stephen Stuehling, another athlete present during the attack, said, “I was scared and shocked. It was just disheartening to see that. Because of how open Denmark is, I felt pretty darn safe and this kind of corrupts that feeling.”
“The World OutGames are intended to create a safe space and bring together LGBT athletes and artists from all over the world, many from countries where being gay remains illegal,” said Senior Director of Media Programs Rashad Robinson.
“Attacks of this kind affect not only the individual athletes, but frighten participants and mar the experience for all attending. We urge the media to report these incidents and continue to delve into the dangers of homophobia here and abroad.”
GLAAD will continue to monitor coverage of this and other events.
Related Posts:UFC’s Dana White Apologizes on Video
April 3, 2009 by Ted Rybka, GLAAD's Director of Sports Media
As promised to GLAAD, Dana White used his video blog (published on the UFC’s YouTube Channel) to apologize for the use of his anti-gay slur.
Wednesday evening GLAAD posted the offensive video and demanded an apology from White and the UFC. Yesterday, GLAAD announced White would apologize.
From the beginning of his most recent video, White immediately acknowledges that his words hurt and offended people. But more importantly, he went on to say that attacking anyone because of their sexual orientation is flat out wrong:
The last thing I would ever want anyone to think about me or think is cool is to go out and attack somebody because of their sexual orientation.
GLAAD will continue to work with the UFC to ensure that it’s inclusive and safe for all LGBT trainers, fighters and fans.
UFC’s Dana White Will Make it Right
April 2, 2009 by Ted Rybka, GLAAD's Director of Sports Media
I just spoke with UFC President Dana White. White expressed remorse for a video blog posted April 1 in which he uttered misogynistic and anti-gay slurs (see here) and said he “never intended to hurt the gay community.”
He will issue a new video on the UFC’s YouTube page shortly in which he will apologize for the incident.
glaadBLOG will post White’s new video blog as soon as it’s released.
Dana White and UFC Need to Apologize
April 1, 2009 by Ted Rybka, GLAAD's Director of Sports Media
- Dana White, President of UFC
On Wednesday, Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) President Dana White unleashed a torrent of expletives, including an anti-gay slur, on his video blog hosted on YouTube. White was extremely angry over an article written by a journalist regarding the use of credentials at UFC events.
UFC, which is considered to be the largest Mixed Martial Arts (MMA) organization in the world, has become extremely popular in recent years, and the organization’s fights and reality shows air regularly on Spike TV and pay-per-view.
In the video, White rants, “And here’s a quote from a guy who wanted to remain anonymous because of fear of repercussions. Shut the f**k up. Any f**king guy who won’t put his name on it. First of all, whoever gave you that quote is a pu**y and a f**king f**got and a f**king liar and everything else.” Although White doesn’t state the name of the article, based on the author’s name and the content he most likely was referring to this article on the sherdog website.
White’s remarks cross a line – it’s unacceptable for an industry professional at his level to trade in these kinds of defamatory, anti-gay slurs. White knows the impact of words. Early in the video, he instructs his fighters not to curse on television. And yet, later in the video he goes on to do exactly that. He is also aware of the impact that he has. The UFC’s – and White’s – primary audience is 18 – 34 year old men, and based on his own remarks about how editors can tell a story so the audience cares, he understands just how influential the words that he chooses can be for his audience.
Furthermore, as the leader behind a billion dollar empire, White is fully aware of the reach of his remarks 
- with the help of investors, he acquired the UFC in 2001 for $2 million. In 2006, revenues from pay-per-view hit over $200 million and Time Magazine estimates that the company is worth $1 billion. White knows that the success of UFC is a result of the support of fans, gay and straight alike (the sport itself also includes openly gay athletes – last year, Shad Smith was profiled in The New York Times).
We’ve reached out to White and the UFC and are calling on them to apologize to his fans for using the slur, and to remove the video from his site. Check back here for updates as we get them.
Click below to watch the full video. White’s rant starts at about the five minute mark.
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*UPDATE: The offending video has been removed from the UFC’s YouTube Channel. However, GLAAD is still working to speak with officials at UFC for an apology.
