More Details on the Gay Storyline in Valentine’s Day
February 16, 2010
Last week we posted our intentionally vague take on the hit film Valentine’s Day. Since the film had yet to come out, New Line asked that we not reveal too much so as to maintain the surprise, but we’re now pleased to offer more details on the film’s gay storyline.
The film, which had the highest grossing President’s Day weekend opening ever, features multiple intertwined love stories as Los Angeles celebrates Valentine’s Day. Eric Dane plays Sean Jackson, a top NFL player who is contemplating ending his career to have a family. Sean ultimately announces in a press conference that the reason he hasn’t been able to fulfill his personal goals is because he is gay and has had to hide for the sake of his career. The story is a particularly bold one because Sean also makes it clear that he is going to continue playing professional football, a move that is met with support from the local sportscaster played by Jamie Foxx.
In another storyline, Bradley Cooper’s Holden shares a plane ride with Julia Roberts‘ Kate, a soldier coming home to visit “her man” for Valentine’s Day. Kate notices that Holden seems put off by the holiday and he reveals that he is freshly out of a relationship. When Kate points out that the flight attendants are all attracted to Holden, he seems largely uninterested.
In one of the film’s final scenes, Sean is shown sleeping in his living room. Behind him, the door opens and a man walks in. As he kneels next to Sean and wakes him, the man is revealed to be Holden. Now that Sean is out, the two can reunite and have the life that they couldn’t before.
We applaud director Garry Marshall, a longtime friend of GLAAD, and screenwriter Katherine Fugate for including a gay couple when so many other major romantic comedies tend to relegate gay characters to the best friend role. On top of that, it tackles the hot button issue of openly gay professional athletes in a way that we hope will open hearts and minds, especially given the film’s box office success.
To date, no NFL player has come out while still active in the game, though the climate may slowly be changing. Scott Fujita, a straight linebacker for the Super Bowl Champion New Orleans Saints, is a strong and vocal supporter of LGBT rights who has said he would support a gay teammate, an attitude that appears to be spreading.
Though the Sean and Holden’s story is not one of Valentine’s Day’s central love stories, nor is it fully revealed until the end, it is still a marked improvement from the norm in this genre. We look forward to the day when a fictional gay or lesbian couple can headline their own major studio romantic comedy.
Related Posts:UPDATE: Jim Harbaugh’s Official Statement
December 4, 2009
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
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:Media Paying Attention to LGBT Sport Issues
November 4, 2009
The media is starting to pay close attention to stories surrounding LGBT athletes, fans and coaches. Within the past few days, there have been several reports drawing attention to anti-gay comments made in the sports world.
This is a big change from just a few years ago when, in 2006, Jay Mariotti was called a f***ing f*g by Chicago White Sox manager Ozzie Guillen. Many members of the press heard Guillen’s hateful words, but only one reported on it. Today, reports of homophobic behavior are more visible and abundant and journalists are paying close attention.
France
Louis Nicollin, the president of French soccer team, Montpellier, faces a possible two month suspension after using an anti-gay slur to insult another player. This past weekend, Montpellier lost 2-1 to Auxerre. After his team’s loss, Nicollin used an anti-gay term to describe Auxerre midfielder Benoit Pedretti. He also threatened Pedretti and told him that his athletes would “take care of him” when the teams play each other again early next year.
He has since apologized for the comment, but will still appear in front of the French Football Federation’s ethics commission on Nov. 16.
Denmark
A Danish soccer team, FC Midtjylland, has fired its star goalie, Arek Onyszko, for homophobic remarks published in his new autobiography. The book, F**king Polack, was released yesterday. In a detailed passage, Onyszko wrote “I hate gays, I really do. I think it’s f***ing disgusting to hear them talk to each other as if they are girls. I can’t be in the same room as someone who’s gay. Look at them kissing each other – it’s sickening.” He also likened gays to “vomit” and criticized female sports r
eporters.
Last year, Onyszko was fired from his former soccer team after being convicted of assaulting his ex-wife. He served three months in prison before signing with FC Midtjylland.
The team asked Onyszko to stop writing his memoir and focus on soccer, but the writing continued. FC Midtjylland’s Jens Ørgaard explained “We felt we did the right thing in the summer when we offered Arek Onyszko a new chance after his conviction. He was punished and like everyone else needed help to get back on his feet again. But lately he has abused our trust… despite warnings, he continued to work on the book project.”
Ørgaard had no idea the book was being published, and as a result, has released Onyszko.
Dallas
Outsports.com is reporting that Drew Gooden, a player for the Dallas Mavericks, used an anti-gay slur in referring to two Los Angeles Clippers fans after Saturday night’s game. Clippers fan, Chris Wylde, was sitting courtside with a friend and vocally enjoying the game. Afterwards, the two were souvenir shopping when Gooden walked by, pointed to Wylde and apparently said “there’s that fa**ot.” Next, he pointed to Wylde’s friend and said “there’s that other fa**ot.”
Wylde quickly e-mailed Mavericks’ coach Mark Cuban from his Blackberry to alert him to his player’s poor behavior. Cuban responded within minutes and replied “I appreciate you telling me. I will deal w drew.” On Sunday, Cuban told Outsports.com that he would like to confirm the comment before taking further action.
Kansas City
The Kansas City Chiefs reached a settlement with running back Larry Johnson, with regard to his recent use of several anti-gay slurs. After Johnson’s agent, Peter Schaffer, filed an appeal, the Chiefs cut his suspension in half. As a result, Johnson will be docked one week’s pay, losing $315,000. He will still miss the game against Jacksonville this weekend.
Schaffer commented to the New York Times that “Larry apologized. He learned from it and hopefully other people learned from it. My hope is that people learn that something positive can come out of this and that there are words that should not be used because they demean people.”
Chicago
Along with a rise in the reporting of homophobic language and behavior, the media is also contributing to the positive representation of LGBT stories and people in sports.
In a deal that was finaliz
ed on Oct. 27, the Rickett’s family purchased the Chicago Cubs for $845 million. Laura Ricketts made history as the first openly LGBT Major League Baseball team owner. She also serves on the board of Lambda Legal, a legal organization that works for LGBT civil rights.
Ricketts spoke with The Windy City Times about her coming out experience: “I came out to my family I would say early to mid 30’s. I think for a long time I wasn’t really out to myself growing up in Omaha, Nebraska to a Catholic conservative family. It took me a while to come out to myself and not long after that I came out to them…they were all immediately supportive… I have been really really fortunate in that regard.”
The Ricketts will now begin their quest to lead the Cubs into a World Series for the first time since 1908.
USA
Finally, in an editorial, former professional hockey player Justin Bourne joined the ranks of Brendan Ayanbadejo and Scott Fujita in speaking out for LGBT equality. Bourne voiced his concerns about the treatment of LGBT people to USA Today in his article “It’s Time to End the use of Gay Slurs in Hockey.”
Bourne admits to using anti-gay slurs many times himself during his hockey career. In retrospect, he says that the prevalent anti-gay locker room atmosphere may cause many young, gay, talented players to “h[a]ng up their skates in favor of some lesser talent, strictly to find acceptance and peace of mind.”
Instead, Bourne hopes that soon these young players will have an openly gay, hockey-playing role model. He acknowledges that this player will need to be strong because “the first openly gay NHL star will elicit stereotypical responses but hopefully the 100th is just a guy who will show up in my columns for being ‘a completely overrated, third-line defensive specialist at best.’”
At the end of his article, Bourne is hopeful about positive changes and an LGBT-friendly locker room. “It’s time to acknowledge we’ve been unfair to the gay community, that the culture of our sport can be misogynistic, homophobic and cruel. More important, it’s time to make a stand that we want it to change. “
Hopefully other straight allies join Bourne’s call to arms. It’s a good first step, and the first of many that need to be taken in order to make locker rooms, playing fields and sporting venues a safe environment for LGBT athletes, coaches and fans.
Related Posts:UPDATE: Chiefs Suspend Larry Johnson
October 29, 2009
The Kansas City Chiefs released a statement yesterday announcing Larry Johnson had been issued a two-weeks suspension for “Conduct Detrimental to the Club”. He can return to practice and other team activities on November 9, the day after the Chiefs play the Jacksonville Jaguars.
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Since this is a bye week for the Chiefs, Johnson will only sit out one game. In addition, he will not be paid for the duration of his suspension. The two week hiatus amounts to a loss in compensation for the running back, equivalent to about $660,000.
Johnson’s agent, Peter Schaffer, told the Kansas City Star that “we respectfully disagree this punishment doesn’t fit the action.” He plans to file an appeal with the Chiefs on behalf of Johnson.
The National Football League has not weighed in on Johnson’s status yet and may or may not discipline him separately.
GLAAD will continue to follow this story and provide updates.
Related Posts:UPDATE: Larry Johnson Apologizes for Use of Gay Slur
October 28, 2009
Kansas City Chiefs running back, Larry Johnson, issued a statement yesterday apologizing for his use of anti-gay epithets:
“First of all, I want to apologize to the fans of the Kansas City Chiefs and the rest of the NFL, Commissioner Goodell, the Chiefs organization, Coa
ch Todd Haley, his staff, and my teammates for the words I used yesterday. I regret my actions. The words were used by me in frustration, and they were not appropriate. I did not intend to offend anyone, but that is no excuse for what I said.”
“I also want to apologize to all the kids who view athletes as role models. I was not a good role model yesterday and hopefully I can become a better role model. We all make mistakes, and the challenge is to learn from them. I will do my best to learn from this one as I move toward becoming a better person, teammate, and member of the Kansas City Chiefs team and community.”
Currently, the NFL is reviewing the situation while Johnson has been asked to refrain from participating in practice and other team activities.
In response, Jarrett Barrios, GLAAD’s president, explained that “Larry Johnson’s apology sends an important message that there is no excuse for using anti-gay epithets. We are continuing to call on the NFL and the Kansas City Chiefs to use this unfortunate incident as a way to educate and start a dialogue with players and fans regarding the dangers of homophobia in sports.”
Related Posts:GLAAD Demands Action Against NFL Player Larry Johnson’s Use of Homophobic Slurs
October 27, 2009
Larry Johnson, a running back for the Kansas City Chiefs, has uttered several anti-gay slurs within the past couple of days. GLAAD is demanding that the Kansas City Chiefs and the National Football League take disciplinary action.
Johnson’s tirade began with a Twitter post about his head coach, following a loss to San Diego. According to the Kansas City Star when reporters approached Johnson about his comment, he uttered a gay slur under his breath while telling them to “get out of here.”
Soon after, Johnson was at it again on Twitter, fighting with a fan. Yahoo Sports monitored the conversation and caught Johnson using the anti-gay slur again.
Additionally, Outsports.com explains that Johnson’s use of the phrase “Christopher Street boy” to describe the fan is yet another anti-gay slur.
Several other media outlets are covering Johnson’s hateful words. ESPN’s Monday Night Countdown described Johnson’s comment as insensitive, and NBC Action News Kansas City reported that his inflammatory remark crossed the line. Local CBS and ABC news channels are also following this story.
“All too often this is the word that is used to ridicule and harass young gay and transgender athletes on local sports fields across America” said Jarrett Barrios, President of GLAAD. “Professional athletes who use this word need to be held accountable for giving a license to youth to bully their peers. NFL officials and the Kansas City Chiefs need to take disciplinary action to condemn this and future uses of all anti-gay epithets.”
We are reaching out to the Kansas City Chiefs and the NFL and will keep you updated.
Related Posts:Polamalu Is No Wallflower
October 20, 2008
Troy Polamalu is one of the most feared safeties in the NFL. As a member of the Pittsburgh Steelers, he has won a Super Bowl, been named to the Pro Bowl four times and named All-Pro twice.
Polamalu plays rough and hard on the field, so it’s no surprise that he spoke out in defense of his teammate, Hines Ward, who was fined by the league for unnecessary roughness in the past two games.
According to the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, Polamalu was bemoaning the state of football and the fact his teammate was fined, despite Ward never receiving a penalty during those games. He said:
Troy Polamalu
“I think regarding the evolution of football, it’s becoming more and more flag football, two-hand touch. We’ve really lost the essence of what real American football is about. I think it’s probably all about money. They’re not really concerned about safety.”
Troy Polamalu on Sports Illustrated
Polamalu then went on to say:
“(Football) just loses so much of its essence when it becomes like a pansy game.”
What may have been an off-the-cuff remark to Polamalu speaks volumes of the state of sports and athletics.
The word “pansy” is used to disparage men who aren’t hypermasculine and has traditionally been used as a reference to gay men. Even Merriam-Webster’s lists the second definition of the word as “a male homosexual.”
And while it’s not exactly shocking to hear a professional athlete use the word, I’m dismayed that sports media would put the defamatory remark front and center, as if they plan to address it as wrong, and yet fail to hold them accountable.
For example, USA Today used “pansy” in its headlines here and here - as well as Sporting News - and yet the articles never addressed the use of the word.
Sports media clearly recognize that “pansy” is a trigger word that incites a gut reaction in their readers, but unlike non-sports media they don’t address it with the same scrutiny (just ask Sen. Hillary Clinton).
In ESPN’s coverage of Polamalu’s remarks, commentator Mark Schlereth also gives Polamalu a pass by not addressing the word. Instead he focuses on how the NFL doesn’t doesn’t care about its players — only its image.
The only media outlet that has addressed Polamalu’s remark has been Outsports.com, a website devoted to the LGBT sporting community.
GLAAD encourages reporters, journalists and commentators to not give players and coaches a pass when it comes to anti-gay remarks. These words, when uttered in the locker room, on the playing field or in press conferences, need to be challenged immediately. Otherwise, the sports world will continue to be a haven for anti-gay attitudes and homophobia.
GLAAD Media Award-Winning Writer Kicks Off New Football Novel
October 1, 2008
“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
