Sports Illustrated Profiles Hockey Legend Brian Burke after the Tragic Loss of His Son, Brendan
February 26, 2010
Sports Illustrated features a heart wrenching profile of hockey legend, Brian Burke, in its March 2010 issue.
Burke, the general manager of the Toronto Maple Leafs and the United States Olympic hockey team, suffered the tragic loss of his son, Brendan, earlier this month.
Brendan and a freind, Mark Reedy, were killed in a weather-related car accident in Indiana on February 5.
Brendan had come out to his father two years ago, but only recently stepped onto the national landscape as a stellar LGBT advocate who worked to eradicate homophobia in sports.
ESPN profiled Brendan and Brian late last year in an incredibly moving piece about coming out in a sports-centric family. Brian Burke is quoted as telling Brendan, “Of course we still love you. This doesn’t change a thing,” after Brendan told his father and stepmom that he was gay.
Now, Brian Burke has vowed to take on LGBT advocacy work of his own after the loss of his son, according to Sports Illustrated. “Brendan’s causes are Brian’s now,” writes SI reporter Michael Farber.
Burke says he will march in Toronto’s Gay Pride parade in June. “I’d promised him I would march with him,” says Burke. “He won’t be there, but I will.”
Brian Burke and his family will join GLAAD at the 21st annual GLAAD Media Awards in New York City on March 13 to celebrate the nomination of ESPN’s article, “We Love You. This Won’t Change a Thing,” which spotlights Brendan’s heartfelt coming out story.
For more information, click here.
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:Ruggers Campaign for LGBT Equality
December 10, 2008
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.
New York City TONIGHT – Gay Hockey Documentary
October 2, 2008
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.
