Pittsburgh Lesbian Correspondents

Sign Petition for Pirates to Contribute to It Gets Better Video Here

Sue — Wed, 13 Jul 2011 20:55:08 -0400

Click here to sign the petition.

James Harrison's non-apology for "gay slur"

Sue — Fri, 15 Jul 2011 09:29:57 -0400

I read this late last night and choked on whatever was in my glass. This man has zero understanding of LGBT issues. Zero. He needs to be educated and I hope his management team recognizes that he is saying ... well, first read his comments. (Full statement here.)

I also need to make clear that the comment about Roger Goodell was not intended to be derogatory against gay people in any way. It was careless use of a slang word and I apologize to all who were offended by the remark. I am not a homophobic bigot, and I would never advocate intolerance of gay people.

A slang word? Again, I'm assuming the word is either "fag" or "faggot" but I haven't seen the original article and all of the mainstream media folks are not printing the word. Hopefully, we can clear that up when Men's Journal comes out today.

Anyway, slang word? Let's contrast this to his publicist attributing his comments to his culture.

"I don't think we should get caught up in his cultural language," Parise said. "I think people will read that for what it is and move on. I don't think anyone truly believes James thinks the commissioner is the devil."

It would be easy to assume that Harrison and Parise are saying that using the word "fag" or "faggot" is part of African-American culture and thus deserves a pass (pun not intended) because it isn't *intended* to be offensive.

First of all, it is demeaning to imply that the African-American culture embraces a hateful word as part of their culture. It isn't slang. It is a derogatory word for gay men (and the entire LGBTQ community by extension). It conveys a message of disrespect, intolerance and even disgust or hate. There's no way to spin these words as "slang" unless you are on the heterosexual, dismissive side of the "joke." And that's an ugly place to be.

Second, I think there is a cultural component and Parise may be on to something. The culture, however, is male dominated professional sports. This is the fourth incident in less than a month (2 football, 1 baseball and 1 hockey) reported by the media. Four incidents in one month suggests there is in fact a cultural acceptance of the word "fag" within this community. Too bad for the LGBTQ players, staff, coaches and, oh yeah, fans, especially the kids.

NBA star Kobe Bryant was fined heavily for saying this word in a heated moment. It was wrong, he should know better and the fine was justified given the negative impact it has on the kids who look up to him. Period.

Harrison has apparently been stewing on his hatred toward Roger Goodell for some time. He knew this interview was coming and he had fair reason to suspect the topic would arise. In other words, he had ample opportunity to prepare his comments. If he got so worked up in an interview that he "slipped," then he needs to deal with these feeelings b/c they are leading him down some bitter paths and hurting innocent people.

If Harrison thinks the words "fag" and "faggot" or even "homo" are slang terms, he is a homophobic bigot. Sadly, he takes the immature approach of pretending that "offending" people isn't his bad b/c he didn't mean to do so. What a poor role model this man is for youth in America. And what a poor reflection on Pittsburgh and the Steeler Nation.

He needs to be educated. If Tracy Morgan could make time to meet with LGBTQ youth and families to make amends for his words, Harrison could take the time to meet with some of the LGBTQ youth of Pittsburgh or some of the Steeler's LGBTQ fans. He could hear firsthand how these words impact our lives. And maybe his heart would grow a few sizes and he'd be a man who can claim not to be a bigot in spite of the culture of his profession.

I'm willing to facilitate this. I'll be waiting for the call.

Oh, James Harrison ... you had to go there ...

Sue — Wed, 13 Jul 2011 12:13:45 -0400

UPDATE: If this angers you, please ask the Pittsburgh Pirates to send a different message to the LGBT community, especially youth, by signing the petition to make a video for the It Gets Better Project. Constructive response to a disgusting situation.

******************************************************************************

So, Steeler's linebacker James Harrison used an anti-gay slur (the Post-Gazette did not print which leads me to assume it was "fag") in his latest rant against NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell in an issue of Men's Journal magazine.

In the article, Harrison uses an anti-gay slur to describe Goodell, and also refers to him as "stupid," "puppet" and "dictator."
If the Steelers had defeated the Packers in the Super Bowl, Harrison said, he would have whispered in Goodell's ear during the trophy ceremony: "Why don't you quit and do something else, like start your own league in flag football?"

The truly sad moment comes when his agent "spins" the comments as cultural commentary.

"A lot of it is bravado," Parise said. "I think people have to be careful not to read that and think those statements are anything more than expressions of feelings, particularly in regard to the commissioner. The commissioner fined James $100,000 last year. What do you want him to say, he's my best friend? James is a tough individual and that's the type of language he uses."
<snip>
"I don't think we should get caught up in his cultural language," Parise said. "I think people will read that for what it is and move on. I don't think anyone truly believes James thinks the commissioner is the devil."

His cultural language? Does he mean the culture of football ...or professional sports? Or famous people? Cause dropping "fag" into a rant is not unfamiliar to individuals in these communities. Or does he mean the African-American culture? Cause I don't really think devil-talk and homophobic bigotry is universal to the African-American community.

Team Harrison needs a sit down with GLAAD to do some spin. A lot of LGBTQ folks are fans of the Steelers, but how often can you turn your head to bad behavior (drunk driving, sexual assault allegations, domestic violence) before you are forced to reassess if the team deserves your loyalty?

From Kobe Bryant to Philly's DeSean Jackson, the homophobic tirades are a serious issue and do real damage. Callingg someone a devil probably isn't going to lead to a 14 year old being bullied in a lockeroom. Or erode the self-esteem of a 15 year old who hasn't told anyone he is attracted to other boys. Or egg on the 16 year old who picks on other kids.

Harrison's conduct is unacceptable on many levels, but the "gay slur" is particularly egregious. His agent spinning this as a "cultural" issue is beyond the pale of racist stupidity. I guess we are supposed to assume Kobe, DeSean and James aren't capable of conducting themselves in a respectful, professional manner under stress because they are African-American? How is that a defense? It is horrible and demeaning to these grown adults who certainly have the capacity for self-control.

Just pathetic all across the board.

Another Update on Pittsburgh Pirates and "It Gets Better Project"

Sue — Thu, 30 Jun 2011 13:53:16 -0400

We surged past 200 signatures on the petition overnight and now hover around 223.

223 Pirates' fans encouraging the Bucs to take a stance against bullying of LGBTQ youth. This is a great way for you to weigh in and urge our hometown team to stand up for youth right here in our communities. I might say it paves the way for other collaborations down the road.

I went ahead and invited the Diversity Initiatives staff to meet with the Gay & Lesbian Community Center to learn more about what is actually happening on the ground for LGBTQ folks every day, not just on Pride Night at PNC Park. I'm also not sure folks realize that there is a lot of sports enthusiasts in our community.

If the Pirates take this stance against anti-LGBTQ bullying, it will be a grant thing for Pittsburgh to be among the first Major League clubs to "step up to the plate" (ha) and embrace the responsibility of being the City of Champions.

Pennsylvania faces many up-hill challenges for our community and our allies. We still don't have anti-discrimination protections, hate crime protections or protections in our schools. We are struggling to get domestic partner benefits for public employees, unionized or not. We have to fight off another battle over a so-called "marriage protection" amendment. It is a very full plate.

I think we should welcome the Pirates to join us there in whatever capacity they can do it. I wonder if they offer domestic partner benefits?

Please promote the petition. http://www.change.org/petitions/ask-the-pittsburgh-pirates-to-make-a-video-for-the-it-gets-better-project

Update on Pirates and It Gets Better

Sue — Wed, 29 Jun 2011 09:34:55 -0400

This little petition story received boosts from the likes of the City Paper and 2 Political Junkies.

From the City Paper:

Judging by the Nutting family's political activity, Kerr's initiative might not seem to have much of a chance. Ogden Nutting, Bob Nutting's father, has contributed nearly $12,000 to conservatives nationwide, like Michele Bachmann and Pat Toomey. Bob Nutting has also donated $1,000 to conservative West Virginia congressman David McKinley.
But team spokesman Jim Trdinich says that participating in the video project is "something we are looking to take part in, [although] the organization is still working on the most effective plan to assist everybody involved."

Yes, this is a bit daunting. I had actually forgotten this tidbit. Hmmm. Still, "something we are looking to take part in" is not an outright "no thank you." I'm not sure what an effective plan might be. The truth is that there are LGBTQ kids sleeping on the streets in Pittsburgh b/c they got booted from their homes, either directly or due to unrelenting pressure about their identities. There are kids being slammed into lockers, stuffed into lockers, kept from their lockers and having their lockers vandalized. The get beaten up, called "fags" and "dykes" and much worse. They are mocked, belittled and persecuted in the way that only other teens can do.

It is not as if a Pirates video will save these kids from future harassment. But it does acknowledge their persecution and remind them that their are adults who are in their corner.

Pittsburgh is very fortunate to have some resources for LGBTQ youth. Dreams of Hope performing group does amazing storytelling about these and other experiences. The Gay & Lesbian Community Center has a thriving Friday night youth might under the leadership of Ben Cook. Persad has an afterschool program. Faith communities embrace queer youth and remind them that they are loved and safe in their youth programming. And street outreach programs try to connect homeless LGBTQ youth with appropriate services. Families Like Ours provides exposure to other LGBTQ families.

Frankly, I'd like to see the Pirates charitable arm funding some of these efforts. I'd like to think the dialogue won't stop at a video.

But, the video might be the entree we need. It is worth a shot. It has gotten us this far. I'm moved that I don't know most of the folks signing the petition. I don't recognize their names. I do appreciate their comments and the fact that the information is apparently making its way around Pittsburgh.

Please, if you haven't done so, sign the petitions. Share the link on FB and Twitter. Be that one name that gets us past 150 signatures and a little closer to 200.

http://www.change.org/petitions/ask-the-pittsburgh-pirates-to-make-a-video-for-the-it-gets-better-project

sdf

Ask the Pittsburgh Pirates to make a video for the "It Gets Better Project"

Sue — Tue, 28 Jun 2011 12:36:57 -0400

Are you familiar with the "It Gets Better Project"

Recently, a series of Major League Baseball teams have contributed videos to the project. The first team was the San Francisco Giants followed by the Cubs, Red Sox and the Mariners. According to the project, other teams are considering signing on.

So I contacted the Pirates Diversity Manager whom I've met and began a dialogue about the project. I recruited some other folks to advocate for our community and teamed up with Equality PA (they are also working with the Phillies).

The time has come for fans to weigh in so we set up a Change.org petition, much like folks did in the home cities of the teams listed above. Please take a moment to follow the link and sign on. Include a message in the comments section if you like. But please remember, we are in encouragement mode.

The Pirates hosted their first "Pride Night at PNC Park" in 2004 so there is precedent for them to work with our community. And I would hope they would appreciate that taking a stance against bullying based on sexual orientation and gender identity is not exactly a controversial LGBTQ rights stance. It is tremendously important issue and the more allies the project gains, the more we can hope to improve the lives of youth in our community.

Here's the link. Please pass it around. http://www.change.org/petitions/ask-the-pittsburgh-pirates-to-make-a-video-for-the-it-gets-better-project

Because Rape is Funny if its GAY ...

Sue — Mon, 19 Apr 2010 08:10:18 -0400

I saw this last week, but it is all over the place now and just thoroughly vulgar and disgusting.

The reputation of the Pittsburgh Steelers likely took another hit today with the news that Steely McBeam, the team's official mascot, has been accused of sexual assault in an incident late last night at a downtown Pittsburgh gay bar.

According to a police report, McBeam was performing in a Village People revue at Steel Rodds Bar. During a brief intermission, he followed another performer into a small bathroom where they were planning to change -- McBeam into the Indian costume, his accuser into the construction worker -- and allegedly forced himself on the man.

"The accuser describes the assailant as 6-foot-4 with a large, cotton-poly blend, stuffed penis," said Pittsburgh police chief David Palambo at a press conference this morning. "He claims McBeam held him down with a Styrofoam, faux-steel bar and assaulted him."

I realize it is intended to be a joke, but it isn't funny. It might be funny if Steely were caught sending stupid text messages like Santonio or making a jackass out of himself like Jeff Reed, but rape? Really? And it has to be in a gay bar because it is FUNNY that the Steelers mascot is gay. Or likes gay sex. Or has a giant styrofoam penis. Funny.

Ha.

Suzie McConnnell-Serio to replace Rene Portland? And what does JoePa think?

Sue — Mon, 26 Mar 2007 09:31:35 -0400

The PG's Bob Smizik takes Penn State to task for allowing Portland to ride roughshod over university standards, policies and common decency.

It's not like the Harris incident was the first against Portland. She had a long and documented history on the subject. As far back as 1986, Portland was quoted making an anti-lesbian statement. In such a comparatively unenlightened era, such behavior might be understandable. But to maintain such an attitude over some 20 years speaks to the ignorance of a closed mind -- something that should not be tolerated among leaders at a major university.

And what does the big mac-Daddy of PSU sports himself have to say about the whole thing (he hired Portland back in the day when he was athletic director)?

"She is doing what she wants to do," said Paterno, who hired Portland in 1980 when he was athletic director. "I hired Rene and have always been fond of Rene. I think she has done a great job. If she wants to get out of it, then that is up to her."

Uh huh. Well, fortunately, he won't be hiring the next coach. Rumor has it that Pittsburgh's own Suzie McConnell-Serio is at the top of the consideration list. Now that would be very romantic, but I'd suggest PSU take a moment to ensure that McConnell-Serio "gets" it on LGBTQ issues. She's on the record as stating that sexual orientation is a "personal choice" and that she'll respect personal choices. Not exactly a ringing endorsement for affirming lesbian players, but a far cry from the Portland-menace approach. If McConnell-Serio can keep her attention on the game and the players' behavior related to the game, more power to her.

But wouldn't it be cool if Penn State hired an openly lesbian coach?

Penn State's Rene Portland Resigns

Sue — Thu, 22 Mar 2007 13:55:03 -0400

Here's a tidbit of good gay-tidings!

STATE COLLEGE, Pa. -- Penn State women's basketball coach Rene Portland resigned today, ending a 27-year tenure in which she won 606 games but battled allegations that she discriminated against lesbian players.
Portland resigned last night, the university said in a statement this morning.

Hurrah! Hurrah! More later ....

dsf

The Trib - Joey Porter's slurs offensive to some

Sue — Fri, 02 Mar 2007 20:56:29 -0500

Imagine if Joey Porter mated with Ann Coulter ... they could spit out homobigot puppies left and right, well mostly just right.

I just had to chime in on this. The Tribune Review printed a list of Joey's highs and lows during his Steeler tenure. I won't recant all the amazing athletic feats he accomplished -- bully for him for doing the job he was amply compensated to do. But here's how Scott Brown sums up Porter's homophobia:

The outspoken Porter made comments that some said were offensive last December, when he called Cleveland Browns tight end Kellen Winslow Jr. a derogatory name for a homosexual man during a post-game interview. Porter apologized for the word he used, though not to Winslow, and was fined $10,000 by the NFL.

WTF? Outspoken? Some said were offensive? In what reality is calling Kellen Winslow Jr. a fag not offensive? He was trash talking so everything he said was intended to be offensive.

Brown was more outraged by Porter's horse-murdering dogs than his blatant bigotry. Nice, huh?

Now if I could just connect this to police secondary employment, the mayoral endorsement or Dennis Regan ...

Buh Buh Joey Porter: Gay Bashing Steeler Cut Loose to Free Agency

Sue — Thu, 01 Mar 2007 21:42:41 -0500

Sometimes greed can be a dyke's best friend. In this case, it means Joey Porter will take his trash-talking bigotry and hit the road for greener pastures. I don't care if he made 879 tackles last year and was Most Valuable Stud three years running or even if he did single-handedly hold back the entire Steeler team so Jerome Bettis could have his moment in the sun ... I don't even care that his team mug shot is plastered all over the city on the anti-homicide billboards urging people to report murders.

I think we're better off without him and his arrogant disrespect for any creature other than himself. We are not fans of Joey Porter.

This lesbian couldn't be happier.

h/t Pitt Girl

The Trib Weighs in on Gay Sheep and Tim Hardaway

Sue — Sun, 25 Feb 2007 07:30:43 -0500

Local opinion seems to be that our own con-alternative paper, the Tribune Review, is pretty anti-gay. The fact, however, is that most of their gay coverage has been consistent with mainstream thought on gays -- we aren't so bad after all, its not such a big deal, don't we have better things to worry about (usually the libertarian columnists), and an abhorence of violence against gays. Its a benign quasi-tolerance that keeps us fimly in our second-class seats, but protects us (mostly) from being bashed by pipe wielding maniacs. They may not want their sons to be gay, but it would be okay if their daughters have a quirky gay confidante. Who could ask for anything more than that? (I'm being ironic here b/c a 72 year old harmless man was killed by a pipe wielding maniac in spite of the fuzzy Will and Gracism pervading pop culture).

Two Trib columnists have tackled gay stories of late. In an interesting display of better late than never, Matt Sober weighs in on the Tim Hardaway furor. Sober went to Penn State with John Amaechi, the former NBA player who recently came out. Sober recalls Amaechi as a very bright guy who probably appreciates the tough conversations his coming out have inspired throughout the sports world. Then Sober takes an interesting twist:

And the lesson here is that declaring you hate gay people is just as silly as, well, declaring you love gay people.
Either way, the implication is that it's possible to know an individual based on some larger group identification.
Gay. Black. Immigrant.
Pitt grad.

Saying you hate gay people is silly -- that's the teachable moment Sober draws from all this? Huh. Declaring you love gay people is silly? Its unfortunate that Sober opted for a jab at Pitt fans in lieu of actually saying something meaningful about the pervasion of homophobia in the sports world. Its great that he's a fan of John Amaechi, but he trips right over his blase attitude into the treacherous world of "let's pretend there are no difference and see everyone as the same."

Columnist Tom Purcell uses gay sheep experimentation to underscore the collapse of civilization. Not because of gay sheep, but because of America's obsession with gay sheep and Anna Nicole Smith. Some researchers were exploring the sexuality of sheep. Hue and cry ensued about the ethics of such research, bringing the attention of such entities as PETA and Martina Navritalova. Purcell takes the obligatory "nutty advocacy group" shot at PETA, dismisses any possibility that genetic research on sexual orientation could possibly be used against gays and then wraps up his analysis with this overreaching comparison:

Evil dictators are stifling freedom and torturing millions. Ethnic hatred and genocide are killing millions. Pestilence and disease are killing millions more. But we're more attuned to things that don't matter, such as "American Idol."
And we're at war. Western civilization is in a battle of wills with fanatics who hope to restore 6th century values. They intend to get their hands on some frighteningly powerful bombs to make us bend to that will.

I'm sorry, Tom, but in a nation that has collectively handed over our welfare to a despotic idiot, I'm feeling pretty good when groups like PETA bring our attention to potential landmines. Especially when I look at your previous columns which don't seem to focus on evil dictators, torture or genocide. But they do feature a lot of italicized words and exclamation points. Its practically the same thing.

So more gay-benign pablum from the Tribune-Review.

How Long Until Hardaway Ends Up In Rehab?

Sue — Tue, 20 Feb 2007 16:40:31 -0500

"I don't hate gay people," [Tim] Hardaway said. "I'm a goodhearted person. I interact with people all the time. ... I respect people. For me to say 'hate' was a bad word, and I didn't mean to use it."

That's apology-take two. He didn't mean to hate on us. And he's surprised at the reaction --- as if he had killed somebody. He even lost an endorsement.

How much you willing to wager that he ends up in "rehab" like Isaiah Washington, Mel Gibson and Michael Richards?

PG Editors: Hardaway 'Profoundly Ignorant Millionaire Athlete'

Sue — Mon, 19 Feb 2007 07:05:43 -0500

The PG editors chime in on Tim Hardaway's banishment from the NBA All-Star weekend in response to his "I hate gay people" comments.

Former Orlando Heat basketball star Tim Hardaway showed just how profoundly ignorant a millionaire athlete can be and still tie his own shoes in the morning.

That's a great line.

"I hate gay people" comment giving homophobes a black eye

Sue — Sat, 17 Feb 2007 17:33:22 -0500

This is just too delicious. The Concerned Women for America are taking former NBA player Tim Harding to task for his recent homophobic rant. The CWA fears that Harding's blatant bigotry will taint the anti-gay movement. Or something like that. Just check this out:

"Hardaway’s comments are both unfortunate and inappropriate,” said Matt Barber, CWA’s Policy Director for Cultural Issues. “They provide political fodder for those who wish to paint all opposition to the homosexual lifestyle as being rooted in ‘hate.’ It’s important to note that Hardaway’s words represent the feelings of Hardaway. His words do not represent the feelings of the vast majority of people opposed to the homosexual agenda.

“It’s perfectly natural for people to be repelled by disordered sexual behaviors that are both unnatural, and immoral,” said Barber. “All too often those behaviors are accompanied by serious physical, emotional, and spiritual pitfalls. However, the appropriate reaction is to respond with words and acts of love, not words of hate. Jesus Christ offers forgiveness and freedom for all sinners, and that is the heart of the Gospel message.

“Thousands of former homosexuals have been freed from the homosexual lifestyle through acts of love. Hardaway’s comments only serve to foment misperceptions of widespread homosexual ‘victimhood’ which the homosexual lobby has craftily manufactured.”

I can't make this shit up.

This is the kind of Christian-flavored bigotry that makes me puke. As I was trying to explain to H's Mom in an earlier post, hate is a slippery slope. H's Mom and her fear of lesbian-association for her daughter might seem a far cry from "I hate gay people," but if you interject the intermediary step described above ... its not so crazy a leap is it?

PG Letter to the Editor on Rene Portland

Sue — Fri, 16 Feb 2007 07:44:11 -0500

From today's Sports Mailbag, Harriet L. Schwartz of Squirrel Hill:

Penn State coach Rene Portland is an adult working on a college campus who has created a hostile and intimidating environment for students. As a university educator, she has harassed students, and continues to get away with it. As a longtime educator, I cannot comprehend that a university administration would allow this to continue.

Well put, Harriet.

PG Sports Guy Jerry Micco Represents Well on Gay Issues

Sue — Fri, 16 Feb 2007 07:40:22 -0500

There is nothing earthshattering in the Valentine's Day PG chat transcript featuring Jerry Micco. He simply makes a few comments about Penn State retaining Rene Portland as their women's basketball coach and former NBA player John Amaechi's coming out. What's interesting is the opportunity for the rest of us to note that while there is a long way to go, the sports world is not entirely filled with homophobic bigots.

Sometimes we need to stop and pay attention to these moments, particularly when most of the attention is focused on the stupidity of bigots like former NBA star Tim Hardaway who has recently claimed that he hates gay people. Duly noted Tim. Thanks for laying your ignorance right out there on the line and getting yourself banished from the NBA All-Star Weekend. Now if the NBA were to put a little more attention on the bigots who aren't so brazen ...

Back to Micco. Here's his perspective on Amaechi:

dt: What are your thoughts on Jon Amechi coming out of the closet?
Jerry Micco: Combination of courage and the fact that he wants to sell some books. He wasn't a superstar by any stretch, so the book on its merits doesn't garner much interest until Amaechi says publicly he's gay. Then it's covered heavily by all media. That said, I hope the day comes soon when people don't have to hide this type of thing. I know it's probably not going to happen, but you'd like to think people are tolerant enough to accept folks as they are and judge them on how they treat others and how they do their job on the court, field, etc.

The snark about selling books is most likely not unwarranted. But consider the two standards he lays out ... how they treat others and how they do their job on the court. How they treat others comes first. Consider the implications for Pittsburgh's homegrown football thug Joey Porter who recently used gay slurs. How is that for treatin' people? In fact, here's an entire list of anti-gay slurs made by professional athletes. I'm sure quite a few have good Christian mamas who make them chunky soup every weekend, but they don't treat people so good do they?

Micco also express incredulity over Penn State's retention of Rene Portland:

Ralph: Why does Rene Portland still have a job at Penn State?
Jerry Micco: I'm not sure, Ralph. I really can't answer that question because it mystifies me, too. And it's not like there aren't likely candidates out there that would be great for that job (read: Suzie McConnell Serio), so PSU would not have a tough time filling the post. I'm stunned with all that's surrounded Portland that the University just doesn't cut its ties. Again, rather mystifying to me.

There may be great replacements, but Portland is still a winner. So why toss her out just for being a homophobe and violating University policy when you can't guarantee a winning replacement? Its not like Portland offended the base or anything.

FYI, Suzie McConnell Serio is not exactly rah-rah lesbian material herself. She's on the record as defining sexual orientation as a "choice" but acknowledging that her player's personal lives are personal.

I suppose that's progress. It will be nice when more heterosexuals can lay off the uneasy little jabs when discussing homosexuality -- we get that you aren't gay and we certainly get that you aren't comfortable discussing it. Let's play ball.

First Openly Gay NBA Player On Tour for Human Rights Campaign, Not Coming to Pittsburgh

Sue — Mon, 12 Feb 2007 19:38:02 -0500

John Amaechi, once a star player for the Orlando Magic, is the first NBA player to ever publicly come out as a gay man. Now retired from basketball, Amaechi's unique story is detailed in his autobiography, Man in the Middle just released by ESPN Books.

Now, Amaechi is an official spokesperson for the Human Rights Campaign's Coming Out Project, a program designed to help gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender people come out and live openly.

Amaechi is launching a nationwide tour to share his story and encourage conversation about gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender equality.

**********************************************************

Kudos to John who, sadly, will not be bringing his tour to Pittsburgh. He will be in Philly on March 10. Other stops include DC, Atlanta, Dallas and New York.

Huh.

I think a few appearances in Ohio, Nebraska, Missouri and North Dakota might reach people who are alienated a bit more than say in DC which has a thriving gay community. But that's just me. We have no basketball team here so I guess we're off the radar. However, that also means we are off the hook for providing yet another new sports venue so perhaps its a wash.

Gene Collier on gays in sports

Sue — Sun, 11 Feb 2007 16:57:34 -0500

In today's Post-Gazette, the inimitable Gene Collier takes a shot at figuring at the implication of Penn State's homoconnection to basketball. Actually, he contrasts the settlement of Jennifer Harris' lawsuit citing PSU coach Rene Portland's homobigotry with the coming out of former PSU bball player John Amaechi.

Let me summarize - the fact that Amaechi is a gay basketball player should not be a bigger story than the fact the Rene Portland won't let lesbian basketball players on her team.

"There's this huge assumption that all women athletes are lesbian, while the exact opposite is true of men -- that, if you're an athlete, you couldn't possibly be gay," Heather Barber was saying on the phone yesterday from the University of New Hampshire. "The assumptions are dramatically different, but the way they play out may not be."

Heather studies these things. That's good to know because I cannot begin to fathom the impact of homophobia in the athletic realm.

So Jennifer Harris settled and got her little lump settlement. Rene got a slap on the hand.

What have the rest of us gained from this sordid little situation?

PG Reader: Tony Norman Right About Minority Homophobia

Sue — Thu, 01 Feb 2007 10:51:12 -0500

Ray McGogney of Shaler on homophobia in minority communities:

One can spout anti-gay epithets with impunity and cloak the bigotry in religious and moral overtones.

<snip>

Unfortunately, too few leaders are willing to risk offending their ethnic or religious base by taking a stand against homophobia.

Ray writes in response to Tony Norman's recent column on the furor around an African-American actor's usage of the term "faggot" to describe a fellow (gay) actor. You may have heard something about it.

A perfect example is Superbowl bound coach of the Indianapolis Colts, Tony Dungy, who is accepting honors from anti-gay Indiana Family Institute. This is the local affiliate of big Daddy Jimmy Dobson and his merry band of Focus on the Family bigots. This group makes no bones about their opposition to homosexuality, period. We are diseased beings who need to be cured and kept away from the children.

There's no discernible homophobic reason for Dungy to ally himself with this organization, according to OutSports. Dugy isn't on the record as being openly anti-gay, but he is very clear about being a Biblically based Christian.

"Whenever I'm asked to talk about it I make sure people understand my affiliation as a Christian, that I follow Christ and Christ's teachings according to the Bible," Dungy said in 2002.

Uh oh. Those are ominous words for us homos.

We can infer all we want, but my real point is that Dungy is using his good name to raise money for a group that wants to strip homosexuals of our civil rights in the name of religion.

Here's the take from an Indiana LGBT blogger, Bilerico:

But Tony's prominent appearance before this group, as a representative of a major sports institution in Indianapolis, sends a chilling message. All of us shared the grief that Tony and his family experienced a year ago when his son took his own life. I understand that stories about a connection to sexual orientation were unfounded, and I would defend Tony's right to consider that a private matter. Still, there is an irony many of us in the LGBT community know well: The number of LGBT youth who have taken their lives because of self-hatred and homophobia is much above the national average. Organizations of the IFI variety cannot escape the fruits of their helping to foster the myths and resulting bigotry which contribute to those grim statistics. Surely Tony doesn't in any way support that; so why is he lending his celebrity and role model status to such a group?

Point well made. It doesn't look good so I'll be cheering for Chicago.

Anti-Rene Portland sentiment flares in Michigan

Sue — Mon, 15 Jan 2007 10:30:08 -0500

According to an online edition of Michigan's LGBTQ newsletter, a group of 300+ straight and gay women wore lavender shirts to the recent University of Michigan/Penn State women's basketball game.

Sunday's protest served as a triumphant moment for gay folks, especially considering the massive turnout. It showed that there are people in the state of Michigan (and nationwide) who will not stand for discrimination. The best part: Some of these people aren't even gay. They're just on our side. Now that, that's a victory.

Personally, I think the writer is hyperinflating the magnitude of the protest. Penn State won't step up to the plate to handle Portland until 1) Jennifer Harris' case settles very unfavorably, 2) Portland overtly discriminates again or 3) Portland begins to lose. Given that she just netted her 600th win, those prospects don't look too good.

Nonetheless, its good that the issue hasn't been lost amidst a million other concerns. Portland is an arrogant nasty bigot. But the greater shame rests on Penn State for allowing her to get away with it.

PG Editors: NFL right to fine Joey Porter

Sue — Mon, 18 Dec 2006 22:01:44 -0500

The PG editors got it right on this one:

WHO SAID TALK is cheap? Probably not Steelers linebacker Joey Porter. On Thursday, the National Football League fined him $10,000 for calling a Cleveland Browns player a derogatory term associated with gay men. (Earlier in the season, he was fined $15,000 for other comments made to an official in a game at Atlanta). To his credit, the Steelers player apologized for the anti-gay remark to anyone who was offended -- anyone, that is, except the target of his wrath, Kellen Winslow. Unfortunately, that is part of the problem -- an insult draws from a common pool of prejudice and a player can't throw it at one person without splattering the larger group. Not too long ago, anti-gay slurs were part of the common language of men's sports, but then so were racist remarks. The NFL is right not to tolerate hate-filled words of any sort.

Interesting aside ...Leo Patterson of Derry took the time to write in to the Trib and share his belief that the media has made a mountain out of a molehill on this issue.

Enough is enough. No one in this country has a right to not be offended. Winslow got over it. Any other "victims" can tell Oprah how Joey's comment impacted their already pathetic lives.

He couldn't just leave it at "get over it" could he? He just couldn't resist the little underhanded "you pathetic loser" slam! This is Joey Porter's fan base.

Joey Porter blames media for Fag Slur upset (and $10,000 fine)

Sue — Sat, 16 Dec 2006 08:16:16 -0500

Joey Porter thinks he's being treated too harshly for describing Cleveland Browns tight end Kellen Winslow as a "fag" following a recent game. Apparently, Porter grew up in the neighborhood where men don't take responsibility for their actions, but point their fingers and petulantly stomp their feet when they are called on the carpet for misbehavior. Here's Joey from Friday's Post-Gazette:

"I just don't understand how you can get a DUI or fail a drug test and nothing happens," Porter said. "You say something, you get fined. That just don't make any sense.
"You'd think if you get a DUI or something, you should get fined. If you fail a drug test, you should get fined. But for saying a word, you get fined. That's kind of backward to me."

While it is an interesting point, I doubt Joey is leading the charge against drug and alcohol abuse in the NFL. He's just deflecting attention and trying to minimize the seriousness of his offense.

Joey also thinks its the media's fault.

"There was enough publicity about it," Porter said. "Y'all keep talking about it. Y'all going to make them do something. If y'all wouldn't have just kept talking about it, [the fine] wouldn't have happened. Y'all need a story so you keep talking about it. So they say, all right, let's fine him then because everybody seems to be upset about it."

Earlier in the week, he blames his childhood b/c "everybody used that word." Today its the media. How much longer til he actually blames the gay community? Note how he thinks his fans are simple sheep without the capacity to recognize a slanderous comment when they hear one.

But in one sense, the fans are to blame. Whether Hollywood or professional sports, we create these meglomaniacal bastards to keep us entertained and amused vis a vis the cult of celebrity. Pay someone $14 kajillion for anything and it goes without saying that you've created hubris beyond all proportions of decency. I'm sure that short of actually murdering someone - perhaps a child - in cold blood, these is little Joey Porter could do that would cause his fans to turn on him OR force him to grow up and act like a man instead of a spoiled little child.

Except lose football games.

Joey Porter Blames Fag Comment on his Childhood

Sue — Wed, 13 Dec 2006 21:38:05 -0500

Joey Porter's non-apology:

I would just like to say it was a poor choice of words in the comment I made toward Winslow," Porter said. "If I offended anybody, I apologize for that."

I guess how we used that word freely, me growing up using it, I didn't think nothing of it like that," Porter said. "Like I said, I apologize to anybody I offended on it.

Translation - it doesn't really matter if we offend homos but let's cover our asses with some lame quasi-apology.

Note how Porter uses this as yet another opportunity to demonstrate his bad ass poseur street cred as demonstrated by intionally poor grammar and a complete failure to take responsibility for his actions. Sort of like Santonio Holmes and domestic violence. Minus the bruises.

PG sports columnist Ron Cook calls this particular Porterism the "worst of all" of his "macho, most-feared-man nonsense." He also points out the obvious.

Porter has made millions from the Steelers and the NFL. He, like any player, coach, team official or league official, has to realize who makes all that jack possible. People from every race, religion, ethnic background and sexual orientation buy NFL tickets and merchandise. It's pretty stupid to use a derogatory term that's insulting to any group.

Bingo, Ron. Trouble is the Steelers seems to care less about the money spent by domestic violence victims and the gay community.

Joey Porter Calls Cleveland Tight End a "Fag"

Sue — Fri, 08 Dec 2006 18:56:20 -0500

Hmmmm. Thursday night the Steelers beat Cleveland in what turned out to be a good game (for us in Pittsburgh) played in frigid temperatures. That wasn't good enough for hallowed Steeler linebacker Joey Porter. Porter took umbrage with a late hit by Cleveland's Kellen Winslow on a Steeler player.

Here's the quote from the Tribune-Review minus the f-word:

"It was late, that's what (slur) do," Porter said. "He's soft. He wants to be tough but he's really soft."

Nice. Fags hit late. Who knew?

I caught this story on KDKA tonight (not up on the website yet). Interesting how most people thought it was unsportsmanlike and "inappropriate" language. No one was saying that about Michael Richards were they? If a white player used a racial slur in the same situation, he'd be crucified. One guy said he didn't mind it all. At least he's honest.

Outsports has this comment:

Expect a public apology from Porter to "anyone who was offended" by this afternoon.

That about sums it up. We aren't exactly the city of taking responsibility are we?

Its Official: Lesbians Love the Steelers

Sue — Mon, 18 Sep 2006 19:23:37 -0400

From Blog'N Gold comes this word about Steelers fans ...

"Everybody in Pittsburgh loves the Steelers. Not likes, not follows, but loves. And I don't mean Everybody but, it is everybody, the old ladies, the lesbians, the gay men ... college professors, annoying hipsters (not ironic), feminists. Everybody in that city loves the Steelers."

What about the bisexuals? Do they have no strong football preferences?

I can say this about Steeler love amongst the lesbians and bisexual women - a few years ago, I organized an adult toy party open to any local interested LGBTQ woman. It ended up being a Steeler playoff night. So even though we packed the GLCC with toy curious women, many others cancelled in favor of their Steelers. I had multiple calls from women who were actually angry with me for making them choose. As if I could predict the playoffs!

I have to admit my Steeler-mania has been colored by a year's residence on the Northside. There's something very ardor-quenching when you confront the members of the Steeler Nation face to face in all their rude, boorish behavior. Now I rather enjoy watching the local vandals break into the cars. Its sort of poetic justice for being too cheap to pay for parking and clogging up my neighborhood. One particular asshole chained his grill to the fence in the field behind our house and left it there all season. Its not your private villa dude!

I'm also hopeful feminists rethink the whole Steeler bit given their f*cked up decision to sign avowed thug Santonio Holmes. That decision undid lots of hard work by feminists and women everywhere on domestic violence initiatives. But no further word on that b/c the trial has been postponed until after the season. And Steeler lovin' women everywhere will find a reason to justify it ....

If you are toy curious, go to Girls Night In for more information on how to organize your own toy party.

Santonio Holmes aka Mike Tyson is a Abusive Thug Who Should Rot In Jail

Sue — Sat, 08 Jul 2006 00:02:35 -0400

A quote from Santonio Holmes' attorney in a late-night PG article is so f*cking outrageous that I had to post. I need to sleep, but this seems more pressing for all you late night blog readers ...

As you know, Santonio faces domestic violence charges stemming from a June 19 incident in which the mother of his daughter called 911 to report physical abuse.

Guess what? She's refusing to testify which is not uncommon for domestic violence victims. It doesn't make her a bad woman or complicit in her abuse. It makes her a human being who is probably under terrible duress from all the media scrutiny and high power muckety mucks who need their meal ticket to walk away from this little situation.

Here's what got my goat ... a quote from Holmes' attorney Sam Shemansky:

"As DV cases go, this is not World War III," he said. "This is not a woman with her eye blackened shut. It's nothing like that. It's polar opposite from that. My hope is that after we've fulfilled obligations on our part, that the government will be willing to follow the wishes of the alleged victim and dismiss the matter in its entirety."

Excuse me? The polar opposite of a woman having her eyes blackened shut would be a woman in a healthy respectful relationship with a partner who doesn't abuse her. NOT SOMEONE WHO ABUSES HER A LITTLE BIT ....

This is so NOT the polar opposite. Not someone who has been arrested twice in the past 3 months. Not someone who got a traffic citation after damaging another person's car and only made restitution when facing a warrant. Not someone who sets the stellar example of fathering three children in multiple states with different women all at the ripe age of 22.

Santonio Holmes is a thug. Pure and simple. He's a thug with talent sort of like Mike Tyson. And if he gets rewarded for playing mister fucking contrite, he'll end up Mike Tyson. Too bad all the poor women he batters along the way won't have the consolation of a multi-million dollar contract.

If the Steelers sign him, shame on them. And a pox upon their 2006 record.

Happy Birthday Title IX - What's Happening in Pennsylvania?

Sue — Tue, 27 Jun 2006 09:55:01 -0400

From the cool chicks at Feministe (including the title which is just perfect) ....

* Women don't really understand Title IX or the variety of ways in which impacts education (not just sports and athletics)

* It is under continuous attack b/c we obviously discriminating against boys

* It hasn't been enforced effectively

* The current administration wants to deep-six it. Surprise, surprise.

The uber-cool Women's Law Project hosted a Title IX seminar a few years ago which your Correspondents attended. It was fascinating for moi as someone who did not really understand it, especially the aspects of gender discrimination underlying anti-bullying programs.

Here's a few tidbits from the WLP website on Title IX things you should know about here in Pennsylvania:

Slippery Rock University - The lawsuit was brought on behalf of twelve student athletes and a coach against Slippery Rock University (SRU). The lawsuit, filed three months after SRU announced it was going to cut three women's varsity sports, claims that SRU provides neither equitable athletic opportunities for its female students nor equitable treatment of female student athletes.

Report - Gender Equity in Intercollegiate Athletics: Where Does Pennsylvania Stand?

Back in the 80's, I decided to join the track team. The women's team had historically been just a goof off team -- they literally had been doing each other's nails at practice. Then the school decided to put the entire track program under one coach, Mr. Shar. That was my first year. We had the same resources, the same commitment, the same expectations. Only three women lettered, including yours truly and I got it b/c I was the only woman on the entire team who showed up for every practice and every event even though I only scored one point the entire season.

My point, aside from bragging about my glory days - ahem, is that a lot of people criticized the rest of the women's team for being uncommitted, undisciplined, lazy girls who preferred to do nails than develop their talents and skills. No one EVER said a word about all those years that these talented women had been shunted off to the side with a do nothing coach, no support, no equipment, nothing. It was like being set up for failure -- they give us the resources and a few of us succeed which proves that the rest of the girls weren't worth the resource invesment. What a load of crap. In fact, I think the fact that I excelled is due to having the best resources from the get go and not having to undo years of second class citizenship.

We've got a long way to go baby.

McIntire Does Mary Cheney - The Interview Live

Sue — Mon, 12 Jun 2006 19:13:55 -0400

7:01 PM ------- Live tonight on KDKA, John McIntire talks with Mary Cheney for the lesbian perspective on the Ben Roethlisberger situation .... tune into 1020 AM ....

7:15 PM -------- Mary Cheney's book has sold less than 6,000 copies since its May debut according to OnePageQ.

7:16 PM -------- Marriage amendment "its a bad idea, how about that?" says Mary.

7:17 PM -------- She sounds like she's chewing on a duck. She came "darn close to quitting." She was troubled working for George Bush, but she stayed for Daddy. He thinks discrimination should be left to the states. She also stayed b/c terrorists will hurt our country so she didn't have the luxury to be concerned about same sex marriage.

7:20 PM --------

7:23 PM -- ----- President Bush has at least tried to have a civil discussion around this.

7:25 PM --------- President Bush wakes up every morning thinking "what am I going to do to keep this country safe?" Just like her Dad.

7:27 PM --------- "People can look at it that way and its a valid opinion. People can look at it another way and its a valid opinion." WTF?

7:29 PM ---------- John tosses gay rights softballs to Mary Cheney. She is possibly the most boring controversial guest he's ever had on the air.

7:29 PM ---------- The Western state of mind. People treat people as individuals. Even gays. Or poor people. Maybe even poor black gay people.

7:30 PM ---------- KDKA is going to my hometown West Mifflin this week. Our former police chief faces more than 19 counts of drug charges. Its a great town.

7:32 PM ---------- Mary's partner Heather is a nice person who doesn't bitch slap people. She's supportive blah, blah, blah.

7:34 PM ---------- Parents come to her book signings and her book helps them deal with having a gay child. Or they are happy that she says nice things about her parents. Because people don't do that these days.

7:35 PM ---------- We have purposeful and decisive leadership in Iraq. They've held 3 elections. A cabinet has been named. We got the big one. But there are still a few insurgents. John: "and 100,000 innocent civilians are dead." Mary: "give me a name to verify that."

7:40 PM ------I try to call and the phone rings incesssantly.

7:41 PM ------ A woman calls her on working for the Coors family and reaching out to gays for a conservative company. Mary takes credit for making the entire Fortune 500 gay friendly.

7:43 PM ------- NOW ITS MY TURN! Mary is making a difference by being open about who she is. Iraqi gays have more important thiings to worry about than being gay. Then I got cut off. Oh well ....

7:45 PM ------- I should have listened to my gut and watched the rerun of Friends and Seinfeld. Or cleaned the cat litter. I can't believe I got suckered into calling. Note: I allowed myself to get suckered -- I was not the sucking victim of any one particular person.

7:47 PM ------- Her goal was to write a book that she could be proud of and sell a few copies. Pittsburgh is not on the book signing list.

*************************************

Overall, this was not very exciting. She had nothing noteworthy to say about gay issues. She did show some spunk defending the Iraq war, but has this weird delusion that the President wakes up every day thinking how to keep America safe. I think Paris Hilton has more insight into the life of the typical American homo than Mary Cheney. Ah well ... kudos to John for putting her on the air.

Rene Portland Lawsuit Expands After Coach Denigrates Player

Sue — Thu, 01 Jun 2006 21:35:00 -0400

From 365gay comes the tidbit that lawyers for Jennifer Harris, the former player suing Penn State coach Rene Portland for harassment and discrimination, have expanded the scope of the lawsuit. This move comes after Portland made public statements degrading Harris and dismissing her athletic accomplishments.

“We're not saying Rene does not have a right to defend herself. Of course she does,” said Harris' attorney, Karen Doering, of the National Center for Lesbian Rights. “But the law does not permit her to make defamatory statements, which is what she has done by claiming that Jennifer was unable to make contributions to the team.”

The Tribune Review reports that the NCLR has also filed a formal complaint with Penn State's Affirmative Action Office.

"Graham Spanier is the one who said, if she is found to have violated the discrimination policy again, and this is defamation as opposed to harassment, she would be in violation of the school's policy," Doering said. "So, we will see if he does anything."

Of course he won't do anything. He didn't really mean he would fire the winningest women's coach ever at PSU. He meant that he would slap her on the other wrist after checking to make sure she didn't violate the real discrimination policy (aka other minority protected classes).

If Portland were to be fired, she could probably have a nice second career as a housemother for the Duke Lacrosse team.