Portions of Ticket Sales benefit   The Gay & Lesbian Community Center of Pittsburgh

  Was a former Giants lineman denied access to the Super Bowl media center, game and parties because he is gay and HIV positive?

The NFL says his sexual orientation and health status have nothing to do with it.  Uh huh.  

Simmons, who played for the Giants from 1979-81 and Redskins in 1983, disclosed that he is gay in 1992. He was the first former NFL player to come out as HIV positive 10 years later. He now works as a supervisor at a halfway house in Long Island.

Big Gay Picture has a little update on anti-Rene Portland protests at Penn State women's basketball games ...

Here's a quote from Rene Portland that sums up the entire situation (and she is oblivious to the irony)

Does anyone remember who brough up the whole "no lesbians" policy?  Hmmm ....

Here'a a great photo from the protest ...

OK, disregard the trite football phrasology..

From our friends at Steel-City Stonewall Democrats, here's the skinny from social conservative Lynn Swann on gay marriage ...

Drum roll ... while marriage is between a man and a woman, he does think private contracts should take care of us queers.   With no governmental protections. 

Now for my personal diatribe ... here's why Lynn Swann sucks.  Not only is he an elitist jerk, but he shows up at the Super Bowl MVP gig to promote hs campaign.  Now Franco Harris shows up to support the Steelers.  Pulls out a Terrible Towel!  That's classy.

Swann's showboating was almost as pathetic as Terry Bradshaw staying home to pout b/c they wouldn't pay him to show up. At least Bradshaw's buffonery is limited to those who pay money to see his movies and fail to click away during his commercials.  Lynn Swann might actually do some real damage to people who don't matter in his realm. 

In an expected (but pathetic) twist to the Penn State Lesbian Discrimination case, lawyers for anti-lesbian coach Rene Portland and the University argued that the non-discrimination policy was a non-binding contract.

You expect this from Portland who obviously didn't bind herself by the policy.  Plus, she's also claiming that former player (and plaintiff) Jennifer Harris was NOT dismissed based on her sexual orientation.  Just in case that doesn't wash, Portland has a backup plan to say it wouldn't matter anyway.  Yuck.

But it was the University's policy.  Why have a policy that you have no commitment to honor?  Unless you just want to appear cooperative and homo-friendly until it begins to actually cost money.  Hmmm....

Penn State sucks.  I am officially putting away the PSU baseball hat my honey brought me last fall. 

Go CCAC!

In another stunning display of how desperate Pittsburgh media outlets are for any Steeler oriented story, the Post-Gazette's very own fashion editor LaMont Jones evaluates the "manliness" of the Steelers' gold pants.

Apparently, the Steeler Nation is aghast at the thought that our hometown heros could be perceived as "girly men" in gold.  Their alternative? 

Yes, LaMont, because a bit of pizzazz will definitely quell any suspicions about their manliness. 

Dispelling any questions over his own manliness, LaMont goes on to wonder if black pants would make the Steelers look top heavy and voice his concern about the waddle-factor of the current bunchy gold material.

But the best of all is the last sentence ..

Yes, that does it for me. 

Sue

I found this little tidbit while idly surfing the net (and not watching the State of the Union address) on Women's Hoops Blog 

It would seem that our revered football coach has been a longtime defender of Portland's hate-policies. 

Rene Portland, coach of the PSU Lady Lions basketball team, is coming under increasing fire for her "no lesbians" policy.  This from Minnesota, site of weekend anti-Rene protests ....

NCLR lawyer Karen Doering calls Portland's discriminatory policy -- "No drinking, no drugs, no lesbians," the lawsuit terms it -- the "worst-kept secret" in NCAA athletics. She said about 20 former Penn State players or athletic department employees from three different decades have told the lesbian-rights advocacy group about experiences similar to those of Harris and Davies.

Students, former and current, are showing up at the games to protest Portland's pattern of discrimination. 

20 corroborating stories seems like quite a few.  Catch what the Big Gay Picture has to say about it.

My call?  Portland will retire between now and the beginning of next season.

My partner and PSU alum?  They won't touch her b/c she wins games.  Slap on the wrist. 

The only person who really benefits from all this hoopla is Joe Paterno.  His stupid comment, in light of an allegation that a college player raped a woman, about football players being unable to resist 'cute little girls' who knock on their doors was completely unacceptable.  But he'll just slide back under the radar. 

Sigh.

Penn State Women's Basketball Coach Rene Portland is seeking to have a lawsuit alleging "lesbian baiting' dismissed.  Go here for the story at 365gay.com

Here's what The Big Gay Picture has to say about the attempt of PSU to wiggle their way away from Portland ...

[T]hat didn't stop the school from publicly supporting her for the last several decades, despite receiving so many complaints about her that they actually had to pass a university policy banning sexual orientation discrimination in the 90s, and require all coaches to attend homophobia training. All because of Portland. (Read this overview on Women's Hoops blog for more info.)

There are A LOT of Penn State alumni here in Pittsburgh, including my lovely partner.  Most knew about Portland's "no lesbians" policy throughout her tenure. 

What a crock that Penn State is distancing themselves from her now ... what about the past 20 years?  And all the women who played ball for this homo-hater?  Or all the women who didn't because of her delusional policies? 

Maybe Rene is a sorority sister of Melissa Hart and Mary Cheney?

Sue