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LGBT issues in sports 101

College curricula starting to include gay athletic topics

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Sports Issue, Washington Blade, gay news
Team DC, Cleveland Gay Games, gay news, Washington Blade

International competitions such as the International Gay Games have helped raise the visibility of LGBT issues in sport, leading some colleges and universities to address related issues in curricula. (Washington Blade photo by Michael Key)

A lot has changed in the realm of sports in terms of LGBT athletes and the role sports have in international LGBT politics. The call for a boycott of the Sochi Olympics in light of recent Russian laws making illegal any kind of ā€œpublicā€ declaration of oneā€™s sexuality is a perfect example of the important discussions about international human rights happening around sports.

Not only are more and more athletes coming out in sports, but there are out athletes entering sport and willing to be spokespeople for LGBT issues. Further, many national and international sports bodies and organizations are taking a stand on promoting inclusion and speaking out against homophobia.

Some colleges and universities are now tackling the role of sports and LGBT issues, with courses designed to talk about the history, present and future of this important pairing.

The Mark S. Bonham Centre for Sexual Diversity Studies at the University of Toronto, will offer a course next year called ā€œSports and Sexual Diversityā€ in its undergraduate program.

ā€œThis course will explore the role of sports and wellness programs in promoting or impeding social inclusion, as well as their role in community building among sexual minorities,ā€ says Scott Rayter, associate director of the Mark S. Bonham Centre for Sexual Diversity Studies. ā€œIt will consider the ways that sexuality has been framed or regulated in sports, as well as the challenges to such limits from among athletes, LGBT community activists and others.ā€

The courseā€™s coverage will range from local community and school-based programs, to national amateur and professional sporting activities, to international competitions.

Rayter says the course came about partly as a way of building on the expertise at the university in the areas of sexuality, gender and sport, and to reflect what is a growing body of research and field of study, plus an increasing interest and demand from students to study this area.

ā€œSport is an interesting place to study issues of sex, gender and the body, since bodies in sport are ā€˜idealā€™ or non-normative in the sense they do not reflect what most bodies look like or are capable of, and yet sport is also a space that demonstrates an extremely rigid split between male and female bodies,ā€ Rayter says. ā€œThere is also a growing body of research about sexual and gender violence (and hazing) in sport; it seems every day we hear about some new sex scandal in professional sports.ā€

At some higher learning institutions, there may not be a specific course, but inclusion of the LGBT community and sports is embedded in the curriculum itself.

Laura Burton, associate professor of sport management at the University of Connecticut, says she includes aspects of diversity and inclusion in both undergrad (Intro to Sport Management) and graduate (Management of Sport Services) courses.

ā€œThis includes sections on effectively managing diversity in sport organizations. I include examples of LGBT employees/fans/participants in sport as important constituents,ā€ she says. ā€œIn our Issues in Sport course I will include a chapter on issues faced by the LGBT community. That section will include the experiences of athletes (participants), employees in sport organizations and fans/spectators.ā€

Burton understands that the LGBT community has been and will continue to be an integral part of the larger sport community and feels itā€™s important that they are represented in the sport management curriculum.

ā€œOur students will work with, and some also identify as, members of the LGBT community, and this constituent group is as important as any other group of individuals with an interest in working in, participating in, or being fans of sport,ā€ she says. ā€œWe also recognize that the LGBT community has been a marginalized/ostracized and silenced constituent within the domain of sport; it is important that we give voice to this marginalization and work toward a more inclusive sport environment.ā€

In the 10 years she has been including LGBT examples in her courses, Burton says she has never received a negative comment from a student.

ā€œI have had numerous students (gay/bi/straight) tell me that they have enjoyed the openness and inclusiveness of the courses, the course content and of the program in general,ā€ she says.

Momin Rahman, a professor at Trent University in Ontario, notes that in classesĀ he teaches on the sociology of gender and sexuality,Ā sport is one of the themes discussed both because it interests students and because it is often regarded as one of the last institutions of gender binaries and homophobia.

ā€œSports are one of the biggest entertainment industries worldwide and an everyday experience of living and seeing gender and sexuality,ā€ he says. ā€œSports are a part of the socialization of childhood as well, so it is an important and wide-ranging experience that needs to be addressed seriously as a location of gender normativity and homophobia.ā€

Rahman says heā€™s touching on new topics all the time and is sure to discuss the latest LGBT issues in his classes.

ā€œFor example, trans issues have become a difficult one for organizations such as the Olympics, who are traditionally invested in keeping a binary division between men and women,ā€ Rahman says. ā€œWe also look at how homophobia operates in sports, particularly as a normalized part of bonding in menā€™s sports, and how this makes it difficult for gay athletes to come out.Ā The widespread community organization of LGBT sports, and international versions such as the OutGames, are partly a response to this.ā€

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Every MLB team except this one celebrated Pride

Right-wingers react to ā€˜backlashā€™ against Rangers: ā€˜Bullying is unacceptableā€™

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Once again, the Texas Rangers opted not to celebrate Pride last month with a dedicated day or night on its 2024 promotion schedule. And once again, the American League West team is the only Major League operation to do so. 

This repeated omission by the reigning World Series champs has sparked what one conservative news site calls a ā€œridiculous backlash.ā€ As the Washington Examinerā€™s Kimberly Ross wrote this week:

ā€œThere is no getting away from these ubiquitous celebrations. Instead of ā€˜to each his own,ā€™ major league teams are nearly required to give in and perform in an effort to placate the loudest crowds. Itā€™s not good enough to include everyone at all times. You must kowtow or else. This kind of bullying is unacceptable, and itā€™s worth pushing back against whether youā€™re a regular citizen or the 2023 World Series champion Texas Rangers.ā€

But the only evidence of the ā€œbacklashā€ was a balanced report by Schuyler Dixon of the Associated Press that appeared on the website of KSAT-TV in San Antonio, detailing the frustrations of local LGBTQ advocates and fans. His report was posted by the AP under the headline: ā€œWhy are the Texas Rangers the only MLB team without a Pride Night?ā€ The virulently anti-trans British tabloid, the Daily Mail rehashed that same AP piece but added that LGBTQ groups were ā€œFURIOUSā€ without substantiating that claim with a single quote.Ā 

At most, DeeJay Johannessen, chief executive of the HELP Center, an LGBTQ organization based in Tarrant County, where the Rangers play, told the AP he felt ā€œkind of embarrassed.ā€ The Daily Mail headline writer was apparently ā€œkind ofā€ clickbaiting. 

ā€œIt’s kind of an embarrassment to the city of Arlington that their team is the only one that doesnā€™t have a Pride night,ā€ Johannessen said. Local advocate Rafael McDonnell said, ā€œIt pains me that this remains an issue [after] all these years.ā€

How painful? McDonnell told the AP he considered not attending the championship parade with his boyfriend when the Rangers celebrated their first World Series championship last fall. Ultimately, he decided to go. So much for ā€œFURIOUS.ā€ 

McDonnell is the communications and advocacy manager for the Resource Center, which is an organization that grew out of the AIDS crisis in the 1980s. He added that his group has worked with the Rangers, at their invitation, to help them develop a policy of inclusion, starting about five years ago.

The team has sent employees to volunteer for programs supporting its efforts in advocating for marriage equality and transgender rights.

Although McDonnell said members of the Rangers staff keep in contact with him, he told the AP he canā€™t recall any conversations with the team since its five-game victory over the Arizona Diamondbacks in last yearā€™s World Series. 

ā€œFor a long time, Iā€™ve thought that it might be somebody very high up in the organization who is opposed to this for some reason that is not clearly articulated,ā€ McDonnell said. ā€œTo say that the Rangers arenā€™t doing anything for the community, well, they have. But the hill that they are choosing to stake themselves out on is no Pride night.ā€

The Rangers did celebrate Mexican heritage during a game last month, and also host nights throughout the season dedicated to other groups as well as the Boy Scouts, the Girl Scouts, first responders, teachers, and the military. The team also recognizes universities from around the Dallas-Fort Worth area and other parts of the Lone Star State. But not Pride. 

Why? The Rangers issued a statement, very similar to one from 2023. It lists various organizations the team has sponsored and steps it has taken internally to ā€œcreate a welcoming, inclusive, and supportive environment for fans and employees.ā€

ā€œOur longstanding commitment remains the same: To make everyone feel welcome and included in Rangers baseball ā€” in our ballpark, at every game, and in all we do ā€” for both our fans and our employees,ā€ the team said. ā€œWe deliver on that promise across our many programs to have a positive impact across our entire community.ā€

ā€œI think it’s a private organization,ā€ said Rangers fan Will Davis. ā€œAnd if they don’t want to have it, I don’t think they should be forced to have it.ā€ Davis is from Marble Falls, about 200 miles southwest of the stadium in Central Texas and attended a recent game with his son’s youth baseball team.

ā€œI think if it were something where MLB said, ā€˜Weā€™re not participating in this,ā€™ but the MLB does participate in it. And the Rangers have chosen not to,ā€ said Rangers fan Misty Lockhart, who lives near told the ballpark. Lockhart told the AP she attends almost three dozen games every season. ā€œI think that’s where I take the bigger issue, is they have actively chosen not to participate in it.ā€

While Lockhart says she doesn’t see Pride night as a political issue, she suggested there would be more pressure on the Rangers if their stadium was downtown, in the heart of Dallas County, where the majority of elected officials are Democrats. Tarrant County, home to Arlington, Fort Worth and Global Life Stadium, is generally more conservative, just like the governor, lieutenant governor, legislature, and fans like Will Davis. 

ā€œIn something like this, this is a way for people to go as a state,ā€ Davis told the AP. ā€œWe don’t want the political stuff shoved down our throats one way or the other, left or right. We’re coming out here to have a good time with friends or family and let it be.ā€

Unfortunately, some Rangers fans decided they could not ā€œlet it beā€ the one time the team welcomed local LGBTQ groups to a game as part of a fundraising event, as it does for other groups. This was in September 2003, two years after the Chicago Cubs hosted what is considered the first-ever Pride game. At that time, Rangers fans raged about the invitation on a website, and showed up to protest outside the stadium before that game. 

The Rangers never extended that invitation again. 

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Haters troll official Olympics Instagram for celebrating gay athlete and boyfriend

Campbell Harrison clapped back at online trolls

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(Screenshot from Instagram)

Olympian Campbell Harrison has already conquered an eating disorder, anxiety, depression, and disappointment for skipping the Tokyo Summer Games so he could support his older sister in her battle with cancer. 

So, heā€™s saying ā€œno wuckaā€™sā€ (meaning, ā€œno problemā€ in Aussie lingo) to the bigots, trolls, mongrels, and “drongos” (meaning, ā€œdicksā€ and ā€œfools,ā€ respectively) who plastered their disapproval in the comments of an Instagram post celebrating him as the first LGBTQ sport climber in Olympic history. 

The post wasnā€™t even his; the official Olympics Instagram account shared pictures from his qualifying climb from November 2023, and tagged Harrison earlier this week. 

ā€œCelebration kiss for the ages šŸ˜˜šŸŒˆā€ reads the caption. ā€œAfter not making it to Tokyo 2020, Australian sport climber Campbell Harrison did not give up and four years later secured a quota spot for the Olympic Games #Paris2024. It was an emotional victory celebrated together with his partner, Justin.ā€

Harrison, having seen the negative comments multiply, took them in stride with a snappy response that included a tag to his boyfriend, Justin Maire, whose account is private.  

ā€œAll these people mad cause we’re hotter than they are šŸ˜˜,ā€ Harrison wrote. 

Harrisonā€™s mother, Yvette, shared her support: ā€œI could not be more proud of you my beautiful son. You and Justin are such a beautiful couple and we love you both very much. šŸ³ļøā€šŸŒˆšŸ™Œā¤ļøā€

There were plenty of other supportive comments, and haters were called out, too: ā€œI love all the people following the @Olympics page due to the Olympic spirit (among other values), who donā€™t see the irony of bashing an Olympic athlete because of who they love,ā€ wrote out travel writer and LGBTQ rights advocate Mikah Meyer.

The person managing the official Olympics Instagram account was asked to do a better job curating the comments, which were largely vitriolic and cruel. The account posted this plea: ā€œLet’s keep our community positive ā¤ļø Please ensure your comments are respectful and avoid any language that could be offensive, or harmful to others. We reserve the right to remove comments that do not adhere to this guideline.ā€ 

Gay Olympic champion diver Matthew Mitcham commented: ā€œ15 years ago I kissed my partner on camera when I won in Beijing 2008. This one post by @olympics has received more hate than I did in my whole career.ā€Ā 

Today is Harrisonā€™s 28th birthday. He, his boyfriend and his mother recently spoke with Climbingā€™s Holly Yu Tung Chen. She wrote: 

ā€œCampbell arrived in the world on June 28, 1997, screaming inconsolably. Unlike his three other siblings, who were all ā€˜peaches and cream,ā€™ said Yvette, baby Campbell was “squishy and cuddly, yes ā€” but he had a lot to say from the word go.”

ā€œCampbell started climbing at age eight when Russell took the children to the Victorian Climbing Centre and noticed Campbellā€™s immediate vigor. Itā€™s the age-old climber tale: Campbell almost immediately lost interest in the other sports he dabbled in, including swimming, soccer, and track and field. All he wanted to do was climb.ā€

Harrison told Climbing although he never actually ā€œcame outā€ as gay, he never hid his sexuality, and simply made sure his parents and siblings knew who he was. For example, when he told the family heā€™d be joining Climbing Cuties, an affinity group for queer climbers, they told him to have fun. On another occasion, Harrison let them know heā€™d be taking part in a panel for queer climbers, and his parents asked if they could attend. 

As for his boyfriend, Harrison told Climbing they met cute. 

ā€œIn the age where most people meet online, we had the classic story of catching each otherā€™s eye from across the room,ā€ said Harrison. Maire told the reporter he recognized Campbell from social media, where the climber does not hide their relationship, and that often results in comments that his posts have ā€œgotten too political.ā€

ā€œHow is that political?ā€ he asked, rhetorically, noting that most of the hateful comments he receives online come from Americans. ā€œWhy should I change the way I feel just because of someone elseā€™s perception of me?ā€ he said. 

Last November, the only climber to top the menā€™s finals route during the IFSC Oceania Qualifier in Melbourne was Harrison. Watching him ascend were his parents and boyfriend, as he clipped the final draw and collapsed inward, his hands covering his face as he was lowered down. He had punched his ticket to Paris with this win. 

Once he was on the ground, Harrison made a beeline to Maire, where they hugged and kissed, as recorded on Instagram.

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Washington Mystics to hold annual Pride game

Team to play Dallas Wings on Saturday

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(Washington Blade photo by Michael Key)

The Washington Mystics will be having their upcoming Pride game on Saturday against the Dallas Wings.

The Mystics Pride game is one of the teamā€™s theme nights they host every year, with Pride night being a recurring event. The team faced off against the Phoenix Mercury last June. Brittney Griner, who Russia released from a penal colony in December 2022 after a court convicted her of importing illegal drugs after customs officials at Moscowā€™s Sheremetyevo Airport found vape canisters with cannabis oil in her luggage, attended the game.Ā 

Unlike the NBA, where there are currently no openly LGBTQ players, there are multiple WNBA players who are out. Mystics players Emily Englster, Brittney Sykes, and Stefanie Dolson are all queer.

The Mystics on June 1 acknowledged Pride Month in a post to its X account.

ā€œCelebrating Pride this month and every month,ā€ reads the message.

The game is on Saturday at 3 p.m. at the Entertainment and Sports Arena (1100 Oak Drive, S.E.). Fans can purchase special Pride tickets that come with exclusive Mystics Pride-themed jerseys. 

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