First, the GLAAD media awards:
Over the last few years we’ve been very pleased to see GLAAD recognize the increasing LGBT work done in sports with multiple sports-related nominees for their media awards.
This year, as far as we can tell only one of the 151 nominees is directly related to sports: ESPN’s segment on Kye Allums. What makes that nomination a little strange is how negative that piece was, with so much focus on made-up negative aspects of Allums transitioning and playing on a women’s basketball team (not to mention Kevin Blackistone constantly referring to Allums as “a woman” and “she”). We’re glad any time sports are highlighted by gay organizations; This one, however, is a bit of a head-scratcher.
And documentary film project Second Class Citizens:
A fantastic, moving video was posted on YouTube earlier this week that chronicles the ups and downs of the gay rights movement. From being outcasts in the ’50s to defeating Don’t Ask Don’t Tell, it touches some of the more powerful moments in gay-rights history.
While the video includes references to politics, entertainment, youth, housing, employment, adoption, the military…there is no reference to sports. Not a big deal, not every project has to touch on every corner of the world (e.g., we don’t touch politics 99.99% of the time). But from the day we started Outsports, we’ve said there’s as much need for education about sports in the gay community as there is for education about gay issues in the sports world.
To which we say: indeed!
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