"The Power of Allies": an initiative for soccer

Via Wide Rights, a great initiative from gay4soccer.com:

he year 2011 saw two professional soccer players come out of the closet. Whether or not Anton Hysen and David Testo open the floodgates for other announcements to come or not will remain to be seen in the months ahead. We’re not going to be in the business of dragging GLBT players out of the closet here at gay4soccer. But we will be spending some time asking people to come out…as allies.

Imagine how David Testo’s career would have gone if he didn’t have supportive people to come out to early on in his career while at the Columbus Crew. I’d like to think the kindness and support of the players he told kept him in the game and standing strong against the on-field taunts he’s had to endure. More players and other soccer personalities out as allies will help others find the courage to become out, proud soccer players.

More allies on and off the field will also help the soccer experience for gay fans and draw more members of the GLBT community to the game. Players participating in gay-friendly events is a great way to evangelize the sport–I would imagine a few gay guys in Seattle took an interest in the Sounders after a few of the players tended bar for a night at their favorite hangout. Allied players will also make it clear that homophobic rhetoric is not permissible as part of the game.

So with this in mind, we’ll be doing some things to get members of the soccer community to come out as allies.

Keep reading HERE.

Behind-the-scenes video of Hudson Taylor-Ben Cohen photo shoot for Out

Toronto Gay Hockey League commissioner says "It Gets Better"

Stephen Reid, commissioner of the Toronto Gay Hockey League, part of FGG member organization Outsport Toronto, has made this "It Gets Better" message.


View it below, and visit our "It Gets Better" page HERE.

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Re-united at Midsumma

Gay Games Ambassadors Blake Skjellerup and Matthew Mitcham met for the first time after the launch dinner last September where they were welcomed by fellow Ambassador Michelle Ferris. Blake is now based in Melbourne, so it was natural that he paid a visit to Matthew, who was present at the Telstra stand at the Midsumma fair day.

Hudson Taylor on the coaching closet

Hudson Taylor writes on the situation of LGBT coaches on the Huffington Post:


One year ago I started Athlete Ally, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization in an effort to educate and empower straight allies in sports to speak out against homophobia and transphobia. We began at a pivotal moment filled with promise for the lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) community. We saw more players come out, teams speak out, and allies take a stand than at any other time in history. But for all the progress that was made, one group remains in the shadows. It is sobering to admit that in 2012, almost all LGBT college coaches remain tightly closeted out of fear that admitting their sexuality will mean the end of their careers.

As a Division I wrestling coach and activist in this space, I have had the opportunity to speak to closeted college coaches around the country. Many fear that coming out would jeopardize their job security in an environment that provides few administrative options when discrimination occurs. These concerns exist among coaches working at private and public colleges and universities, including those with a reputation for progressive, egalitarian policies. It is no surprise, therefore, that openly LGBT college coaches are rare. For example, Sherri Murrell from Portland State is the only openly gay coach in NCAA Division I basketball, and Kirk Walker from Oregon State is the only openly gay Division I softball coach.

Keep reading HERE.

David Gilbert talks about sports events to be hosted by Cleveland in 2012

David Gilbert, acting chair of CSEC, the host organization for Gay Games 9, speaks of what's ahead for Cleveland this year in terms of hosting sports events.

En français / Le coming-out en délicatesse d'une handballeuse française

In an interview in a French handball magazine, Alexandra Lacrabère comes out in the gentlest way possibe. When asked what she does when she's not playing, she answers: "I like to paint, I do paintings. I go shopping, and I like to spend time with my girlfriend."

Un extrait vu sur Yagg.com:

Le magazine spécialisé HandAction n’en a pas fait sa une et il n’y a pas eu de sensationnalisme à ce sujet. Tout au plus, peut-on percevoir un semblant d’allusion au coming-out d’Alexandra Lacrabère dans le titre de l’article, «Femme libérée», paru en novembre dernier. Une description qui s’applique aussi bien à sa carrière sportive, où elle est désormais à l’aise, qu’à sa vie amoureuse dont elle fait état par petites touches.

«PASSER DU TEMPS AVEC MA COMPAGNE»
Lorsque le journaliste l’interroge sur son quotidien quand elle n’est pas sur le terrain, la jeune femme de 24 ans répond en toute simplicité: «Je peux peindre, je fais des tableaux notamment. Je peux aller faire les magasins et surtout passer du temps avec ma compagne.» Une petite phrase qui rend encore plus attachante la «gauchère des Pyrénées», comme l’appelle HandAction.

Continuer à lire ICI.

Investigation commends Cleveland's use of federal security funding, including operations center to be used for Gay Games 9

An investigation by the Cleveland Plain Dealer on the city's use of federal "homeland" security funding notes the creation of an emergency operations center:

Cleveland's emergency operations center, which the city built downtown in 2004 and tricked out with four big-screen TVs and 26 desks, each with its own radio, phone and laptop cord.

The operations center was full during the H1N1 flu scare, as well as the International Children's Games in 2004, said Erica Creech, a communications planner for Cleveland's emergency management office. It will probably be used for the Gay Games in 2014. But because it's downtown, where an attack is most likely, and not big enough to share, Cuyahoga County wants to construct its own center elsewhere.

En français / La FSGL demande la démission de Pierre Salviac, journaliste sportif

Un communiqué de la FSGL, une organisation membre de la FGG:


LA FSGL DEMANDE LA DEMISSION DE PIERRE SALVIAC, JOURNALISTE SPORTIF

Lundi 16 janvier 2012

C'est avec indignation que la FSGL (Fédération sportive gaie et lesbienne) condamne les propos tenus par Pierre Salviac dans un tweet le 14 janvier dernier. Réagissant au sondage publié dans Le Parisien qui révèle que 63% des Français sont favorables au mariage des couples de même sexe, le journaliste sportif de France 2 et RTL s'est permis d'écrire sur son compte Twitter : "Il y avait déjà beaucoup d'enc. dans ce pays. Cela ne va pas s'arranger ;)".

Nous condamnons fermement de tels propos, clairement homophobes qui n'ont pas lieu d'être, à fortiori dans la bouche d'un journaliste, à une époque où les citoyens français ne sont pas tous égaux en droit, et où les discriminations subsistent, notamment dans le domaine du sport.

Il est de notre devoir d'être vigilants sur la teneur des messages relayés dans le monde sportif, qui plus est, exprimés par des personnalités médiatiques d'audience nationale qui se doivent d'être le reflet des valeurs positives véhiculées par le sport : l'ouverture, le respect et l'acceptation.

En tant que spécialiste du sport, commentateur de rugby écouté et suivi par des millions de personnes, Pierre Salviac, qui s'était déjà distingué avec des propos racistes il y a peu, ne mérite plus sa carte de journaliste.

La FSGL demande donc des excuses de la part de M. Salviac et une prise de position de ses employeurs RTL et l'Equipe TV sur ces déclarations qui ne reflètent pas ce que l'on est en droit d'attendre d'un journaliste sportif : faire preuve d'exemplarité et de rigueur.

Pour la FSGL,
Alexis Christoforou
Vice-Président chargé de la communication de la FSGL

Boston swimmers say "It Gets Better"

Liquid Assets New England Swimming in Boston have made a video for the "It Gets Better" project.



View it below, and visit our "It Gets Better" page HERE.

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Cleveland's Cedar Point once again wins award as the world's best amusement park

From USA Today, news about Cedar Point, a large amusement park in Sandusky, not far from Cleveland:

And the winner is: Cedar Point!

The honor will come as no surprise to diehard amusement park fans who track these things, seeing as the Sandusky, Ohio, park has ranked No. 1 in the annual competition since it began 14 years ago.

Sponsored by Amusement Today, a publication that covers the amusement and water park industries, the Golden Ticket Awards recognize the best parks in 25 categories as ranked by "experienced and well-traveled" fans who know thneir way around the amusement park world.

And we note that Kalihari Resort, also in Sandusky, took second place in the "best indoor waterpark" division.

Bulgarian national luge coach forced out over participation in Mr Gay Bulgaria contest

Via Outsports Bulgaria, a story published on Gay Guide Bulgariaj where anti-Roma racism, homophobia, and pathetic sports federations come together to destroy a career:

Being in Miss Competition is different from being in Mister’s. This simple comparison was obtained dramatic proportions in the case of 25-year Chavdar Arsov, who two years ago participated in a beauty contest for almost a joke. The consequences are thunderstorms. If such events provide a flying start in the fashion business, worldly success and a lot of money for the contestant’s girls but in his case, the things went reversed: collapsed sports career that builds for years, losing his place as a National coach, his way to the races is cut, although he already has created contacts to the International Federation and he has proved himself.

The conflict with the bosses of the Bulgarian Federation of bobsleighs and sliding on natural trails is so acute that targets all related to Chavdar. He is forced to cede the presidency to his club "Chavdar Bulgaria” and rename it to "Luzhe Bulgaria". That action does not help - the team was excluded from the Federation. For his position as a National coach is declared vacant. When he is submitting documents to take that place, on time and by the requirements they put pressure on him to withdraw them. They get in a violent dispute that by the documents he was never appointed to this position. Although in reference to the Minister of Youth and Sports Svilen Neykov for the staff who work in the Federation Chavdar is listed as National coach for the last 2 years and he is a Club coach for 4 years. In another reference to the conference of the coaches in Varna, Bulgaria near his name also is written “coach”. In many other protocols, which he has completed in the training process and during competitions is written the same.

The key is the word "gay", which is in the name of the contest (Mr. Gay) The secretary the Federation Vergov George is emphatic: "Because of this faggot stories you should draw back".

Keep reading HERE.

Act now to enter UK Sports Charter logo contest!

Find all links relative to this appeal HERE.


Enter our competition to design a logo for our campaign to tackle homophobia and transphobia in sport.

We are asking budding designers to create an emblem for the Sports charter campaign that helps spread the message that hate of any kind in sport is not acceptable. Sports clubs, fans and players across the country will then use this logo to show they back the campaign.

The competition is targeted at young people but is open to anyone with creative flair.

The competition closes on Wednesday 18 January 2012 at 5pm. Rugby Union star, Ben Cohen will shortlist the top entries, which will then be put on our Facebook page for a public vote.



Ready to submit your design?

Email us your entry by sending it in a digital format (e.g. PDF, powerpoint, jpeg) or by post on an A4 piece of paper to Nancy Tenenbaum at Home Office, 2 Marsham Street, London SW1P 4DF.

Don't forget to include your name, date of birth, and contact details, together with a brief description of your idea behind your design - and remember it needs to work across all sizes, even when it's as small as a ten pence piece, so please keep it simple and bold.

Please help us spread the word by telling your friends, colleagues, team mates and local clubs about the competition. More information is in the competition leaflet.

Billy Bean responds to the question: Will male player on major sports team ever come out in U.S.?

Greg Hernandez interviews Gay Games Ambassador Billy Bean for GayStarNews.com:

Will male player on major sports team ever come out in U.S.?

Retired gay Major League Baseball star Billy Bean says 'It's going to take maybe just one special guy who can really move that ball forward'
30 December 2011 | By Greg Hernandez

As 2011 draws to a close, the major U.S. professional sports of football, basketball and baseball still have never had an active male player declare that they are gay. There are still only handful who have even done so in retirement. Among them is retired baseball pro Billy Bean who played for San Diego Padres, Detroit Lions and Los Angeles Dodgers during the 90s and came out publicly in the 2003 memoir Going The Other Way.

'I still feel that a lot of players are afraid to put themselves at the center of a storm,' Bean tells Gay Star News. 'Even they're comfortable with themselves and think half of their team would be fine, it's usually one of two of the guys who's bad and there's that fear there. Or maybe it's the front office and the team doesn't want a distraction.'

Bean, now 47, paid a place for staying in the closet. When he was playing for the San Diego Padres, his lover died unexpectedly. He could not mourn him for fear of being outed and it took an emotional toll that resulted in his baseball career ending prematurely after 12 years in the major leagues.

Keep reading HERE.

amazon.com	amazon.ca	amazon.co.uk	amazon.fr	amazon.de

January newsletter from TIP Paris International Tournament

View the newsletter HERE.

Paris, January 2012

Bonjour and welcome to the 9th Paris International Tournament, which will take place from May 25th to 28th, 2012.

The event will feature more than 15 sports events and meets, as well as social events, such as the TIP party, with a fabulous floorshow that is sure to be unforgettable!

A new feature at this year’s tournament is the Sports Village located in the heart of Paris.

As in previous years’ tournaments, many foreign teams will compete and more than 1,500 athletes are expected to take part.

Let’s play sports and fight discrimination together! We invite you to be a part of this great event!

Jérôme Chiavassa-Szenberg & Stéphane Raguideau
Co-Presidents of the Paris International Tournament

20 January 2012 / Gay Games 9 fundraiser

JANUARY G2H2 & GAY GAMES 9 BENEFIT
Friday January 20th
5:30 - 9:30

Drop Bar
1392 W 6th St
Cleveland, OH

Join us for a special G2H2 benefiting Gay Games 9. One dollar from the sale of every Absolut cocktail benefits GG9.
> $6 ABSOLUT VODKA COCKTAILS
****$1 FROM EVERY ABSOLUT COCKTAIL BENEFITS GAY GAMES 9****
> $3 YUENGLING

> FREE VALET PARKING! (please remember to take care of valets)
> COAT CHECK AVAILABLE
> APPETIZERS PROVIDED BY THE NEW RESTAURANT TAZA

Toronto Marlies and the Toronto Gay Hockey Association say "It Gets Better"

The Toronto Gay Hockey Association, a member of FGG member organization OutSport Toronto, has made this "It Gets Better" message with the Toronto Marlies, the minor league franchise of the Toronto Maple Leafs hockey team.

View it below, and visit our "It Gets Better" page HERE.

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Great photos of Matt Mitcham

Gay Games Ambassador Matthew Mitcham has done a series of photos for his sponsor, including some with hiphop dancer Chris Sackett. Think of it as your Christmas present...
View all the photos, including solo shots of Matt, on their Facebook page HERE.

Mike Silver's waiting pen in hand for an active NFL player to come out

Gay Games Ambassadors David Kopay and Esera Tuolo,
former NFL players, both came out after retiring

From Michael Silver's "Open Mike" column on Sports Illustrated's website, on his hopes of an active NFL player coming out (preferably via his reporting):

It's true that some fans are never going to be able to tolerate homosexuality of any kind, and judging from the many pieces of legislation that have passed in states banning gay marriage, there are red states in which same-sex love is considered sacrilegious by a significant proportion of the population. Yet I've also talked to plenty of players who, unlike Hearst, are surprisingly enlightened when it comes to such matters. They're used to being in huddles with men whose backgrounds, political and religious orientations and social habits are strikingly different, and they understand that the truly successful teams manage to forge a bond in spite of all this and play football like de facto brothers.

Because of its brutally physical nature, football roots out insincerity like no other team sport. A player who demonstrates his toughness and willingness to sacrifice for his teammates receives a whole lot of slack when it comes to off-the-field matters, more than the casual fan might imagine. Call me crazy, but if a guy were to play like Ray Lewis on Sunday afternoon, he could show up for Wednesday morning's meeting wearing a feather boa and tight leather pants, whip out the latest issue of Martha Stewart Living and brag about the backstage passes he'd received for the upcoming Barbra Streisand concert without receiving anything more than playful grief from his teammates.

I'm not trying to sound superficial. I know there's a lot of hate and fear out there. I realize some people get physically attacked for failing to disguise their homosexuality, and most of the time Shaquille O'Neal isn't there to bring the perpetrators to justice.

Read in full HERE.

En français / La Fédération des Gay Games soutient l'appel pour des JO libres de discrimination sexiste et homophobe

La FGG est heureuse de soutenir l'appel du comité Atlanta Plus, rejoint par d'autres instances, pour des Jeux olympiques libres de discrimination sexiste et homophobe. Nous avons signé l'appel intitulé "Justice pour les femmes":

L’universalité de la Loi Olympique

Les Jeux Olympiques (JO) s’ouvriront à Londres le 27 juillet 2012.

“Le Mouvement Olympique a toujours signifié beaucoup plus que de simples compétition sportuves” (Déclaration du Président du CIO)*.

Dans les sites olympiques, seule s’applique la Charte Olympique basée sur des valeurs universelles. Les membres du Mouvement Olympique ont fait serment de la respecter.


La Charte Olympique énonce :
• Un objectif : “Contribuer à la construction d’un monde meilleur” (chapitre 1, règle 1.1)
• Des principes “éthiques fondamentaux universels” tels que : “Toute forme de discrimination (y compris de sexe) est incompatible avec l’appartenance au Mouvement Olympique” (Principe 5)
• Un engagement pour l’égalité : “Mettre en oeuvre le principe de l’égalité entre hommes et femmes” (chapitre 1, règle 2.7)
• La neutralité du sport : “Aucune sorte de démonstration ou de propagande politique,religieuse ou raciale n’est autorisée dans un lieu, site ou autre emplacement olympique”
(chapitre 5, règle 51.3)

Appliquez la Charte Olympique !
Dans les systèmes politiques et sociaux marqués par le poids des traditions culturelles ou religieuses, les femmes sont encore soumises à des contraintes résultant de stéréotypes sexuels et de tabous.
Dans le Stade olympique, les athlètes,hommes et femmes, respectant une loi commune, revêtus de tenues similaires, partagent la joie de l’effort et du dépassement de soi.

Lire l'appel ICI.

16 January 2012 / Cleveland commemorates Martin Luther King, Jr. Day

(photo Richard Conway, Plain Dealer)
Martin Luther King Jr., shown speaking to a crowd in front of the
Everlasting Baptist Church in Cleveland in 1965.

Monday is Martin Luther King, Jr. Day in the United States. Find all links via Positively Cleveland, HERE.

A number of Cleveland arts and cultural institutions offer free admission and special programming in honor of Martin Luther King, Jr.

Martin Luther King, Jr. Memorial Recital at The Music Settlement
Sun., Jan. 15; 3pm

The Music Settlement in University Circle features works by Hale Smith, Leslie Adams, George Walker, Duke Ellington, the Cleveland Boys Choir and more. The recital will be held in the Glick Recital Hall and is free and open to the public.

Martin Luther King, Jr. Festival at the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and Museum
Mon., Jan. 16; 10am-5:30pm

Each year, the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and Museum not only opens its doors to the public for free, but also puts on a day-long celebration to honor the legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.

Martin Luther King, Jr. Day at the Maltz Museum
Mon., Jan. 16; 11am-5pm

Participate in a tribute to Martin Luther King, Jr. with free admission to the Maltz Museum of Jewish Heritage along with guided tours of An American Story, a musical performance Unchained: From Slavery to Civil Rights and HATE (Malt Museum’s award-winning short film).

Martin Luther King, Jr. Day at the Great Lakes Science Center
Mon., Jan. 16; 10am-6pm

Enjoy a free day of exploration at the Great Lakes Science Center. Explore your fears in the special exhibition, Goose Bumps! The Science of Fear!, enjoy “electrifying” Big Science Shows at 11:30am and 3:30pm, tour the NASA Glenn Visitors Center and BioMedTech Gallery and experience hundreds of hands-on, interactive exhibits and live demonstrations.

MLK Day at Cleveland Botanical Garden
Mon., Jan. 16; 10am-5pm

The Cleveland Botanical Garden will be open on Martin Luther King, Jr. Day with free admission and special craft making to celebrate African American heritage from 1-4pm.

Cleveland Orchestra Open House
Mon., Jan. 16; noon-5pm

Severance Hall, home of the Cleveland Orchestra, joins the city-wide celebration of Martin Luther King Jr.’s life with a Community Open House offering free instrumental, vocal and spoken-word performances throughout the afternoon. Admission is free and no tickets are required. Spend the day at Severance Hall or stop by to see community music ensembles and performances including presentations by the Cleveland Orchestra Youth Orchestra and Cleveland Orchestra Youth Chorus.

Martin Luther King, Jr. Day at Western Reserve Historical Society
Mon., Jan. 16; 10am-5pm

The Western Reserve Historical society offers free admission and the opportunity for children and their families to explore museum exhibits including Do You Know Your Lincoln, Rally ‘Round the Flag, Through the Lens of Allen E. Cole and Meet Clio the WRHS Digital Curator. Guests to the WRHS History Center can make a card or flower with an inspirational greeting to be distributed to families who have meals delivered to them by the Golden Age Centers of Cleveland.

Winter Discovery Day at The Cleveland Museum of Natural History
Mon., Jan. 16; 10am-4pm

In cooperation with Case Western Reserve University and Cleveland’s museums and cultural institutions, The Cleveland Museum of Natural History offers free admission all day in honor of Martin Luther King, Jr. Explore the Smead Discovery Center, watch a mini-planetarium show for only $1, make a craft project to take home, examine nature’s material with scientists and students from Case Western Reserve University and much more.

Martin Luther King, Jr. Day at the Children’s Museum
Mon., Jan. 16; 10am-4:45pm

Help create a community quilt in honor of Dr. King’s message of peace for all. Decorate a square of fabric and then attach it to our quilt. Explore three permanent exhibits; Big Red Barn, Bridges to our Community, and Splish! Splash! Then explore artifacts from centuries past as you set sail on the ship in Galapagos Sands. Admission is half-price all day.

Reflection of the Dream at the Cleveland Museum of Art
Mon., Jan. 16; 11am-5pm

Bring family, friends and neighbors to this special event and enjoy FREE activities for all ages. Celebrate the day with gallery talks presented by CMA curators; docent-led tours; hands-on art projects; art and twister games designed and presented by Museum Ambassadors; and band, choir, quartet and jazz music performances. Attend a free screening at 11am or 2pm of the soul-stirring film Rejoice and Shout, an uplifting new documentary that traces the history of African-American gospel music.

MLK: Honoring His Legacy in a New Era at Case Western Reserve University
Mon., Jan. 16-22

Each year, Case Western Reserve University honors Martin Luther King, Jr.—the holiday, the man and the legacy—with a week-long celebration that includes workshops, films, panel discussions and speakers.

27th Annual Martin L. King, Jr. Commemorative Day Program at Cleveland Public Library
Mon., Jan. 16; 1pm

Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.’s legacy was a legacy of servant leadership – of giving back. Cleveland Public Library honors the legacy with a panel discussion about the many issues surrounding the Martin Luther King, Jr. National Memorial, from concept to construction. A reception follows the event.

15 January 2012 / Matthew Mitcham as Melbourne's Midsumma Carnival

We've already posted about sports groups present at Melbourne's Midsumma festival. Now here's a word from Gay Games Ambassador Matthew Mitcham who'll be at the opening Carnival this weekend:


Following our first outing together last year, I’m really excited that Telstra has asked me back to be part of their support of Midsumma in 2012. Telstra is a Major Partner this year and that means they have some major things going on with the Midsumma Festival, which kicks off with its annual Carnival at Birrarung Mar in Melbourne CBD, Sunday 15 January from 11am-5pm.

This year, Telstra’s support of Midsumma includes having a Carnival stall where you can meet me, check out some great phones and devices for the summer, charge your phone, get pre-paid credit and get some fun giveaways. The Telstra Citizen Reporters are also back – 30 members of Telstra’s gay, lesbian, bisexual, transgender and intersex community, these guys and girls will be all over Midsumma, for the three weeks of Festival. They’ll be attending the wide array of Festival events, and you can check out their blogs, photos and reviews on the Midsumma tumblr site. At Carnival, the Midsumma crew will also be powered by Telstra’s really fast 4G network with wireless connectivity in the Box Office and Festival hub.

I’m very proud to once again be associated with Telstra’s support of Midsumma. It’s great to see a large corporation such as Telstra get involved on the ground with community celebrations like this. And I think it’s even better when that involvement is about a part of the community that I’m also really proud to be part of. Inclusion and diversity make a strong and cohesive community, and Midsumma is a celebration of that.

So – when you get to Carnival on Sunday, look for the Telstra stall, and come and say hi. We’ll all be there living life in full colour!

DanceSport and more at Melbourne's Midsumma festival

Dance Cats, whose experience at Gay Games VIII was the subject of the documentary Ballroom Rules, is hosting Australian SameSex DanceSports at Melbourne's Midsumma festival.

There's more sport on offer at Midsumma. See the full program HERE.

IGLA 2011 records posted

IGLA long course meters records updated to reflect the results from IGLA XIX in Honolulu, Hawaii, USA have been posted on the web.

New IGLA Records set at IGLA XIX in Honolulu, Hawaii are tabulated HERE.

Kerryn Phelps calls for name change for "Margaret Court Arena" at Australian Open

Phelps (left), seen with Ambassador Michelle Ferris and government officials
at Matthew Mitcham and Blake Skjellerup launch event

Dr Kerryn Phelps, a physician, TV personality and activist, honored the FGG by serving as MC at the dinner last September in Sydney where Blake Skjellerup and Matthew Mitcham were welcomed as Gay Games Ambassadors. She's now calling for action in response to Margaret Court's homophobic statements and positions, as reported in The Australian:

KERRYN Phelps, one of Australia's most influential gay women, is calling on the Victorian Government and Tennis Australia to drop Margaret Court's name from one of its show court arenas at Melbourne Park.

Dr Phelps tweeted the comment to Victorian Premier Ted Baillieu today in response to Court's continued opposition to same sex marriage, and homosexuality more generally, ahead of next week's Australian Open.

Gay rights activists are urging people to use the Open to protest against the tennis great's views by waving rainbow flags at the Margaret Court Arena.

"Time to rename Margaret Court Arena," Dr Phelps tweeted. In a subsequent tweet, she urged a response from Tennis Australia, which has distanced itself from Court's views.

Keep reading HERE.

Hateful homophobic tennis champion shocked that people don't like her hateful homophobia

Poor hateful homophobic Margaret... somehow the fact that some people express their opinion that she's a hateful homophobe after she expressed her hateful homophobic opinions is preventing her from expressing her hateful homophobia, which is particularly odd since it's giving her so many opportunities to be in the news to express more hate and more homophobia. Like here, in The Australian:

MARGARET Court has vowed to maintain her opposition to homosexuality and same-sex marriage, undeterred by gay activists planning to use next week's Australian Open tennis championships to protest against her views.

Court, Australia's greatest women's tennis player and a senior pastor at Perth's Victory Life Centre church, said she had never "run from anything" and expected Australian Open organisers to prevent next week's tournament from being hijacked by the gay rights agenda.

"Are they not wanting me to come to the Australian Open? Is that what they are trying to do? I don't run from anything," Court told The Australian yesterday.

"I have always been a champion and always loved what I do and love tennis. I think it is very sad they can bring it into that. It is hard that they can voice their opinions but I am not allowed to voice my opinion. There is something wrong somewhere.

[...]

The prospect of protesters flying rainbow flags next week at the court named after Court presents a dilemma for Australian Open organisers, who, as every year, have invited the winner of 62 grand slam titles as a guest of honour to the tournament. Tournament director Craig Tiley, while lauding Court's achievements, has said neither Tennis Australia nor the Women's Tennis Association shared her views

Keep reading (if you must) HERE.

Texas A&M Laboratory for Diversity in Sport to host conference

Dr George Cunningham of Texas A&M moderated the 2011 Sport Marketing Association panel discussion on diversity sports marketing on which Doug Litwin represented the FGG  We posted about his recent article on the value of diversity for sports programs. We're pleased that several Equality Coaching Alliance supporters will be participating in an event later this year:

Texas A&M's Laboratory for Diversity in Sport will host a Sexual Orientation and Gender Identity in Sport conference. Conference speakers include Helen Carroll; Pat Griffin of the Gay Lesbian Straight Education Network Sports Project; Jocks author Dan Woog; and law professor Erin Buzuvis, co-founder of the Title IX blog.

Information on the conference is available at http://sogis.tamu.edu . Information on the Laboratory for Diversity in Sports is available at http://www.diversityinsport.com .

In his latest article for the Bay Area Reporter, ECA coordinator Roger Brigham writes of Cunningham's research:

We have all long known from personal experience that homophobia and other forms of prejudice are harmful to their targets. We've witnessed more than enough suicides and the blocked opportunities to convince us. Now a Texas researcher can show sports administrators what we have long believed: schools that actively promote sexual orientation diversity on their staffs perform significantly better on the playing field than their homophobic counterparts.

George Cunningham, a professor in Texas A&M University's Department of Health and Kinesiology who researches the impact of diversity in sports, surveyed hundreds of senior administrators from NCAA Division I schools for his study on the relationships among sexual orientation diversity, diversity strategies, and program performance and compared the responses to how their institutions scored in the National Association of Collegiate Directors of Athletics Directors' Cup annual rankings, which awards points to top performing men's and women's team results.

Based on those results, the report concluded, "Organizations with high sexual orientation diversity and that followed a strong proactive diversity strategy outperformed their peers in objective measures of performance."

In other words, shed your homophobia and you shed an obstacle to your success.

Keep reading HERE.

Latest issue of Equal Ground newsletter available

View Rainbow News, the newsletter of FGG member organization Equal Ground in Sri Lanka HERE.

TIP Paris International Tournament iPhone app available for free

The brand-new app or the 2012 Paris International Tournament is now available at no cost on iTunes HERE.

From Jeff Kagan: See Gene and John run

From Out in the Locker Room, Jeff Kagan's blog archive of his LGBT sport journalism:

Picture it: New York City, 1953. President Eisenhower is in the White House, the Korean War is just coming to an end. I Love Lucy dominates the airwaves as the most popular show on television, and an 18-year-old Elvis Presley just recorded his first song. American life is as picturesque and pleasing as a Norman Rockwell painting.

While life seemed so “carefree and gay” for most, there were many who couldn’t be as carefree and gay as they wanted to be. Being a gay American in that era meant hiding your sexual orientation from your family and your employer. It was in 1953 that President Eisenhower signed Executive Order 10450 which mandated “sexual perverts” be fired from federal jobs. At that time, homosexuality was defined a disease, and gays were portrayed in public service films (one was titled Boys Beware) as having a “sickness that was not visible, like smallpox, but no less dangerous and contagious.” It would be another 20 years before the American Psychiatric Association declassified homosexuality as a mental disorder. Regardless of the discrimination and openly accepted condemnation, gays and lesbians persevered, living their lives in the underground and somehow managing to get by.

At age 24, John Kiley left his hometown of Adelaide, Australia, and came to the United States, settling in New York City. He secured a job with the Australian government as a writer with the news and information bureau, a precursor to the current Australian tourism department.

One warm evening in June 1953 John was having drinks with a friend at Lenny’s Hideaway, a basement bar on 10th Street between Seventh and Eighth avenues in the West Village when he struck up a conversation with a young, dark-complexioned man named Gene Silbert. A friendship commenced, and soon grew to be more than friendship. Neither could have imagined the future they’d have together.

Keep reading HERE (it's very cool!)