02/09/10-by Bridgette P. LaVictoire
John Carroll University in Ohio was the scene of a student protest last week. Prior to the start of a basketball game, gay and lesbian students along with their allies staged a sit in to protest the university’s lack of LGBT bias protections in their official policies. While the draft community standards being worked up by the University includes protections for the LGBT Community within the university, the employment policies of the university do not. University officials stated that the employment policies are based specifically on state and federal laws which do not include sexual orientation or gender identity and expression protections. The reliance upon the state and federal laws to explain why those protections are not in the employment policies of the university is in conflict with a statement from John Carroll University. According to their statement: “Rather than rely on the limitations provided under current federal and state law, the university strives to achieve a much higher standard based upon its Jesuit and Catholic mission and teachings,”

John Carroll University is a Catholic College with a Jesuit core identity. According to the draft community standards “’they [gay, lesbian, bisexual, or transgender people and those questioning their sexual identity] must be accepted with respect, compassion, and sensitivity. Every sign of unjust discrimination in their regard should be avoided.’ (Catechism of the Catholic Church, Second Ed., 2358)” The university was founded in 1886.

The protesters were eventually escorted from the court without incident and none of them were arrested. Video of the incident follows:

1/29/2010- by Natasia Langfelder

In a public display of open homophobia rarely seen by large corporations today, CBS rejected an ad featuring two men kissing from the Super Bowl lineup. The ad was for the gay dating site, ManCrunch.com. CBS stated that the ad”is not within the Network’s broadcast standards for Super Bowl Sunday.” However, in the past Super Bowl ads have featured half naked women violently fighting with each other while being sprayed with water. These are the values that CBS feels are more appropriate to align themselves with.

 CBS is known for running the most entertaining and cutting edge commercials during the Super Bowl, as advertisers go all out in terms of both expenditure and creativity to catch the eye of the large viewing audience. Even news websites, such as Slate, run reviews of Super Bowl commercials, making the commercials more of a part of the viewing experience of the game than an afterthought.  Excluding representation of gay men from the airwaves during the event, is effectively exiling them from sharing in this Nationwide event.    

Advocates for CBS are making the argument that ManCrunch staged this as a publicity stunt. However, how could this stunt be staged without the presumption of anti-gay bias on behalf of both CBS and Super Bowl viewers? Refusing to air this ad during the Super Bowl is insulting to every straight man who watches the Super Bowl, who is comfortable with his own sexuality and with the gay community. CBS is assuming ignorance and homophobia on behalf of a large population of men. It’s unfair to paint football fans with the same brush.  Hopefully, with increased media pressure, CBS will change their stance and air the ad.

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JOHANNESBURG – South African runner Caster Semenya will keep her 800-meter gold medal from the world championships, and the results of her gender tests will be kept confidential, the South African sports ministry said Thursday.  However, the question of whether she remains eligible to compete as a woman remained uncertain. 

The ministry also said in a statement that the International Association of Athletics Federations has agreed to allow the 18-year-old Semenya to keep her prize money. Blogged by Melanie Nathan.

11/2/09-by Paula Brooks
Friday, The family of billionaire Joe Ricketts, the founder of Omaha, Neb.-based TD Ameritrade, paid $845 million to buy a 95 percent controlling interest in the Chicago Cubs, their ballpark, Wrigley Field, and 25 percent of Comcast Sportsnet….

And with that purchase, The Windy City Times is reporting that the Chicago Cubs, possibly Major League Baseballs unluckiest team, will be the first team with an openly gay owner, because among the purchasers is Laura Ricketts, an open lesbian.

Laura Ricketts, 41, has a Philosophy degree from University of Chicago and a law degree from the University of Michigan.

Ricketts a co- founder of Ecotravel, a company aimed at promoting nature-based travel, serves on the board of directors of Lambda Legal.

She’s also a major donor to Chicago LGBT organizations like the Howard Brown Health Center and Center on Halsted and campaigns heavily for marriage rights. In fact, she and her partner, Heidi, are marrying in 2013.

Maybe with a lesbian at the helm the club can turn things around… the Cubs have not won it all since 1908 and have not even been to the World Series since 1945.

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09/19/09-by Bridgette P. LaVictoire
Athletics South Africa has formally apologized to Caster Semenya for secretly doing gender testing on her back in August. He felt that it was best at the time not to inform her so that the process could be kept secret and her privacy ensured. “I felt I was acting in the best interests of Semenya. I believed at the time my consistent denials would help protect her. “I have however realised that it was an error of judgment and that I could have been more forthcoming with this information, even if it was difficult,” Leonard Chuene has stated.

The August tests were carried out in South Africa, something that Chuene has denied for some time. After the initial tests showed some ambiguity, the International Association of Athletic Foundations or IAAF asked that Ms Semenya be withdrawn from competition, but the ASA decided that they were confident that she was female and refused to withdraw her. The IAAF then demanded more testing citing her muscular physique and running style as well as her rapid improvement in running speed.

Chuene’s decision to come forward about the initial testing throws a new twist in the saga of Ms Semenya, and continues to throw into light a major issue which is not often discussed outside of certain circles. The human body is not perfect, and many people are born with mixed physical sexes. While many are, indeed, the gender they were raised, as it is likely that Ms Semenya is, there are others who are not.

“I can no longer stand before you and say that I am not aware of gender tests conducted on Caster Semenya…I was not going to stop her talent because of rumours…On what basis should I have withdrawn her? My only crime committed was to take a decision that she must run, and she won,” Mr. Chuene said to reporters. He went on to state that it is his belief that the IAAF was at greater fault since it was their workers who released her name to the public and did not give her the chance to even discuss the issue, nor her future.

What it also throws light upon is the very ad hoc and poor policy planning on the part of the IAAF and its associated federations with regards to intersexual individuals and their place in athletic competition. The International Olympic Committee has already issued guidelines regarding transpeople and professional athletic competition. The IAAF and the IOC should come up with guidelines and rules so that other athletes do not fall prey to this kind of horror.

If Ms Semenya is, indeed, intersexed, that is has primary sexual characteristics of both sexes, she should not be punished for this and her career should not be ended. Nor should her career be ended simply because of the actions of another who sought, perhaps clumsily, to protect her privacy.

SA chief issues Semenya apology

09/15/09-by Bridgette P. LaVictoire
The South African Minister for Women and Children has lodged a formal complaint with the United Nations over the treatment of Caster Semenya, the South African athlete at the center of a gender controversy. That Ms Semenya is female in gender does not seem to be a major issue, but there are questions about her physical sex. The bigger issue here is the fact that the entire process has been conducted openly through a variety of very public leaks regarding the information that has been gathered regarding her gender. Most recently, tests conducted with regards to Ms Semenya’s physical sex were leaked. Supposedly, they show that she is intersexed. Prior to that, the fact that her testosterone levels were elevated was leaked to the press.

In point of fact, the entire process of gender testing is not supposed to be in the open at all. It is supposed to be done quietly and privately, a policy that the International Association of Athletic Federations has repeatedly violated. A report on all the tests is supposed to be ready in November, but at this point, the entire report will be known long before that occurs, and the career of a gifted athlete will be ruined as a result.

South African sports minister Reverend Makhenkesi Stofile has threatened World War III if Ms Semenya is banned from the sport. Whether or not Ms Semenya is intersexed should not bar her from competition since even today transpeople are allowed to compete in some sporting events at the international level. In 2004, the International Olympic Committee instituted a policy for all athletes including that “hormone therapy — for the assigned sex — must have been given for long enough to minimize any gender-related advantages in sport competitions, a period that must be at least two years after gonadectomy.” Such a policy should be in place for intersexed individuals as well.

09/09/09-by Bridgette P. LaVictoire
Caster Semenya has undergone a transformation for the cover of You Magazine in South Africa (not pictured). The runner at the center of a controversy over gender and physical sex has shown her softer side by having a make over, letting her hair down, and dressing in feminine clothing. “I’d like to dress up more often and wear dresses but I never get the chance,” she is quoted as saying. The decision to show a more feminine side of her may be an attempt to counter the negative publicity about her gender.

According to the BBC article, Ms Semenya wore a pair of black leather slacks and a sequined top as well as a black and white cocktail dress and stiletto heels as well as a grey knee length dress with a cropped grey jacket.

The controversy over Ms Semenya’s gender has been a huge negative for the young runner who has often not been seen without her green and gold track outfit and tightly braided hair. The eighteen year old has been hounded about having a gravelly voice and a rather masculine presentation at competitions.

Callers were invited to speak out about her makeover, and the usual reaction was mixed with some loving it and some not. However, the cover has apparently sparked a great deal of interest across the globe. Ms Semenya has stated that her mother was the one who was buying her clothing in the past, but that she does plan on buying her own in the future now that she knows how she can look.

Caster Semenya stated rather bluntly about the controversy that has surrounded the testing of her gender: “I see it all as a joke, it doesn’t upset me. God made me the way I am and I accept myself.”

At one point, gender testing was common, largely due to the possibility of certain countries fielding men rather than women in the women’s competitions. Often times, women were removed from competition if they even so much as had a slight variance in their genetic makeup. While the gender tests of today are far more comprehensive, the reality is that Ms Semenya may not have violated any rule regarding gender when it came to her competitions, and that the testing is more because of griping from people who are unhappy with the times by which she is winning. Compounding the issue is the fact that her privacy throughout the testing, which is supposed to be confidential, has been repeatedly violated including the fact that recent tests regarding her testosterone levels were leaked to the press.

08/25/09 — by Bridgette P. LaVictoire
Controversy in the case of South African athlete Caster Semenya deepened today when it was leaked that recent hormone tests showed that she had close to three times the normal testosterone usually found a woman. This test does not mean that Ms. Semenya has either been doping, that is taking illicit supplements, or that she is indeed male. To begin with, hormone levels vary over time, and this test may simply be high. Ms. Semenya will have to undergo further hormone testing with this as a baseline. Even if her testosterone level is three times the normal for a woman, that will still put her below the normal for a man, and many not be an indicator of any gender abnormalities.

One possible explanation for the heightened testosterone levels could be Ms. Semenya’s rigorous training as many female athletes who begin training at a very young age tend to have physiological differences from gender norm. Typically, many female athletes, and especially gymnasts, who train from childhood delay puberty, and it does not assert itself until training regimes are dialed back or ended. At that point, puberty tends to hit them like a Mack truck full of bricks. There is a possibility that Ms. Semenya masculinized appearance is largely due to this training regime. It will not be clear if this is the case until after a full battery of gender tests have been conducted.

Ms. Semenya’s treatment by the International Association of Athletics Federations (IAAF) concerning her gender has caused a great deal of outrage, and calls for a reform of the process involved in gender testing. The leaks and invasion into her privacy have complicated the matter and made what is supposed to be a private procedure very public. Unfortunately, Ms. Semenya’s case has been splattered across the news damaging the young lady and making what is already a difficult personal situation a far too painful public affair.

There is little doubt in South Africa about Ms. Semenya’s gender. The teenager was recently welcomed to a massive welcoming and treatment as a hero. Athletics South Africa (ASA) has stated that they have no doubt whatsoever about Ms. Semenya’s gender. Indeed, their president, Leonard Chuene, redesigned from the IAAF in protest over her treatment, and many point to previous competitions where no one complained about her performance.

According to the IAAF results of the testosterone test are what prompted their calls at the ASA conduct gender verification tests on Ms. Semenya. Full gender testing will not be finished for several weeks. It is unclear if there is any athletic benefit to a person having genetic abnormalities when competing in the women’s sports. Only recently has the International Olympic Committee allowed transpeople to compete, and only after a given period of time as elapsed. Hopefully, Ms. Semenya’s ordeal will be over soon and she will be vindicated.

photo of Caster Semenya from Wikipedia

8/12/09 9:18 PM by Paula Brooks
President Barack Obama honored two icons of gay rights; gay rights leader Harvey Milk and tennis star Billie Jean King, by awarding them the nation’s highest civilian award, the Presidential Medal of Freedom, in a White House East Room ceremony today.

Obama, who has come under fire recently by some in the LGBT community for failing to act on a promised repeal of the ban on gays in the military and his Justice Departments defense of DOMA, unequivocally paid tribute to Milk and King as champions of same-sex equality.

“His name was Harvey Milk, and he was here to recruit us – all of us – to join a movement and change a nation,” said Obama, “In the brief time in which he spoke – and ran and led – his voice stirred the aspirations of millions of people,” Obama continued, “His message of hope – hope unashamed, hope unafraid – could not ever be silenced.”

Milk was elected as a San Francisco supervisor in 1977, and became the first openly gay elected official in a major U.S. city. He was also an early leader in the LGBT rights movement, encouraging gays and lesbians to live their lives in the open.

He was shot and killed in 1978 by former supervisor Dan White, who also killed San Francisco Mayor George Moscone. Harvey Milk’s nephew, Stuart Milk, accepted the award on his uncle’s behalf.

Honoring King, Obama said the sports legend was a role model for all women, including his own daughters and noted that King helped “change how women athletes and women everywhere view themselves and to give everyone – regardless of gender or sexual orientation…a chance to compete both on the court and in life.”

The Medal of Freedom is America’s highest civilian honor and is, according to the White House news release, “awarded to individuals who make an especially meritorious contribution to the security or national interests of the United States, world peace, cultural or other significant public or private endeavors.”

In addition to Milk and King, others honored today included Sen. Ted Kennedy (D-Mass.), retired Supreme Court Justice Sandra Day O’Connor, civil rights leader Rev. Joseph Lowery, geneticist Dr. Janet Rowley, Komen Foundation founder Nancy Brinker, physicist Stephen Hawking, economist and micro financier Mohammed Yunus, Dr. Pedro Jose Greer, Dr. Joseph Medicine Crow, South African Archbishop Desmond Tutu and entertainers Chita Rivera and Sidney Poitier.

More than 20,000 people have been awarded the Medal of Freedom since former president Harry Truman created it in 1945.

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University of Hawaii head football coach Greg McMackin has been suspended for 30 days without pay and has volunteered to take an additional 7 percent pay cut from his $1.1 million salary for using a gay slur while describing Notre Dame’s chant before last year’s Hawaii Bowl.

Thursday during a media briefing at the Western Athletic Conference football preview in Salt Lake City that was also attended by WAC commissioner Karl Benson, McMackin said, “I know most of the coaches in the country are rooting for us to beat Notre Dame,” McMackin said. “Charlie gives this talk, ‘We do something special at Notre Dame,’ and (the players) get up and they do this little cheer … this little faggot dance.”

But soon, McMackin backtracked and asked the journalists in the room not to report on what he said, “Don’t write that ‘faggot’ down. I was misquoted,” he said. “Just please … cover for me… Go ahead; say ‘faggot dance.’ No. Please cover for me on that, too — right Karl? I’ll deny it. Anything else?”

However, soon after the briefing ended, McMackin returned to the reporters and apologized for using the “inappropriate” word.

Later McMackin followed up with a formal written statement.

“I sincerely apologize for the inappropriate words that I used,” he said in the statement. “My comments were out of character and I have no prejudices against anyone. I’m really upset with myself and I’m truly sorry for my remarks.”

Earlier today, The LGBT media watchers, Gay & Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation (GLAAD) called for members of the LGBT community to contact Hawaii’s Athletic Director about the incident.

In a press conference streamed live this evening by the Honolulu Advertiser, a tearful McMackin addressed reporters, players, assistant coaches and boosters late Friday after meeting with school officials for several hours.

“I just want to say I made a big mistake. I want to apologize to everyone and anyone that I offended with my remarks,” McMackin said. “I’m committed to do whatever I can to use this as a life lesson to learn from my mistake. When we make mistakes, we have to learn from it and make better people of ourselves.”

Then wiping away tears from his eyes, McMackin said he’s offended the gay and lesbian community and now he wants to work with them to use the incident as a “teachable moment for me and hopefully others.”

Part of McMackin’s salary reduction will go toward paying for a student intern at the LGBT center on Hawaii campus and for campus wide workshops and awareness training.

A statement from Hawaii’s Chancellor, Virginia Hinshaw, also said that McMackin will, “participate in activities directed at improving the environment of our community, to working with the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgendered community on our campus.” That includes McMackin participating in a public service announcement that details the power of offensive language toward the LGBT community.

Before becoming the Hawaii head coach, McMackin spent three years with the San Francisco 49ers as associate head coach. McMackin also served as defensive coordinator for the Seattle Seahawks and several college programs including Texas Tech, Miami, Navy, Utah and Idaho.

http://glaadblog.org/2009/07/31/media-reports-anti-gay-slur-issued-by-football-coach/

The World Outgames is a quadrennial event that aims to address the mind, the heart and the body of LGBT community all over the world. They were held for the first time in Montreal, Canada, in 2006 with more than 18,000 participants from 111 countries. This year, the event is going to be held in Copenhagen, Denmark from July 25 to August 2.

The program includes 34 sports tournaments, 17 official parties, several LGBT themed art shows and exhibitions, an international choir festival, a tango festival, a film festival, a leather festival and a number of special performances featuring cabaret, theatre and opera, and the Love of Freedom – Freedom to Love Human Rights Conference.

OutCities is part of the program. It’s a cultural feast, an international collaboration with LGBT artists from different parts of the globe: Antwerp, Mexico City, Tel Aviv, Rio de Janeiro and Aarhus (a Dannish city) will fill the streets of Copenhagen with music, installations, events and performances on gender, identitu and diversity.

Visit www.copenhagen2009.org for complete program information. Tickets to all parties except the Grand Opening are now on sale. For more information about the parties and tickets, click here. If you can’t make it to Copenhagen, The next edition of Outgames will be held in 2013 in Antwerp, Belgium.

Lezzie is half-closeted Brazilian Philosophy High School teacher writing on everything she has the opportunity to read, listen to and see (as a good Gemini).You can find out more about here by checking her profile at http://lezgetreal.ning.com/profile/Boudecca.

Danica Patrick made history today when she finished third in the Indianapolis 500. She broke her own record for highest finish by a woman which she had previously held with a fourth place finish.

Danica started the day in 10th position. She drove a very smart race and her put crew did an excellent job helping her move up spots throughout the race. Danica has been criticized in the past in the male dominated sport for confronting other racers when they would cause her to be in an accident. The funny thing is that is exactly what the men were doing to each other in today’s race. The guys are just going to need to learn how to deal with this tough chick who is here to stay and not afraid to call them out when they screw up.

Patrick was not the only female driver in the race today. Sarah Fisher and Milka Duno were also in the race. Fisher who started 21st had a great day finishing 17th, her best finish at Indy. Duno started 30th and finished 20th on the day.

Sarah Fisher

Milka Duno

Besides the all the excitement during the race you couldn’t help but notice all the coverage Danica gets off the track. She is a major part of GoDaddy.com’s advertising campaign. Started with the Super Bowl they have done teasers that lead to what appears to be some risque behavior. The rest of the commercial can be seen at godaddy.com . Today’s new comercial was just as sexist but I must say somewhat entertaining as usual.

Paul Donahoe claims to not be gay but decided to pose for photos for a gay audience on Fratemen.tv

Fratemen.tv is an adult website that shows real college guys at there best. But when Paul and his friend Kenny Jordan who both attend the University of Nebraska were “outed” on campus for being amateur porn stars. The reaction was as expected shocking and appalling especially since both of them were on the wrestling team.

They both got kicked off the team in August for  breaking the rule. The rule disallows college athletes to promote themselves for commercial gain. Paul was even kicked off the campus all he wanted to do was go back to wrestling.

Paul’s record on the mat was impressive he was national champion in his weight class in 2007. Paul was forced to transfer schools he lost his class credits, it will delay him from graduating on time and of course now his face is plastered everywhere.

After transferring to Ediboro University he is now back wrestling again as the star athlete. He is currently ranked number 1 and unbeaten in his class (32-0).

Paul however is very unapologetic about the whole matter as he goes on to say in an interview…

“I didn’t do anything illegal he tells the Boston Globe. “I didn’t hurt anyone I don’t think I did anything wrong Who should I apologize to? I am straight, but on the forums people make a lot of gay jokes about me. I’m not too concerned they can talk about me all they want it doesn’t matter. If a guy wants to be with a guy who cares?” (except for the fact that his photo shoot was pure solo affair)

His new school is backing him up more than his old school ever did his coach adds on in an interview “We’ve all made mistakes”,says Ediboro coach and 4 time Olympic wrestling medalist Bruce Baumgartner. “Not that I condone what he did, but there are players all across the country on college teams that have actually broken the law or harmed people that are still competing.”

“We decided we would give him an opportunity to get an education at Edinboro University while competing hopefully,for another national championship. To me the graduation is more important than the title”.

So it seems that there is a double standard’s for colleges and most wrestlers have done way worse than Paul Donahoe getting DUI’s and hurting other people. But hey lets focus on the guy that posed nude for a website even though hes not harming anyone? Why ruin a young man’s life with this why publicly humiliate him?

For more details: http://www.boston.com

Kayla Tate is a 19 year old high school graduate looking to attend Winnipeg Technical for Carpentry. Kayla had a 19 year old mid-life crisis and decided that her voice needs to be heard, so she writes to help the LGBT community.

Image via Wikipedia

It looks like the gay bloggers have made an impact on ESPN.

After many gay blogs started to say that the ESPN commercial featuring Shaq O’Neil was homophobic, ESPN issued this statement…..

We have dozens of executions of the “NBA on ESPN RV Tour” online campaign and none are intended to be offensive to anyone or any community of people.

Our intent is to send a positive message about the camaraderie of sports and to do so as creatively as we can. However, we understand your perspective on this ad and would like to apologize to the members of the gay community. In addition, we have decided to remove the ad from the campaign’s online executions.

ESPN has a long-standing tradition of supporting diversity in the workplace and beyond.

We are fully committed to continuing a dialogue that welcomes and recognizes diverse perspectives.

We appreciate your bringing your concerns to our attention.

- Rob Tobias – Vice President, Media Relations, ESPN

Although I personally didn’t take offense to the ad it seems to have struck many as offensive. I’m glad that ESPN has taken the criticism seriously and has pulled the ad.

This ad is taking some heat for Shaquille O’Neal’s reaction to being asked to be given a “fist-kiss.” This is otherwise known as a fist bump which has replaced the high five for many people.

I can see how some might take Shaq’s reaction as being homophobic but to me he is having the reaction to the guy getting the name wrong and trying to figure out how we would go over to another player and ask for a “fist-kiss.” I gotta say I agree with Shaq – it’s a stupid name.

So you be the judge – Are ESPN and Shaq being homophobes?

The following are comments were made by our followers on twitter.com.

@penguirl John Madden’s secret identity? Captain Obvious.

@ntinaz76 is wondering if the Cards are falling apart

@azravenwood Geez, the Cardinals are acting like idiots

@Luvologist Is it me or is this game boring as hell. The NFL needs to go back to having the Super Bowl the week after the championship game.

@J_Bradley The Cards are beating themselves with all these penalties.

@MCBrennan Ten yard penalty against Steelers quarterback Ben Roethlisberger for having too many letters in his surname. You hate to see that, Al.

@meowable watching superbowl at hamburger marys

@nakedbard @J_Bradley yes, the Steelers could send their moms out to play and the Cards might still lose with those flags

@debontherocks Don’t use a VP Debate 08 Bingo list as a drinking game for the Superbowl. Not even one Maverick, I’m cold sober, and I feel sad for America.

@wishfulwriter FINALLY! Cards make a play WITHOUT fouling!

@marlaerwin Dude, you never heard of fair catch?

@carnellm Is Madden gay? “big strong hands”, “penetration”, “explosion” just too much

@LaBarceloneta Man, if the Cards come up with another TD, everybody’s gonna be KUNG FU FIGHTING! (do-da-doo-doo-doo-doo-doo-doo-dooooo!)

@J_Bradley What a shift in the momentum.

@geraldsaunders Cardinals are doing The Safety Dance – Are they wearing their hats?

@LaBarceloneta Whenever I hear “Special Teams” I think “Oh..that explains the helmet.”

@veronicaeye TD Cards!! They have to win cuz that will leave my Cubs as THE team of futility.

@quoththeravyn stops pretending not to care about this game thang.

@AlohaArleen yeEEEOw!!! GOcardinals!!!

@irobyn and will it be the underdog AZ? i’m thinking so…but, who knows?

@heathr 49 seconds in football is like 3 months in a gay relationship: a long time.

@LaBarceloneta I should not care this much about a sporting event. HOLY CRAP!

@wishfulwriter NO NO NO NO NO NO NO NO NO NO NO NO NO

@ohchicken pittsburgh! that was lovely!

@wishfulwriter I’m dying over here. Tell me the Steelers didn’t JUST DO THAT.

@AlexaRPD Now the Steelers are ahead. What a game!

@saintchick ok i give. i really wanted to see the cards pull it out. i’m a sucka for an underdog!

@RobinJP 4-point game is killer right? cards have to get a touchdown .. yikes.

@irobyn does pittsburg have it? i’m thinking that AZ is going to do something spectacular!

@HistKB come on Cardinals! 22 seconds is like an hour in football. this game has proved that.

@wishfulwriter I am SWEATING. Fifteen seconds. Come on Cardinals.

@simplyn2deep I wish the clock could have run out when the Cards were ahead and there was 2 mins left #superbowl

@HistKB A flag? is there hope?

@leapingwoman the dominant words in the room are “holy crap!” #superbowl

LezGetReal Steelers Win 27 – 23

@LaBarceloneta Wow. Just…wow.

@J_Bradley Very happy for Mike Tomlin, I really like his style.

@simplyn2deep I like Ben Rothlessburg and all, but I really wanted the Cards to win. good game anyway #superbowl

@RobinJP so did the hairiest team win?

@fantasyvsreal OMFG!!!! HOW INCREDIBLE!!!!!

Thanks to all of our amazing followers on twitter.

If you are on twitter please follow Lez Get Real. If you aren’t familiar with twitter it’s a social networking site that allows you to update life in 140 characters or less.

Lezzymom has two kids and a wonderful partner. Her political commentary has appeared on C-Span and CSPAN.org. Visit her Lezzymom blog for more of her insights.

Image via CrunchBase

The following are comments from our followers on Twitter.com

@J_Bradley Countdown to the not-so-super Super Bowl with Keith Olbermann.

@sarahdopp Proud of myself for finally noticing that the Superbowl’s on

LezGetReal Twitter Poll – Who are you pulling for to win the #superbowl?

@ntinaz76 @lezgetreal GO CARDS!

@simplyn2deep @lezgetreal Cardinals for the win!

@J_Bradley I’d go country for Faith Hill!

@urbanphish @lezgetreal we are eating chips and dip, mini corn dogs, sandwiches, and bagel bites tonight!

@simplyn2deep man talking about penetration just doesn’t sound right! #superbowl

@MCBrennan John Madden seems unduly obsessed with getting penetration. Well, there’s another recurring nightmare to discuss with my therapist.

@simplyn2deep NOOOOOOOO steelers got first blood!

@lacomandante Face, Pittsburgh!

@fantasyvsreal BWAAHAHAA they have WIRELESS here!!! Cards offense is CAVING!! I SO predicted that!!! BWAHAHAHAHAAH

@apeywoo how many superbowl commercials are going to involve removing women’s clothes? (dorritos, godaddy…)

LezGetReal Hard to go wrong with Danica Patrick

@LaBarceloneta @lezgetreal Yeah, but I’ll bet the German girl’s a top too. Could get violent.

@WorldHarmony @lezgetreal I like Patrick but I’m tired of her being a sex object in those GoDaddy ads. Sigh

@RobinJP Madden: ‘pass on running downs’ and ‘run on passing downs’ .. what am I missing?

@msceo8 watching the superbowl…more like, it’s watching me. just can’t get into football. but i need to, since my 7 y/o loves it and plays well

@NSpirit I love watching touchdown drives unfold.

@LaBarceloneta “He gets good penetration because he jumps early” No, football isn’t homoerotic. Why?

@simplyn2deep cat thinks I’m crazy for yelling go go go haha #superbowl

LezGetReal The President is having a Super Bowl Party. Who is invited http://twurl.nl/il33fi

@leapingwoman @bipolarturtle the gals watching here want to know what food is being served at Obama’s #superbowl party!
@NSpirit Yes TOUCHDOWN! Superbowl history!

@saintchick damn that play was fraking awesome

@madamminnie Unbelievable run by Harrison! But geez Cards! Take the man down! WTH?

@simplyn2deep not much of a Bruce fan. don’t think I’m going to watch the half time show #superbowl

Half time Cardinals 7 Steelers 17

Thanks to all of our followers for sharing your Super Bowl stories with us.

Image via Wikipedia

I am Jess your Femme Lez, but will be doing your live Superbowl blogging along with Lezzymom.

Well it is finally here! Cardinals vs. Steelers in the 43rd Super Bowl.

Now I am from AZ and will find it hard to stay neutral/fair but I will try.

I have been watching pre-game shows since about 7am this morning.

Most of what I have seen has been in favor of Pittsburgh, I can understand that, with the defense of Troy Palamalu and others why wouldn’t it be?

But with Kurt Warner throwing and Larry Fitzgerald receiving I would be careful to call the game.

On NBC that I have been watching at my parents house, Al Roker has interviewed many celebrities and it has been pretty even on who they would like to win. John Legend and Journey have both perform and have done a great job. The new lead singer for Journey did a good job considering that he is the young guy doing the “old guy” song as my mom put it. I must say the the players who were dressed in the suits looked fantastic, especially Kurt Warner and if you ask my wife she will tell you that he is my fantasy husband.

Stayed tuned for more Superbowl action as it happens….

In England, the most popular sport is football (soccer to us Yanks), and if you go into a pub (a bar to us Yanks) on any given night, especially on the weekend, there is going to be large crowd of people that are cheering on their favorite team or jeering the opposing team.

British soccer fans are however famous for being rowdy and letting things get out of hand…. And Homophobia and the abuse of LGBTI’s has long been a fan tradition among many.

Throughout 2006 fans taunted Ashley Cole about his sexuality, chanting “Ashley Cole is a rent boy” and other homophobic insults and on September 28th 2008 in fans at the Tottenham vs Portsmouth match subjected Sol Campbell to a torrent of homophobic abuse.

Campbell, a 34-year-old center back for Portsmouth, had enraged Spurs supporters for leaving for north London rival Arsenal seven years ago and Campbell has been taunted ever since over claims he is gay, this despite repeatedly denying being gay and having a string of girlfriends.

But it looks like there is an organized effort to give homophobia the boot in the sport when last week four men were fined and banned by a British court from attending soccer matches for three years after pleading guilty to shouting racist and homophobic chants at Campbell, during the match in September.

Image via Wikipedia

Eleven other men, including three juveniles aged under 15, also appeared at the Portsmouth magistrates court to face charges of racist and homophobic chanting stemming from an incident during the game in September.

In court, Richard Gibbs, 36, of Wokingham, Stuart Turner, 34, of Wellington, Keith Stevens, 54, of Hailsham, East Sussex, and 28-year-old Oliver Sylvester, of Southampton, all admitted to the indecent chanting, plead guilty and were sentenced to a three-year football banning order, fined 370 pounds ($500 US) and ordered them to pay 120 pounds ($162 US) in legal costs.

Magistrate Susan Waddle said when she handed down the sentences….

There were families present, very young children. We also heard from witnesses who found the behavior disgusting and embarrassing.

No doubt you are upright members of society, but in there you acted like animals, like a herd. This was well rehearsed – everyone was in sync, everyone knew the words – it was not something that just happened on the day. Whether or not Mr Campbell was offended, decent members of the public found this very offensive and so did the bench. Anyone who indulges in this disgusting behavior will be dealt with very severely by the courts.”

She set a trial date for the seven other defendants who have pleaded not guilty to the same offences for the 13th of May.

British gay rights group, OutRage!, has long been pushing the governing body of the British Football Association, the FA, to take measures against homophobia among European soccer fans. Recently the FA, has said it would ban for life any fans proven to have been chanting abuse and has also has agreed to fund a video and DVD featuring high-profile premier league players speaking out against homophobia and a statement on the FA’s official site says…

Male or female, an individual’s sexual orientation should never be a barrier to people taking part in – and enjoying – our national sport.

With this in mind, The FA will:

- Work to ensure every door is open for members of the gay and lesbian communities to participate and progress within football.

- Combat all forms of homophobic language and behaviour – whether by spectators, players or other participants.

As the guardian of the game in this country, The FA is uniquely placed to tackle issues such as homophobia.

Why? Because we can create a supportive, open and inclusive environment by supporting the professional clubs and through our County FA network, which reaches out to every community in the land. Conversely, we can – and will continue to – amend the laws of the game to outlaw homophobic behaviour.

The game exists for everyone.

Last year Rio Ferdinand, a star center-back for Manchester United, quite unprompted, came out with a statement attacking homophobia, saying it had no place in sport and the FA expects to get soccer super stars like David Beckham and Wayne Rooney to appear in their anti-homophobia video.

The FA’s anit-homophobia video is due to be released later this year.

The New York Post is reporting that NY Knicks center, Eddy Curry, has been hit with a sexual harassment lawsuit by his former driver David Kuchinsky, that alleges Curry tried to solicit him for sex.

In court papers filed yesterday with the Manhattan Federal court by David Kuchinsky’s attorney, Kuchinsky is alleging, Curry repeatedly approached him while naked and told him “Come and touch it, Dave.” Kuchinsky is also saying Curry has made racist slurs at him. He is asking for $98,000 plus compensatory damages, saying Curry owes him $68,000 in unpaid wages, as well as $25,000 in other expenses such as club bills etc.

The 6′11″ Curry, who began his career with the Chicago Bulls was traded to the New York Knicks in 2005. Not without other problems recently; Curry showed up out of shape to training camp this year, infuriating Knicks head coach Mike D’Antoni.

Curry not only lost his job as the starting center then, but also was not even in D’Antoni’s rotation at the beginning of the 2008–2009 season and did not play his first game of the season till January 8 against the Dallas Mavericks.

Curry has denied all allegations and told New York Post reporters … “It’s false, and everyone who knows me knows I’m not a racist… I’ve never made a comment like that, playing, or nothing. . . . That’s incredible, man.”

I noticed Curry is saying he is not racist, but he is not saying anything about not being gay….

Well if the allegations turn out to be true… What a hell of an expensive way to come out huh?

http://www.nypost.com/seven/01122009/news/regionalnews/knicks_sex_scandal_shock_149861.htm

A professional sports team shuts down and hardly any mention of it is made.

But in December 2008, Houston Comets, one of the WNBA’s most successful franchises in it’s 12 year history, was shut down by the league.

When the WNBA started it put teams in cities where there were NBA teams were willing to become owners of the women’s teams. Over the 12 years of the league many of the NBA teams have sold the WNBA teams to new owners. The Houston Comets are one of these teams.In 2006, the NBA’s Houston Rockets ended their affiliation with the Comets ans sold the team to Hilton Koch. In August of 2008 Koch decided he wanted to sell the most succefull team in the WNBA. The WNBA took control of the team during the 2008 season but was unsuccessful in finding a buyer for the franchise.

The following is the official statement from the WNBA President Donna Orender

Multiple investors have come forward and expressed significant interest in purchasing the Comets and having them continue to play in Houston in 2009,” said Orender. “However, we made the judgment that we would not be able to complete a transaction with the right ownership group in time for the 2009 season. The WNBA is extremely grateful to the Comets organization, to the city of Houston and to the team’s loyal fans for helping build both the WNBA and the game of women’s basketball.

The WNBA says that no other teams are in danger of shutting down operations. In fact acording to the WNBA things are better than ever and claims,

Having concluded its 12th season in 2008 with increases in attendance, ratings, Web traffic, sponsorships and merchandise sales, the WNBA will play the 2009 season with 13 teams. The 2009 season also marks the first year of the WNBA’s new, eight-year television agreement with ESPN under which the league will receive a rights fee, a first for a women’s professional team sports league in the U.S.

This seems to indicate that poor management was a large part of the demise of the Comets. Many of the stars of the Comets were shocked at the news. One of the original stars of the league and the first player to come out of the closet is Sheryl Swoopes.

She helped lead Houston to win the first 4 championships from swoopes she joined the Seattle storm in 2008 and had this to say about the Comets shutting down operations

I am saddened by today’s news regarding the Houston Comets. Having been a part of the team, one of the WNBA’s first, for the majority of my career I can’t help but think of the rich basketball history created there with the first four championships. I will always feel a deep connection with the city of Houston and Comets fans and would like to thank them for their support and passion over the years. While this situation is unfortunate, I am focused on and excited about the 2009 WNBA season.

With the economy in such turmoil time will only tell what will happen to the WNBA. It has built a solid following and has been improving it’s numbers. With the new ESPN deal hopefully even more fans will get behind their teams. The talent for women’s basketball is better than ever before. New stars are coming out of college each year and raising the level of play.I just wish this league would begin to get some respect and people would take notice when a 4 time championship team is suddenly shutdown. Hopefully we won’t witness the whole league just disappear in the night.

Inspired by former Australian rugby league player and actor, Ian Roberts, who came out in 1995, the Rugby Football League of Britain is hoping to promote LGBT equality in sport.

League officials say posters and logos carrying the message, “Some people are gay. Get over it!” will be displayed at rugby league grounds, in programs and fan areas, as a bid to promote LGBT integration in the sport.

Forums will also be set up for gay, lesbian and bisexual players and staff.

This will make the RFL the first national governing body of a major sport to sign up and support an anti-homophobia campaign.

Rugby has long been a popular sport in our community, both in this country and internationally and has long been a very popular sport for lesbian and bisexual women. It is not unusual for a women’s rugby team to consist of 50% lesbian and bisexual women.

On the other hand gay and bisexual men, if they knew anything about the game at all, had often perceived rugby as an unwelcoming and unsafe space, but the sport is now growing in popularity among that segment of our community as well.

The International Gay Rugby Association and Board (IGRAB), an umbrella organization for the world’s gay rugby clubs, was established in 2002 and there is even an international rugby competition held every two years named The Bingham Cup, in remembrance of Mark Kendall Bingham, one of the heroic victims of the September 11, 2001 terrorist action in the USA.

Mark was an avid rugby player, playing for one of USA’s leading gay rugby teams, San Francisco Fog RFC.

He died at age 31 in the September 11, 2001, on board United Airlines flight 93. He is believed to have been among the passengers who stormed the cockpit to prevent the hijackers from using the plane to kill hundreds or thousands of additional victims.

The 2008 Bingham Cup was held in Dublin Ireland this year.

Paula Brooks lives in the Outer Banks of North Carolina with her partner, their twin daughters and her hearing helper dog, where they own and operate a vacation home rental business. You can visit her Blogger profile here.