Evidently, I haven't blogged at all on any of the lesbian (gasp!) athlete stories that came out (aw, I made a pun) this past fall.
But first, the most recent one:
Rennae Stubbs, Australian tennis star, has (finally) officially come out. I guess it's been pretty obvious to her fans and colleagues for quite a while now, but now it's on paper and official.
And, evidently, she's dating some former US softball player now, though the article doesn't name who. Gee, I can't imagine -- softball players, gay??? No way!!!
While I'm ecstatic that she's coming out of the closet, I can't help but wonder about this one aspect of her life...she dated her former doubles partner, Lisa Raymond (who, by the way, is gay gay gay gay gay..just look at that picture!). I refused to even date among my soccer team of 22 people...dating the sole person you rely on as the rest of your team just seems...ill-advised? Needless to say, she has a new doubles partner now that her and Raymond are broken up. The article says they have a friendly relationship, but really. I can't see how dating your doubles partner is smart. At all.
But that's beside the point.
The point is: yay! she's out!
Other Lesbian Athlete stories of the fall of 2005 that I missed:
Sheryl Swoopes, WNBA star, came out in October. The reception she got? Surprisingly warm. There were very few homophobic patriarchians that I found among those responding to her outness. A very, very happy surprise for this cynic, I must say. And her story, in her own words, is here.
And Rene Portland, Penn State women's basketball coach, has been accused of anti-lesbian bias. A former player, Jennifer Harris (pictured above), filed the complaint with the NCLR (National Center for Lesbian Rights) after she had transferred from Penn, partly because of the coach's racial slights and homophobia. (Jennifer Harris, however, is straight. Allies rock.) After Harris filed her complaint, two other former players also came forward to testify to Portland's blatant homophobia. Portland threatened to kick players off her team if they came out, and told players not to associate with anyone she believed to be gay.
Really, NOT ok behaviour for a coach. Especially a women's basketball coach. I mean, come on. Gayness and women's basketball pretty much go hand in hand. Obviously, straightness does too, but this bothers me a lot because basketball is one of those few athletic fields that queerness is almost accepted. Unless, I guess, you play for Rene Portland.
Have I mentioned how much I *heart* sports dykes?
Because I do. Like whoa.
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