David Testo is Gay

Former Major League Soccer star David Testo has come during a recent interview with a Canadian radio channel. He regrets not doing it sooner but I think this is a fantastic step for professional athletes to be taking.

I’m a homosexual, I’m gay. I didn’t choose this. This is just who I am. It’s has nothing to do if you’re good at soccer. You can still be an amazing soccer player and be gay.

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Gus Johnston: The reality of homophobia in sport

Australian hockey star Gus Johnston has released his take on homophobia in sport. I think a lot of gay athletes can relate with what he has to say.

After many years of competing in hockey at an elite level, I've decided to share my story and experience with homophobia in sport. It's taken me many years to find the strength to share it, but I hope that people find value in hearing it.

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Sean Avery Is On Our Team

Sean Avery (who is a forward for the Rangers for those who know as little about sports as I do) made this video clip in support of equal marriage rights in New York. Avery is one of the few professional athletes out there who has openly supported equal marriage rights, and consequently is now my favorite hockey player.

source: http://aol.sportingnews.com/nhl/story/2011-05-07/new-york-rangers-sean-avery-backs-same-sex-marriage


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Gareth Thomas On Coming Out and the Rest of Life.

The Guardian has done an article about out gay rugby star Gareth Thomas. Much like the earlier Sports Illustrated article, this is a great account of both the support and challenges Thomas faces as the only out male athlete on a major sports team, and also talks coming out to his parents, his divorce from his wife and switching teams (in the sports sense.) I would recommend reading the article in it's entirety, but here are a couple of good quotes if you're too lazy:

I love the Crusader lads to bits. They're brilliant. But for two weeks me being gay wasn't mentioned. That means it's lurking there. Our captain, Ryan O'Hara, is a real good bloke, an Aussie, and we get on great. But we were all standing around the physio room and Ryan said: 'Did anyone hear about Ricky Martin [the singer who came out in March]?' One of the other guys jumped in and said: 'Ah, we've got rugby this afternoon.' It was his way of changing the subject but the whole room went quiet. I got up and walked out because it felt uncomfy.

Then, three days later, we all went out for a beer and Ryan sat me down and said: 'Mate, how are you being gay – and all the boys knowing?' I just shouted: 'Halle-fucking-lujah!' The boys looked over and I shouted out to them as well. 'Boys,' I said, 'I so respect the way you've handled this. But it's OK – you can talk about it.' It was such a respect thing they showed me but it's much better now. Since then many of them have sat me down, one to one, and said: 'Mate, we've got so much time for what you've done. It's so brave, so powerful.' But I love them taking the piss.

The full article (it's a short one - read it!) can be found here.

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Gareth Thomas Is Tougher Than America.

Sports Illustrated published an article on out rugby hero, Gareth Thomas, in which he questioned why he's a pioneer - and Sport's Illustrated did, too. It's a long and well written article that covers the issue in depth, and leaves both Thomas and SI asking why Gareth Thomas is the only out man in a major team sport.

So how do we answer Gareth Thomas? Where is our pioneer? Why hasn't one gay male athlete in a major professional team sport in our country—one who's still playing, not one retired—ever come out?

The article is well worth a full read through - so click here.
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Even More Gay Sports! WTF!

I was trying to find a good picture to go along with this post. I was too lazy to make one myself, so I just googled and hoped, when I found the above picture. I'm pretty sure it's not supposed to be a bunch of pride colored, soccer ball topped penises, but then again, I know very little about cock and even less about sports, so maybe I'm way off base. But while I'm on this tangent, if you have a horny gay male soccer player in your life, you can buy them this card here.

And if you're actually interested in the purpose of this post, there's a blog called One In Eleven written by a closeted gay pro-soccer player which can be found here.

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It's Gay Sports Day! With Unicorns!

Olympic gold medalist Matthew Mitcham is all set to model for Australian swim line Funky Trunks. He looks absolutely incredible, but, seeing as how I'm not actually the gay man I pretend to be, I prefer him as seen going to Lady Gaga below.

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USA Hockey Honors Brendan Burke.

USA Hockey has created an internship program to honor Brendan Burke, the son of Toronto Maple Leafs GM and US Olympic hockey boss, Brian Burke. Brendan, who came out in 2009 and wanted to work to eliminate homophobia in hockey culture was killed this February in a car crash. The internship will be awarded to "a recent college graduate who is interested in pursuing a job in hockey operations." And maybe, if we're lucky, someone who will continue the work Brendan was unable.

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Martina Navratilova has Breast Cancer.

Tennis super star Martina Navratilova has been diagnosed with a noninvasive form of breast cancer. She has already undergone a lumpectomy and is scheduled to begin six weeks of radiation next month. Her prognosis is considered excellent. Although she initially wanted to keep her private life to herself, she decided to go public in an attempt to help others, and will do a web chat on Thursday as the AARP's Health and Fitness Ambassador. She still intends to work as a commentator for the Tennis Channel during the French Open while receiving radiation therapy in Paris.

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Johnny Weir Addresses Canadian Comments

Olympic figure skater Johnny Weir called a press conference last week to address a Canadian broadcasters homophobic remarks about him. The French sportscaster said that Weir should have had to pass a gender test and called his feminine style a bad example that could make all boys end up like him. Quite frankly, if "ending up" like him means becoming an elite athlete I think we should be looking up to him as our role model.

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Olympians in the Closet

Evan as we make room for more and more queers in popular culture, the sports arena remains homophobic. Canadian Olympic star Mark Tewksbury won a gold medal at the 1992 Barcelona Olympic yet remained in the closet. He states it was a difficult place to be if you're not straight, he told a Vancouver Queer magazine last September. I've been trying to find articles of out athletes at this years games in Vancouver but mums the word. No one seems to want to blaze a trail because it might put themselves in a poor light. It seems to a a highly conservative structure and sadly an old boys club. Which would be fine if the boys played nice.....
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NBC Slights Matthew Mitcham then Apologizes

Australian diver Matthew Mitcham is the only out gay male in the Olympics this year. (Of the 10708 athletes competing there are nine lesbians and one bi female who are out as well.) So it's fairly safe to say that Mitcham is a rarity. NBC, however, failed to mention his orientation or his partner who was in the stands cheering him on. Yahoo reports:

NBC has made athletes' significant others a part of the coverage in the past, choosing to spotlight track athlete Sanya Richards’ fiancee, a love triangle between French and Italian swimmers and Kerri Walsh’s wedding ring debacle.

NBC defended their omission, though the arguments they put forth are picked apart quite nicely here. They later issued an apology for their "unintentional omission".

I'm sure the omission wasn't exactly unintentional and so I would have preferred to see NBC simply apologize for it outright rather than making it seem like an oversight. But, hey, at least they apologized. I suppose these things come slowly. Perhaps they could make it up in some way? Or make a half hearted promise not to indule in the same "unintentional" mistakes in the future? Mitcham (who won gold) has taken the whole thing very well, saying simply:

I’m happy with myself and where I am. I’m very happy with who I am and what I’ve done.

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