The NCAA announced a policy yesterday that clarifies their position on the participation of transgender student-athletes in sex-separated sports. The policy is largely based on recommendations included in On The Team: Equal Opportunities for Transgender Student-Athletes, which I am proud to have … [Read more...]
SMU Settles Lawsuit with Former Women’s Basketball Player
Here is a news report on the conclusion of a lawsuit I first wrote about in September, 2008. You can see that blog post here for more specific information about the former player's allegations. The university and coach Rompola will not comment and the university claims it did nothing wrong in this … [Read more...]
Sex And Selling Women’s Sports
The Nation magazine has a special issue on the role and impact of sport on U.S. culture edited by Dave Zirin. One of the articles in this issue is "Sex Sells Sex, Not Women's Sports" by University of Minnesota sport scholar Mary Jo Kane. Kane has conducted research using focus groups differentiated … [Read more...]
Hudson Taylor: An Amazing Straight Athlete Ally
If I were 40 years younger and straight, I would fall in love with Hudson Taylor. What an amazing straight ally. Watch this video and be inspired by him and his message. … [Read more...]
Sherri Murrell: Pioneer and Role Model
Here is a great article about Sherri Murrell, the openly lesbian women's basketball coach at Portland State University. The emails that she receives from closeted coaches are particularly moving. … [Read more...]
Lessons Sheryl Swoopes Is Teaching Us
Sheryl Swoopes has announced that she is engaged to a man. This news might be confusing to some people who remember that Sheryl revealed that she was a lesbian in 2005 in an interview with LZ Granderson of ESPN. Prior to this public announcement, she had been married to a man and had a son with … [Read more...]
More on Brenny v UMinnesota Discrimination Lawsuit
Former women's golf coach Katie Brenny and members of the women's team have widely different accounts of what transpired in their conversations with former director of golf, John Harris and his son-in-law, Ernie Rose about Katie Brenny and her sexual orientation. The university, so far, is … [Read more...]
Homophobia and Sexism in Soccer
This is an excellent article commenting on homophobia and sexism in soccer. Given the start of the Women's World Cup games and the recent anti-lesbian rant from the Nigerian women's coach, it is both relevant and right on target. I particularly want to call your attention to an online petition … [Read more...]
Update on discrimination lawsuit filed by lesbian golf coach
Last December I blogged about a situation brewing at the University of Minnesota in which a lesbian, Katie Brenny, hired to coach the women's golf team filed a sex discrimination lawsuit against the university and the director of golf, John Harris. Brenny charged that she was demoted from coach to … [Read more...]
Nigerian Women’s Soccer Coach to Team: “No Lesbians Need Apply.”
The Women's World Cup Soccer Tournament is beginning in Germany and our focus should be on the play on the field. Unfortunately this article about the Nigerian women's coach and her crusade to rid her team of lesbians calls attention to the nasty underbelly of homophobia in women's sports. Based … [Read more...]