Akil Patterson Is Out, And Proud

Akil Patterson is gay, and black, and a football player.

Talk about a struggle.

It took him years to tell anyone, even himself, that he was a black, gay man playing Division I college football for the University of Maryland, and his choice to remain silent weighed heavily on him.

In secret, he would go online and search the web, using keywords like "gay" and "athlete" hoping to find someone like him, who was out there, and knew his struggle. He wondered how many other Division I athletes are gay--and black--and feeling as isolated as he was?

Now a highly ranked Greco-Roman wrestler, unpaid Maryland wrestling coach, and out gay, black man, Patterson says, "It's not like it's a terrible, deep, dark secret, but you think about the ramifications. They're talking behind your back, and everywhere you turn there's this culture that says you're not supposed to be like this."

And those whispers took their toil on Akil Patterson. in college, he began binge drinking to just feel like he fit in, and perhaps to forget that part of him that he thought no one would understand, but finally, he sees himself as a man "emerging from a dream" and came out publicly back in January, on Outsports.com.

He was so closeted, and so self-loathing, and so afraid anyone would discover his secret, that he began drinking all the time. He has memory lapses about some nights of binge drinking during his football years, but remembers all sorts of odd behavior, lying and denials.

Drunk one night, he hit on a male cheerleader, but denied to teammates that he was gay as rumors spread about his sexual orientation and erratic behavior. His heavy drinking included the night before a big game at Florida State in September 2003. He was suspended indefinitely by Maryland later that season and left school amid charges related to an off-campus fight.

These days he's out, and sober, and proud to be himself. his days of hiding, lying, self-loathing, and drinking to forget are over. These days Akil Patterson aspires to make the Olympics in Greco-Roman wrestling. An out gay man, wrestling for Gold, free from his demons and finally able to live his life as he knows it should be.

It really does get better.


via The Baltimore Sun

It's The Latest Thing.....

Remember back in the day when all the starlet wannabes, and has-been singers, and drug addicted wactresses, would flash their lady bits to the paparazzi?

I mean, it was the way to get yourself in the papers, dontcha know. A little peep of the vah-jay-jay and you were front page news.

Seriously. Once could be considered an accident, but as many times as I was subjected to looking at the girlie parts of Paris and Britney and Lindsay, I almost switched gears and became a gynecologist.

So, how do people get themselves a little free press these days? I mean, flashing your privates is sooooo 2007.

Faggot. That'll do it. Kobe did it. Others, too. And suddenly we were talking about them because they called someone a fag, or a fucking fag, or merely just mouthed the word gay, and then they got all the press. The apology press. the Oh I didn't mean it...I love gay people press.

I'm so over it. And yet here it goes again.

White Sox player Gordon Beckham wanted to send a little message to his BFF, Kansas City Royals' Chris Getz, when their two teams faced off against one another last week. So, what did he do? Send off a Tweet saying, Gonna beat you in the game next week? Maybe fire off an email, We're gonna crush
you guys in that game?Nope. Gordon Beckham decided the way to show his best friend how much he likes him was to scrawl a message in the dirt around the baseball diamond: "Getz Is Gay."

So..........funny.

Only now, Beckham is on the I'm Sorry Tour, saying, "Chris is one of my best friends. It was a joke. I didn’t know anybody could see [the dirt]. I didn’t mean anything, you know?"

Except to call his best friend gay as a means to deride him, and mock him. But then he goes on, and on, apologizing:  "I just want you to know that that’s not me. I don’t use slurs. I have a lot of gay friends. I didn’t mean it as anything ­— you know, like gay as in ... happy! Or, you know, an alliteration — ‘Getz is gay.'"

Hmmm. I don't use slurs.
But'cha did, Blanche, but'cha did.

Hmmmm, Gay, as in....happy.
Yeah, that makes sense. Why not just say Getz is happy, asshat?

But then he piles on more, using Getz is Gay as a form of an alliterative slur. Maybe Gordon Beckham ought to whip out the Thesaurus before his next dirt writing homophobia mood sets in.

And then we have Philadelphia Eagles DeSean Jackson, who, during an interview on the All Out Show, one of his fans, Troy in Tennessee, who called in to the show, and asked if Jackson "had his dick knocked in the dirt [indecipherable]," before the call ends.

Not so very nice, you know, but apparently, and I'm not up on the sports lingo, "knocking one's dick in the dirt" means knocking someone down or out. Okay, so I guess it makes sense, although I might just ask if you got knocked down, and leave your dick out of the call.

But DeSean wasn't real pleased with the call, and asked Troy, "What type of question is that? Say 'no homo', gay-ass. Faggot."

Hmmm, you got knocked down, and someone asks about it, so the appropriate response is to call someone a faggot.

Jackson has yet to begin his Apology Tour, and "Rude" Jude from the All Out Show, actually hopes Jackson won't apologize. he says Jackson was just bantering, you know, and that he's a "is a hood dude," and for "hood cats, the worst thing you can call someone is a bitch or a faggot. I don't think he's homophobic. He's joking."

Yeah, it's funny to call someone a faggot. It's funny to use that word to demean someone. And it's funny when someone decides that their sports heroes are right and faggots are just no good, and there is no need to have them around and you go out and maybe bash a couple of faggots.

It's all in a game, right?
I'm so sorry.

Beating The 'National Coming Out Day' Rush

National Coming Out Day isn't until October, but it seems like some folks are really jumping the gun. I mean, in the past couple of weeks we've had the Out Comings of Phoenix Suns CEO Rick Welts, CNN newsman Don Lemons, and athlete-turned-musician Will Sheridan. It's rainin' gays!

And now we have a new name to add to the list. Professional bowler, Scott Norton has announced that he is a gay man, and, of course, will be receiving the obligatory Welcome To The Franchise toaster oven and copy of The Gay Agenda.

Scott Norton: "It is extremely important for me to come out to show other gay athletes, both current and future, that it is important to come out to show that we are just like everyone else. Being gay doesn’t define who I am as a person or as a professional athlete. I'm also a professional bowler, lawyer, caring, compassionate, strong, and many other things."

We are all things. Athlete, singer, newsman, designer, businessman....bowler? Yes, we are bowlers, too. We're like the American Express card, we're everywhere you want to be.

Welcome Out, Scott.
 
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A Lesson Not Learned

You'd think after Kobe Bryant was fined $100,000 for calling someone a 'faggot' that NBA players would learn to watch their mouths. Yeah, not so much.

It seems that during last night's broadcast of the Miami Heat/Chicago Bulls Eastern Conference Finals game, Bulls center Joakim Noah, pissy because he'd gotten benched, turned to a fan and seemed to shout, "Fuck you, faggot."

Get your checkbook ready, asshat.

Of course, people are saying this is different because Noah wasn't talking to, or about, an official, like Kobe had dine. Apparently, in the NBA, it's perfectly acceptable to call a fan a 'fucking faggot,' but don't do it to a ref. And the NBA "declined immediate comment."

After the game, Joakim Noah acknowledged "saying 'something'" to a fan: "I got caught up. I don't mean no disrespect to anybody."

Guess what, you overpaid moron? It is disrespectful. And guess what else, you homophobe? You did mean it, because you said it so easily and fluidly, like it's something you say all the time.

Sign the check, baby, for 100K.


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Welcome Out, Will Sheridan

Will Sheridan was a basketball star at Villanova.

He's also a musician, with a video--"Welcome to the Jungle"--that has gone mini-viral on YouTube.

And he's gay.

This week, Will Sheridan has chosen to follow CEO of the Phoenix Suns, Rick Welts and CNN's Don lemon out of the closet. Will made his announcement during an interview on ESPN, saying: “I'm kind of over it. Everyone close to me knows. Everyone who matters to me knows. I'm at a point where someone else can learn from my experience.”

And maybe a couple of those who can learn something about Will Sheridan, are his parents. His mother, Josie, says, "Devastated. I was devastated. I mean, I was disappointed. Not in him, but in things that were taken away – not having a daughter-in-law, grandchildren, things like that.”

Josie, maybe one day you'll have a son-in-law, and you can also have grandchildren. And she does say that she's proud of Will: “I've always been so proud of him, but he has such courage. This takes courage.”

Will Sr., a religious man, however, did not speak to his son for over a year. “I don't use the word 'tolerate.' I 'appreciate.' I appreciate that this is who he is, and I believe this is who God wants him to be. [But] I treat him like he ain't [gay]. I believe one day he's going to change. He says he's not, but I believe he will. A man has to have some kind of belief and hope.”

Will Sheridan has changed. He's become open to himself, accepting of himself, understanding of himself.

He doesn't need to change. Society and his father need to change.

And they will. They will.

Welcome out, Will. Your Coming Out Toaster Oven and copy of The Gay Agenda should arrive any day now.

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This Is How You Battle Homophobia In Sports

Here in America we have Kobe Bryant, adored by millions, calling a referee a 'fag' because he didn't like the call. And we have many basketball fans asking, 'What the big deal? The ref is a fag.'

We ought to try something new. Something like, say, they do in Brazil.

Santos and the team libero

In Brazil, volleyball player Michael Santos, a a middle blocker from Team Vôlei Futuro, was playing in s semifinal match between against Sada Cruzeiro when fans began chanting homophobic slurs towards him. They were screaming “Bicha! Bicha! Bicha!” which means “faggot” in English.

At the time, Santos called the incident very traumatic and feared the same thing might happen again. He said he tried pretending he couldn't hear the taunts, but he could.

And he could have shouted back, and called them names, but after the game, when his own teammates checked to make sure he was okay, Michael Santos decided shouting back and swearing at the fans wasn't what was needed.

Instead, he stared then straight in the face and admitted that, yes, he is a gay man. “I’m gay. Everyone knows who I am. My team fully respects my sexuality. I have been playing for 10 years and everyone has treated me well and fair. I do not feel the need to let everyone know about my sexuality.”

Fast forward to the next semi-final match, and see how quickly fans and Santos' teammates responded to the issue. His team wore pink warm-up shirts to show support, and the team’s libero--the team's defensive player--donned a rainbow jersey during the match.

Not to be outdone, the crowd unfurled a gigantic banner reading Vôlei Futuro Against Prejudice…

And then began waving pink thundersticks emblazoned with Michael’s name to turn the stadium pink.

In support of a gay player.
Not as a joke or an insult,
Kobe Bryant could learn a lesson.
Oh yeah, Michael Santos and Team Vôlei Futuro won that match.

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Kobe Bryant Is A F$&%ing Moron...Oops, Sorry You Felt Offended Kobe

This is a professional?
This is how professionals act?
Or is this how children, who don't know better, act?
Or, is this how super-spoiled, overpaid, children dressing up as adults act?
Yes.
Kobe Bryant can suck it. He didn't like a call, didn't like a getting his fourth foul, so the ref is a 'fag'.

Here's what the Human Rights Commission had to say:

"What a disgrace for Kobe Bryant to use such horribly offensive and distasteful language, especially when millions of people are watching. Hopefully Mr. Bryant will recognize that as a person with such fame and influence, the use of such language not only offends millions of LGBT [lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender] people around the world, but also perpetuates a culture of discrimination and hate that all of us, most notably Mr. Bryant, should be working to eradicate."

Here's what Kobe had to say, not publicly, but in a statement his 'people' probably made him release:

“What I said last night should not be taken literally. My actions were out of frustration during the heat of the game, period. The words expressed do NOT reflect my feelings towards the gay and lesbian communities and were NOT meant to offend anyone.”

Here's what NBA Commissioner David Stern had to say:

“Kobe Bryant’s comment during last night’s game was offensive and inexcusable. While I’m fully aware that basketball is an emotional game, such a distasteful term should never be tolerated. Accordingly, I have fined Kobe $100,000. Kobe and everyone associated with the NBA know that insensitive or derogatory comments are not acceptable and have no place in our game or society.”

Here's what Ben Cohen had to say:

“It is disappointing to see this. As a professional athlete and rugby World Cup champion, I understand the heat and passion of competition at the highest levels. But we must all remember that strong bodies must be balanced with strong characters, and work toward that end. Our positions as role models demand it.”

Here's what I have to say:

"Grow up, Kobe. Using the word 'fag' in a derogatory sense is not okay. And apologizing IF you offended someone? How about saying 'I'm sorry I offended anyone. I'm sorry I can't pick my words better. I'm sorry I acted like a petulant child and began name-calling because I was upset.'

How about being a man and acting like a man, and a human being?  How about understanding that children, and adults, look up to you, and admire you and choose, at times, to emulate you, even when you act the fool?

Failing that, how about shutting the fuck up.

Sorry if I offended you."

Steve Davies Comes Out

Thanks to Will for giving me
a link to the correct Steve Davies!
The first picture was wrong.

Steve Davies, an English wicketkeeper--and I have no idea what that means, though it sounds mildly erotic--has come out as a gay man, the country's first top cricketer to do so--oh, so wicketkeeper has to do with cricket, which is a sport, I think.

Steve Davies: "I'm comfortable with who I am and happy to say who I am in public. To speak out is a massive relief for me, but if I can just help one person to deal with their sexuality then that's all I care about. Gareth Thomas's story helped me. It showed me it can be done. He was brave enough to stand up and say who he was. If I can help anyone else like he helped me, that would be great." 

Davies said he came out to close friends and family when he was nineteen, but decided only to come out to his teammates recently; he told coach Andy Flower and captain Andrew Strauss who then passed on the news to the squad.

Now twenty-four, Davies said he was nervous about coming out to his team, but Andy Flower's reaction--he said he is 100% supportive--showed him that it was the right thing to do as "I felt I couldn't live like this any more. I didn't enjoy going on tour too much because of the secret...[m]y sexuality is an essential part of who I am, so I wanted the boys to know."

He also said he hopes cricket supporters will back his decision, because at "the end of my career I want to be remembered as a good cricketer, not just as a gay cricketer."

Welcome out, Steve.

Your copy of the Gay Agenda, as well as a Toaster Oven, are on the way.

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