Pablo S. Torre and David Epstein have delivered possibly the most comprehensive article on trans athletes we’ve ever seen in the media. Simply titled The Transgender Athlete, the Sports Illustrated story revisits athletes like Key Allums and Keelin Godsey, whom we’ve written about on Outsports, in addition to some fascinating new figures. Lindsey Walker, a [...]
Posts under ‘Media’
Gay gymnast Josh Dixon gets lots of attention, but he’s focused on the Olympics
Our story earlier this week about Olympic gymnastics hopeful Josh Dixon got lots of attention, but he told the San Jose Mercury News that’s not why he came out publicly. Headed into the national championships in a few weeks, he is focused on being a great athlete first and foremost. Dixon, of San Jose, has [...]
Friday media watch: Nepal, Scott Heggart, lesbians on ice
The story of Nepal’s first “gay Olympics” got a lot of attention from the mainstream press this week: The Wall Street Journal: “Welcome to South Asia’s Most LGBT-Friendly Country” – this may well become the new motto for Nepal, which is set to host the region’s first sports competition for the lesbian, gay, bisexuals and transgender [...]
Tebow playing in New York: We’ll see if religion and sports do mix
The biggest beneficiaries of the Tim Tebow trade to the New York Jets are the media, specifically the tabloids. In the two days since the trade, the New York Post has used “God him,” “Halo, New York” and “Love Thy Backup” in headlines. The New York Daily News had the Statue of Liberty Tebowing (right). [...]
Friday media watch: Forbes, Bleacher Report, Comcast, Huffington Post, Sky Sports
With more and more mainstream publications writing about gay athletes and issues of LGBT sports, we’ll bring you weekly links of some of the best. Forbes’ Bob Cook explores the question, If sports is getting gay-friendly, why aren’t active pro athletes coming out? “However, I get the feeling that while there are already athletes who [...]
Gregg Williams, coach in “bounty” scandal, regularly used gay slurs, Washington Post columnist says
Former New Orleans Saints defensive coordinator Gregg Williams, the man at the center of the NFL’s “bounty scandal,” is also revealed to be someone who “used gay slurs with the best of them,” according to a player quoted by Washington Post columnist Mike Wise. Williams had been defensive coordinator for the Washington Redskins from 2004-2007 [...]
ESPN shows a little Crimson Tide nudity during Alabama postgame interview
The inadvertent locker room penis shot during a TV interview is an Internet staple and the latest comes via ESPN, which on its YouTube channel has an interview with Alabama wide receiver Kevin Norwood. It was filmed after the Tide beat LSU in the BCS title game. Alert reader David points out the brief nudity [...]
Journalist and sports fan Steve Kornacki tells his coming out story
Steve Kornacki is a political reporter who has written for several publications and is now with Salon. I have seen him on TV many times and always been impressed by his knowledge and insight. And he also pinged my gaydar. Kornacki has now come out in a terrific column on Salon. I just didn’t fit [...]
Moment #19: ESPN airs “World of the Gay Athlete”
Part of Outsports’ series on our 100 most important moments in gay sports history. Media, 1998: ESPN made the issue of gays in sports the centerpiece for coverage on the air and online in late 1998 and into 1999. “The World of the Gay Athlete” was groundbreaking in that a major mainstream media outlet devoted [...]
Moment #58: Christine Daniels comes out as transsexual sportswriter
Part of Outsports’ series on our 100 most important moments in gay sports history. Media 2007: For years, Mike Penner was a fixture in the sports pages of the Los Angeles Times, a gifted, graceful, funny and insightful writer. Then in April 2007, he stunned readers by writing this in a column: Today I leave [...]
Moment #62: CBC airs “The Last Closet”
Part of Outsports’ series on our 100 most important moments in gay sports history. Media, 1993: “The Last Closet,” the CBC Radio’s hourlong special on gays in sports was groundbreaking, exploring a subject that was little talked about in the media. They took the title from something I said in the interview about sports being [...]
Moment #64: Bill Konigsberg comes out at ESPN
Part of Outsports’ series on our 100 most important moments in gay sports history. Media, 2001: After working at the Worldwide Leader on the TV side and then online since 1999, journalist Bill Konigsberg came out publicly at ESPN in a column. Konigsberg, whom I have known as a friend for a decade, had a [...]
ESPN criticized for covering gay sports issues
ESPN is being criticized by a media watchdog group for giving too much attention to the issue of gays in sports. The Media Research Center Network, a media critique site run by self-described social and religious conservatives, is upset with ESPN’s recent coverage. Gay ‘rights’ and same-sex marriage have been all over the news lately. [...]
Mainstream media covers gay sports issues
With all the gay-sports news that’s unfolded over the last month, there’s also been an overwhelming reaction in the media: They’ve actually started giving the issue the coverage it’s deserved for a long time. Some say sports are “ready,” others say “we’ve come a long way.” Here’s a rundown of some of the best (many [...]
Runner’s World sparks debate after featuring story of openly gay runner Austin Hendrix
The Associated Press ran a detailed feature on gays in sports, with the focus on Eastern Michigan runner Austin Hendrix. I had spoken to the writer, Nancy Armour, and she had found Austin’s terrific coming out story on Outsports that ran in December. His journey was used in the AP story to illustrate the struggles [...]
Four athletes make Advocate’s Forty Under 40
The Advocate released their annual Forty Under 40 this week. The list highlights the work of LGBT people under 40 who are making a difference. It was cool to see several people on the list that had gotten their initial introduction to the U.S. here at Outsports: Wrestler Akil Patterson (right), speed skater Blake Skjellerup [...]
New York Times profiles Outsports
New York Times reporter John Branch profiles Outsports in a story that just moved on the Web and will be in the Friday print edition. We met John out in L.A. back in December and spent a delightful afternoon with him. I think he wrote a terrific and insightful story. John hopes to write more [...]
Steve Buckley talks about coming out
If only everyone who came out in sports could come to the same revelations that Boston Herald sports columnist Steve Buckley has concluded. Just a month after announcing he’s gay, Buckley is talking not about how horrible it would be to be an out player in pro sports, but how much support that person would [...]
‘Gay’ at Super Bowl media day
With all the insanity of Super Bowl media day, it seems at least one reporter had gay on the brain. While I can’t figure out who it was, a media day attendee from Dallas’ 105.3FM The Fan asked some sexually charged questions. From Time: But in a new media day low, a reporter from Dallas-area [...]
Steve Nash against anti-gay bullying
There’s an excellent article on ESPN.com by LZ Granderson. All-Star point guard Steve Nash of the Phoenix Suns speaks out, not just about bullying in general but specifically about kids who are being harassed because they’re gay. On his official Twitter feed, Nash re-tweeted a link to a New York Times article on the recent [...]