For a while in the early 2000s, Greg Congdon was a regular fixture in the media for his coming out story. Or rather, his story of how being outed as a high school football player ruined his life. He disappeared from public life in 2004 and took heavily to drinking, but teens still sought him [...]
Posts under ‘Wrestling’
Columnist says wrestling is gay. Maybe. Or not.
No need to march on AOL headquarters over this one, just bringing it to light and wondering what on earth this guy is talking about. Brandon Stroud, a contributor for AOL’s FanHouse, was asked about people who say professional wrestling is “fake.” His response: It is fake, and I’m sick of explaining it to you. [...]
High school wrestler Jaime Loo comes out
Last month we brought you the story of gay-sports pioneer Roger Brigham, a sports journalist, wrestler and wrestling coach. In that story Roger talked about one young man he felt particularly proud of having coached. This month Roger brings us the story of that kid, Jaime Loo. It’s an inspiring story of a kid who [...]
Hudson Taylor honored by PFLAG
Hudson Taylor is being honored by the Parents and Friends of Lesbians and Gays with its Straight for Equality award, given to an ally of gay rights. Taylor, a former collegiate wrestler and now wrestling coach whom we written about many times for his amazing work, has most recently founded Athlete Ally. In its first [...]
Gay sports pioneers series: Roger Brigham
Traveling in Germany with Dave Kopay it struck me how few young gay athletes today realize who he is and the impact he has had on our culture. After I returned from the Gay Games I thought about all the other people who have led the way for gays in sports but who get lost [...]
Ben Cohen, Hudson Taylor to work together
Ben Cohen and Hudson Taylor, the two strongest straight allies in the fight against homophobia in sports, met in New York this weekend and will work together on their joint passion. Wrote Cohen on his Facebook page: Met Hudson Taylor last night what a great guy. We share the same passion on homophobia in sport [...]
Greco-Roman wrestler comes out publicly
In October, I profiled AK, a former University of Maryland football player and now an elite-level Greco-Roman wrestler who is gay. At the time, AK did not want his full name used, but that has now changed. His name is Akil Patterson and he decided to come out publicly since his family and close friends [...]
Vote: Outsports Sportsperson of the year
While the search for the first openly gay active pro athlete in the big four American sports continues, there was a lot of good that happened for gays in sports in 2010. Many more athletes came out, many more straight allies came on board, and transgender athletes became big stories for the first time in [...]
Gay pro wrestler’s “It Gets Better” video
The latest sports entrant to the “It’s Gets Better” project comes from Tommy “The Spider Baby” Saturday, a pro wrestler based in Minneapolis. Saturday’s real name is Terrance Griep and he is openly gay. In his video, Saturday talks about his thoughts about committing suicide while younger and how his life became better: Share on [...]
TNA launches anti-bullying PSA and Web site
TNA Wrestling is putting their money where their mouth is and pumping tons of resources into their Eliminate The Hate campaign aimed at stopping name-calling and bullying. Their new PSA features many of TNA’s biggest stars and even includes pro wrestling legend Ric Flair saying “it’s time” to eliminate the hate. Spike TV will air [...]
High school wrestler charged for ‘butt drag’
A high school wrestler in the Fresno, Calif., suburb of Clovis has been charged with sexual assault on a teammate for using a move that his coaches taught him and that has been around for decades. The “butt drag” involves grabbing the buttocks of an opponent and sticking a finger in his anus. It is [...]
Pro athletes Standing Tough against bullies
Derek & Romaine, the top show on Sirius XM’s OutQ, have started a campaign showcasing top-level athletes taking stands against bullying. “Standing Tough” came from a brainstorm with professional wrestler Mick Foley. So far they have various pro wrestlers taking a stand, but some non-pro-wrestlers are coming soon. Romaine knows a thing or two about [...]
Athletes sought for N.Y.-area NoH8 photo shoot
Wrestler Hudson Taylor is trying to get as many athletes as possible to show up for a NoH8 photo shoot, Monday Nov. 22 from 6 to 9 p.m. in Hoboken, N.J. Taylor, an assistant wrestling coach at Columbia, is one of the volunteer organizers for the shoot and describes the goal: The shoot is a [...]
TNA Wrestling launches anti-hate campaign
Total Nonstop Action wrestling has launched an anti-hate campaign aimed to stop bullying of youth. The issue has garnered national attention in recent weeks with the suicides of various bullied gay youth. They’re putting some of their biggest stars and TV time behind the campaign, marking a true commitment to the effort. While so many [...]
Hudson Taylor’s NoH8 photos
Former champion collegiate wrestler Hudson Taylor is a huge advocate for gay rights. Cyd and I interviewed him for our weekly podcast that is worth checking out. Taylor and his fiancee Lia Alexandra Mandaglio were also out in Los Angeles recently to appear in the NoH8 photo campaign to raise awareness of gay rights. He [...]