Ex-Gay Watch

Senior ESPN Writer LZ Granderson recounts his own frightening experience with a mob in New Orleans that started with taunts of “faggot.” Granderson is gay and also often writes about social issues surrounding sports on ESPN Page 2, where this story can be found.

As I walked by the group of men — on my way to the Playboy party, no less — one of them called me a faggot. Then another joined in. They followed me for a while, continuing to hurl names at me. I tried to ignore it but eventually the “Detroit” came out of me and I turned around and said some things I probably shouldn’t have. Next thing I know I’m surrounded and wondering if I’m going to see the dawn and if not for a pair of New Orleans policemen who saw trouble brewing and yelled at the group to break it up, I might not have.

He makes a plea to commissioner Roger Goodell to deal with homophobia in the NFL:

…if he’s serious about cleaning up his league, the topic of homophobia in the NFL needs to be included in that conversation. It doesn’t matter if he or I or any of you believe homosexuality is a choice or not. There’s a little something called respect for human life that should supersede the rules commonly found on the playground.

And something which I think sums his argument up perfectly:

For those of you who are reading this and believe I’m trying to forward some sort of agenda, let me be the first to tell you that you are absolutely correct. I want a country where it isn’t OK to get the snot kicked out of you because you’re different.

It’s nice to see an article like this from what might be considered by some an unexpected source. Perhaps if Granderson’s “agenda” catches on, it won’t be such a surprise to see in the not too distant future.

Read the entire article.

Some stories need to be told. One such story is the short life of Anthony Castro. As first reported by Outsports, Castro’s courage and determination was tragically cut short by an auto accident on January 21. Yet his impact on his community and the perceptions others may have will live on.

From an ESPN article:

A four-year starter for the Banning High Broncos when the team’s starting quarterback was ruled academically ineligible, Anthony, a 6-foot, 210-pound fullback, volunteered to take his place. He had never played the position before, but that didn’t stop the Broncos’ captain from making all-conference.

Anthony was also captain of the swim team, a member of the wrestling squad and part of the yearbook staff. Despite his being the big man on campus, freshmen felt comfortable enough around him to ask for help if they were being bullied by other upperclassmen. Teachers loved him, and the girls adored him. In six years, there had been only one graduation party principal Jim Broncatello stayed at until the end. It was Anthony’s.

This may not appear special until you know that Anthony was openly gay in a conservative school in a redneck town whose mother kicked him out when she found out he was gay. Anthony rose above his challenges and gained the respect of those who knew him.

We salute him.

(photo courtesy www.outsports.com)

Is Exodus handing out special glasses or something cos some select ex-gays have sure been reading minds recently. If anyone attends an exgay conference and is issued a pair of said magic mind reading glasses please mail them to me. Satire aside, here’s an ex-lesbian reading the mind of Sheryl Swoopes for our friends at the AgapePress:

[Yvette] Schneider does not see in Swoopes’ recent divulgence any affirmation of the prevalence of lesbianism in society, necessarily. Rather, she says she views it as “more a comment on our sex-saturated society — that if you care for someone and have a strong emotional connection with them, then it must be sexualized in some way rather than just merely having strong feelings for a close friend.”

In fact, the sports ministry consultant contends, Swoopes’ lesbian relationship has nothing to do with what is commonly known as a “lesbian core identity,” where an individual acknowledges having experienced same-sex attractions since childhood. For the WNBA star, as she herself acknowledges, homosexuality was not an inborn trait but was a conscious choice.

And the athlete’s revelation of that choice came as no surprise to Schneider. She was, however, taken aback by the double standard with which Swoopes’ announcement has largely been met.

“What surprised me,” Schneider says, “was that there was no real mention of the fact that her relationship began with an assistant coach, Alisa Scott, on the Houston Comets; whereas, if a woman started having a relationship with a man who was coaching her, we’d hear about that being sexual abuse, molestation, or some sort of [suggestion that] she was coerced into a sexual relationship.” (*)

Former NFL player Roy Simmons came out as gay in 1992. (Google search.)

After disappearing from the public eye for a decade, he now tells The 700 Club that he lived out a prolonged nightmare of childhood molestation, drugs, prostitution, and sex with men and women — and he blames homosexuality as much as, or instead of, his own behavioral choices.

Sometime after discovering he was HIV-positive, Simmons was born-again spiritually. The 700 Club wishes for its audience to believe Simmons is a former homosexual:

Roy has learned much from his pastor about his former lifestyle.

"We spoke on and learned about homosexuality and the connotations and everything that go along with it. It’s really against God’s will," Roy states.

Simmons has not had sex in three years — perhaps a wise decision, given his stated difficulty in moderating his behavior. But Simmons agrees with a pastor who has encouraged him to blame his sins — drug abuse? prostitution? nonmarital sex? — on "homosexuality."

The 700 Club article argues that does not ask one very obvious question, nor does Simmons volunteer an answer:

1. To which gender is Simmons now attracted?

If he is indeed happy and secure in his faith, and celibacy is nothing to be ashamed of. So it should not be difficult for Simmons to answer this simple question.

But I do not expect to see Simmons’ answer promoted on The 700 Club.

(Hat tip: Aaron)

Denver Rockies reliever Todd Jones stands by his threats last month against gay baseball players.

Jones’ original remarks, as reported by The Denver Post:

Colorado Rockies pitcher Todd Jones, a 6-foot, 3-inch pitcher from Marietta, Ga., said an openly gay player would create a hostile locker-room environment, and that opposing pitchers would likely throw intentionally at his head.

“I wouldn’t want a gay guy being around me,” Jones said. “It’s got nothing to do with me being scared. That’s the problem: All these people say he’s got all these rights. Yeah, he’s got rights or whatever, but he shouldn’t walk around proud. It’s like he’s rubbing it in our face. ‘See me, hear me roar.’ We’re not trying to be close-minded, but then again, why be confrontational when you don’t really have to be?”

Exodus already claims to support the criminalization of private sexual expression — and, implicitly, the resulting imprisonment. It would make sense, then, for Exodus to support the exclusion of gay players from baseball — if not because they’re already going to jail, then no doubt because gay men are no good at sports anyway, and nobody wants to see them get hurt.

Jones and Exodus might be surprised, however, at how many gays play sports and how controversial the sports closet has become. If they were aware of the numbers, they might have more to say about the subject.

Gay ballplayers have an unwitting (and unwilling) ally in Exodus speaker Dr. Joseph Nicolosi. The doctor maintains that sports help men become ex-gay.

Play ball!

Comments submitted to XGW’s former blog location:
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Revised Feb. 16, 2005

The Washington Post ran an article Jan. 24 (2003) depicting the state of affairs in colleges’ recruitment of student athletes.

Some antigay coaches for women’s teams are apparently running amok, telling prospective students that rival coaches are lesbians bent on "recruitment" of the non-sporting variety.

Parents in some cases are lapping up the propaganda, exerting heavy pressure on their 18-year-old children to avoid — or quit — schools with coaches who are alleged to be lesbian.

Unfortunately, the head of a division of Campus Crusade for Christ is quoted as if to encourage parents’ preoccupation with coaches’ private lives:

Parents have a responsibility to their daughters to learn everything they can about a coach, says Dennis Rainey, president of faith-based FamilyLife, a division of Campus Crusade for Christ dedicated to promoting traditional family values.

"Every parent who sends his son to play for Bobby Knight knows who he’s
sending his son to play for," said Rainey. "A coach has a significant
influence in a player’s life. I just interviewed John Wooden for two hours,
and I can promise you character does count. To me, as a parent of six
children, sexual preference and practice are a reflection of a coach’s
character. They do matter."

Rainey’s interference in the private sexuality of others prompts some skeptical reflection upon his own character. Young athletes and their coaches already confront serious injustices and ethical dilemmas, including cheating, academic neglect, poor sportsmanship, and steroid use. Witchhunts against coaches who behave professionally — that is, they keep their private lives reasonably private — are a prurient distraction from legitimate priorities in sports.

Coaches should be hired and retained for their sportsmanship and skill, not because they conform to different parents’ arbitrary sexual agendas: One parent may favor male coaches, another may favor heterosexual coaches in covenant marriage, yet another may favor heterosexuals who swear to having daily sex with the spouse, and still other parents may frown on coaches who have sex for any reason other than procreation. With due respect, my suggestion to all is focus on sports and mind their own private business.

From The Washington Post:
Going Behind the Back: College Recruiters Raise Issue of Sexual Orientation
By Greg Sandoval
Friday, January 24, 2003; Page D01