Get out and stay out
Jillian Allison
Issue date: 10/22/07 Section: Sports
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Last week I wrote about Marion Jones and I really did keep it mild; I was told I was not being original. So this week while racking my brain on what to write about, it hit me. I decided to write about the few out female athletes I found online.
Once I decided on a topic I went to lesbianlife@about.com and found information on only five out lesbian athletes; tennis star Billie Jean King, WNBA star Sheryl Swoopes, LPGA star Rosie Jones, 2006 Wimbledon champion Amelie Mauresmo and nine-time Wimbledon singles champ Martina Navratilova
The fact that these are five impressive athletes and are out and active is a great thing, but a hard decision to make. It is extremely difficult to come out in the first place, but to come out in the public eye and be a prominent public figure as these women are can be a career killer.
It makes me proud that these women have decided to put it all on the line and come out to the public to become spokeswomen and activists. Really, I think it is so badass and I wish more members of the community were like these women.
Billie Jean King started the Women's Sports Foundation, which has been vital to gaining access to sports for women and girls as well as being dedicated to fighting homophobia and discrimination in sports. King also started Womensports magazine. In 2000 King was awarded the Capital Award for service to the GLBT community from the Gay and Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation. Navratilova filed a lawsuit against the state of Colorado for their anti-gay Amendment 2 in '93. That same year, Navratilova spoke at the National March on Washington for gay and lesbian rights. She is also involved in a philanthropic organization, the Rainbow Endowment, which gives money to gay and lesbian causes. In 2000, Navratilova was the National Equality Award winner, an event presented by the Human Rights Campaign.
Jones, Navratilova and Swoopes are all endorsed by Oliva, a lesbian music and travel agency famous for their cruises.
It makes me extremely happy and hopeful that these women have encountered a positive atmosphere with all of the potential negative ones that come with coming out.
These women have become even stronger role models for lesbians and straight women alike because they were true and they were themselves, even though some chose to come out after retiring from their respective sports.
Once I decided on a topic I went to lesbianlife@about.com and found information on only five out lesbian athletes; tennis star Billie Jean King, WNBA star Sheryl Swoopes, LPGA star Rosie Jones, 2006 Wimbledon champion Amelie Mauresmo and nine-time Wimbledon singles champ Martina Navratilova
The fact that these are five impressive athletes and are out and active is a great thing, but a hard decision to make. It is extremely difficult to come out in the first place, but to come out in the public eye and be a prominent public figure as these women are can be a career killer.
It makes me proud that these women have decided to put it all on the line and come out to the public to become spokeswomen and activists. Really, I think it is so badass and I wish more members of the community were like these women.
Billie Jean King started the Women's Sports Foundation, which has been vital to gaining access to sports for women and girls as well as being dedicated to fighting homophobia and discrimination in sports. King also started Womensports magazine. In 2000 King was awarded the Capital Award for service to the GLBT community from the Gay and Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation. Navratilova filed a lawsuit against the state of Colorado for their anti-gay Amendment 2 in '93. That same year, Navratilova spoke at the National March on Washington for gay and lesbian rights. She is also involved in a philanthropic organization, the Rainbow Endowment, which gives money to gay and lesbian causes. In 2000, Navratilova was the National Equality Award winner, an event presented by the Human Rights Campaign.
Jones, Navratilova and Swoopes are all endorsed by Oliva, a lesbian music and travel agency famous for their cruises.
It makes me extremely happy and hopeful that these women have encountered a positive atmosphere with all of the potential negative ones that come with coming out.
These women have become even stronger role models for lesbians and straight women alike because they were true and they were themselves, even though some chose to come out after retiring from their respective sports.
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