Pride Cap Fuss Shows Why Pride is Needed

It’s just a ball cap. But oh, how some people get triggered!

The Los Angeles Dodgers announced that for the first time, the players will all be wearing a Pride cap featuring rainbow colors on the interlocking LA logo during the team’s LGBTQ+ Night on June 3 at Dodger Stadium when they face off against the New York Mets. Moreover, the following week at Oracle Park in San Francisco, both the Dodgers and the Giants will for the first time wear their respective Pride caps during the game.

“The Los Angeles Dodgers are proud to stand with and recognize the LGBTQ+ community in Los Angeles and globally,” said Stan Kasten, President & CEO, Los Angeles Dodgers in a statement. “The Dodgers have a history of breaking barriers and we’re proud to be a part of another chapter in MLB history as the Dodgers and Giants each wear their team’s pride caps on June 11. While our organizations have a long-storied rivalry on the field, we stand together when it comes to equality for all.”

Adds Gabe Kapler, the manager of the Giants, “It is an honor to be a part of this moment. I hope everyone watching the game on June 11 sees the clear statement being made — we stand for equality and respect of all people, regardless of sexual orientation. Wearing the Pride logo is both a reminder of the discrimination the LGBTQ+ community faces and the importance of supporting and creating a more inclusive environment.”

Most major league baseball clubs have held similar Pride celebrations at their ballparks but never had players taking the field wearing such attire. According to Outsports.com, a site that focuses on LGBTQ+ athletes in sports, only the Texas Rangers and Houston Astros did not host a Pride event during the pre-Covid 2019 season.

Not everyone shared in the celebration of the new ball cap to be worn by the Dodger players.  When the Dodgers unveiled the cap on Instagram, there was quite a number of negative comments sprinkled among the many who voiced support. Some were benign as in juliannavaaa’s post, “Why can’t we just play baseball?” Others were more sinister (reported to Instagram as hate speech) like “We should have taken them [gays] out years ago.”

Then you have the typically juvenile homophobic snark by commenter richnowlandrn “Brings a whole new meaning to ‘Switch Hitter.’” Or the genius of aliyahsdead, “need the dodgers and the giants to make out to truly express their support for pride”.

But responding to one of the haters, sdotarick wrote, “You can tell who woulda booed Jackie back in the day too.” On that same theme, baserobber posted, “All the people hating now would have been the same people hating on Jackie Robinson. Be open to new ideas and other people being different.”

It is encouraging that nearly 88,000 liked the announcement on Instagram and the unveiling of the Dodger’s new Pride cap with many speaking up to defend it and calling out the homophobes.

Homophobic comments frequently appear on fan pages and message boards all over. One jerk on the Baltimore Orioles Facebook group lamented the Orioles Pride Night last year and inquired why there wasn’t a Christian pride event. I guess he was bothered by so many Christians being physically attacked or fired from their jobs or bullied at school or kicked out of their homes by family members for being Christian. Or maybe he believes the manufactured war on Christmas is real.

Whatever the reason, there are too many folks who resent that the LGBTQ+ community being celebrated. Surveys have been positive in recent years regarding LGBTQ+ acceptance. In the macho world of sports, however, we haven’t made enough progress though leagues and teams have become very supportive. Still, there is no open LGBTQ+ athlete currently playing in any of the four major male sports leagues.

There are going to be ignorant buffoons and haters no matter what, especially those who are shielded by the relative anonymity of the internet. The stereotyping and homophobia are palpable on these platforms.

And this is exactly why the LGBTQ+ community needs Pride.  A tip of the cap to the Dodgers, Giants and all the MLB teams who celebrate diversity and equality and do so in a public way.

Oh Dear, Homophobe Daniel Murphy is at it Again

Daniel Murphy adding more fuel to the fire.

I pictured newly acquired Chicago Cub Daniel Murphy standing at home plate at Wrigley Field this Sunday in front of a mic during the Out at Wrigley event.  My dream, perhaps delusion, would be that Murphy would address the crowd, Lou Gehrig-like, and walk back his homophobic comments from three years ago, which angered LGBTQ folks and allies around the nation.

Those words were stated while as a New York Met at a time when many people were tricked into thinking that homophobia was on the wane following the Supreme Court’s decision making marriage equality the law of the land.  Murphy was asked a question about Major League Baseball’s Ambassador for Inclusion, Billy Bean, a former major league baseball player who came out as gay following his career.

“I disagree with his lifestyle,” Murphy said, citing his faith. “I do disagree with the fact that Billy is a homosexual. That doesn’t mean I can’t still invest in him and get to know him. I don’t think the fact that someone is a homosexual should completely shut the door on investing in them in a relational aspect.” Since then, Murphy had become friends with Bean.

In a commentary in The Guardian on August 23, Parker Molloy, who is lesbian, wrote: “The truth is that saying you ‘disagree with the fact that [somebody] is a homosexual’ is homophobic. It’s like somebody saying ‘I disagree with your hair,’ ‘I disagree with your race,’ or ‘I disagree with your gender’. In all three examples you can say that you don’t like someone’s hair, race or gender; but it’s not exactly yours to disagree with in terms of existence. The same goes for the statement, ‘I disagree with his lifestyle’.

Molloy adds, “Being gay is no more of a ‘lifestyle’ than being straight is, and treating it as such is honestly pretty demeaning to those of us in the LGBT community. It suggests that we’re lesser, that we’re broken, that we’re wrong for being who we are. It’s hurtful, plain and simple.”

But any aspiration that Murphy, 33, would show that he evolved and perhaps backed off from those comments was dashed when he was told at a presser that Cubs fans are unhappy he joined the team because of his anti-gay stance and would not root for the team.

In a mocking tone, he said, “Oh dear. I would hope you would root for the Cubs.”

Those comments are shown below.

Daniel Murphy on his relationship with Billy Beane and LGBTQA #Cubs fans pic.twitter.com/68WivcVTSr

— Laurence Holmes (@LaurenceWHolmes) August 23, 2018

Cyd Zeigler of OUTsports, a website that discusses the intersection of sports and the LGBTQ community, opined: “'Oh dear,' he said, as he looked off dismissively into space. In other words: These gay people are just so damn overly sensitive when Christians like me say they bad things about them.”

Added Zeigler, “He went on with a I-couldn’t-care-less-what-those-gays-think answer about how gay fans should continue to cheer for the Cubs.”

After being unsigned by the Mets, Murphy was picked up by the Washington Nationals—a team which benefited from Murphy’s strong batting—and who holds annual Nights Out at the Ballpark.  Though the controversy regarding his homophobic comments did not overtly surface in the district, which has the highest percentage of LGBTQ people in the nation, and no other similar public comments were made during his tenure in D.C., some were still wary at the outset.

“We expressed our concerns to the Nats about this as well as when Yunel Escobar was traded to the team a couple of years before,” said Brent Minor, Executive Director of Team DC, the organizers of Night Out.  “During one Night OUT game, we worked with MLB to have Billy Bean come and speak to the team about diversity and inclusion.

Minor indicated that he had a conversation with Bean in which he was told that Bean spoke directly to Murphy and while acknowledging he still held deeply religious views on the topic, felt he was heard and respected.

Minor went on to tout the Nationals and their support of Team DC and the Night Out series.

“They even had the Gay Men’s Chorus of Washington ‘sing’ their holiday card that is sent to all season ticket holders a few years back.” He also saluted pitchers Max Scherzer and Sean Doolittle for their vocal support of the LGBTQ community.

According to the Chicago Sun-Times, Cubs General Manager Jed Hoyer reached out to Billy Bean prior to the trade and the Cubs was satisfied with his response.

It will be interesting to see what the fans’ reaction may be upon Murphy’s introduction during Out at Wrigley on August 26. The second such event held this year at Wrigley, and which bills itself as “The Nation’s Original MLB Gay Day,” is intended to celebrate the LGBTQ community. Wrigley Field is just outside the iconic gay “Boystown” neighborhood and the Cubs is the only MLB team with openly gay owner in Laura Ricketts.

I would suspect that many fans would back Murphy because they see the LGBTQ community in the same light. Others clearly would be angered. 

But oh dear, don’t expect him to apologize.  

Silver Linings in Trea Turner Tweet Tempest

A local favorite, Washington Nationals shortstop Trea Turner, became the third MLB player since the MLB All-Star game to have had racist, homophobic and/or misogynous tweets that were posted 6 or 7 years ago unearthed.

Milwaukee Brewers pitcher Josh Hader’s offensive tweets surfaced after that game. Atlanta Braves pitcher Sean Newcomb, who was one strike away from a no-hitter on July 29, was forced to deal with his written artistry immediately following the game.  Then Trea Turner’s tweets appeared hours later.  All three players are either 24 or 25 and all wrote their controversial social media insults while they were 17 or 18, prior to being in the major leagues.

There’s no excuse.  At that age they should know that homophobic and racist slurs are wrong because undoubtedly they heard or read them while in high school if not before.  For those who think anti-LGBT bullying or bullying of any kind by adolescents are on the wane, think again.

The Washington Post summarized Turner’s tweets as follows:

“Two of Turner’s resurfaced tweets were replies in which acquaintances were called homophobic slurs. In another, the tweet reads “unless ur gay” in a reply to a former North Carolina State teammate. A fourth tweet suggests that if a woman working at a drive-through were to ask who the [faggot] in the back of a car was, it would be Turner. A fifth tweet reads, “Once u go black, u gonna need a wheelchair,” a line from the movie “White Chicks.”

(Photo: Patrick McDermott, USA TODAY Sports)

Hader was very contrite in his apology.  Newcomb’s was not as potent an apology though the Braves organization condemned the tweets.  

Turner, with his boyish countenance who still looks like he's at N.C. State during the time when the tweets were posted, issued a statement through the Nationals: 

“There are no excuses for my insensitive and offensive language on Twitter,” Turner said in a statement released by the Nationals. 

“I am sincerely sorry for those tweets and apologize wholeheartedly. I believe people who know me understand those regrettable actions do not reflect my values or who I am. But I understand the hurtful nature of such language and am sorry to have brought any negative light to the Nationals organization, myself or the game I love.”

Nationals General Manager Mike Rizzo said in a statement,  “I have spoken with Trea regarding the tweets that surfaced earlier tonight. He understands that his comments — regardless of when they were posted — are inexcusable and is taking full responsibility for his actions. The Nationals organization does not condone discrimination in any form, and his comments do not in any way reflect the values of our club. Trea has been a good teammate and model citizen in our clubhouse, and these comments are not indicative of how he has conducted himself while part of our team. He has apologized to me and to the organization for his comments.”

Hader, who has already met with MLB executive in charge of diversity and former ballplayer Billy Bean who is openly gay, will be required to attend sensitivity training and that will likely be the same for Newcomb and Turner.  Apparently, no other discipline is in order since the offenses occurred prior to their service in MLB.

Turner emotionally apologized to the communities affected in a gathering of the media at National Park on July 31 before a game against the New York Mets. "It's not when I said those things I said, it's that I said them at all," Turner explained. 

Getting the matter off his chest must have been cathartic as he had two singles and two stolen bases in the first inning following his introduction to lukewarm applause from the hometown fans.

There are silver linings to these episodes.  For one thing, the players involved were quick to accept responsibility and apologized and the teams they played for denounced the tweets.  And MLB took action in short order.

Second, public shaming in the form of loud booing was experienced by Hader in his first road appearance in San Francisco (after he received a standing ovation in his hometown stadium, Miller Park.)  The expectation is that the majority of fans will not tolerate such public comments and will let their feelings known.  It sends a strong message to players who covet endorsement deals.

Third, one would think (hope) the players have evolved from their adolescent behavior.  All three made that point. In Turner’s case, he has ironically been part of MLB’s anti-bullying initiative Shred Hate where he appears in a video. 

He can now point to his own mistakes as a credible message to youngsters.

Baltimore, Baseball and Gay Love—'Queen Henry' Touches all the Bases

Begin with a straight, homophobic, narcissistic, womanizer who happens to play for the Baltimore Orioles.  Add to that his out-of-the-blue discovery he is gay, which is followed by his falling head over spikes for a man.  Toss in the swirling rumors of a gay player on the Orioles and the inherent clubhouse homophobia from his manager, some of his teammates, and his father, and you have the recipe for a glorious, deliciously written work of fiction, Queen Henry, by local author Linda Fausnet, a lifetime Orioles fan.

A successful screenwriter and a professed ally for LGBT rights, Fausnet announced that all proceeds from the sale of this book will go to the Harvey Milk Foundation. 

Set in Baltimore, Henry Vaughn, Jr., who has a thing for Peach Schnapps, is a rather fun-loving outfielder who is immensely popular with the fans mainly because, as a self-described “attention whore,” he leads them in the seventh inning sing-along to Y-M-C-A while standing atop the dugout.  After a game, Henry carouses with his teammates, and since he is attractive, famous and single, he effortlessly finds a different woman to take home each night.

Despite his macho image, Henry secretly longs to be a Broadway performer.  His homophobic father, manager and teammates instill the anti-gay dogma in him, and he frequently uses the f-word primarily because this is the environment in which it is expected and accepted. 

Weakness or the perception of same is one of the greatest fears of a male athlete.  That is why Henry hides the use of an inhaler to deal with his asthma and instead decides to participate in a clinical drug trial at Johns Hopkins Hospital.  After taking the drug, administered by a medical technician named Sam, a gay man, Henry finds out shockingly while jogging the next morning he is attracted to men and lost his desires for women.  Just like that.

Panicky and confused, Henry tries to explain the situation to Sam who vehemently denies the drug had anything to do with this condition and that Henry must have been suppressing his true sexuality all along.  They don’t hit it off well as Henry’s homophobia comes through loud and clear; the tension between the two remains throughout a good portion of the book.

Nonetheless, Sam introduces Henry to a close friend and colleague at Hopkins, Thomas, who has helped people come to grips with their sexuality.  They experience a deep attraction to one another and ultimately fall in love. 

Like any good author, Fausnet seductively draws the reader into the romance and sexual steaminess with great skill, describing the relationship between Henry and Thomas with sensitivity and emotion. To her credit, the passionate sexual scenes are tastefully conveyed—full of affection and heat without seeming tawdry.

The underlying question is: was Henry gay all along and the career and family choices he will be confronted with or will the drug wear off and he returns to being straight?

Without proceeding further to reveal the outcome, I can say that some readers may be disappointed with the ending (as I was initially) but others may like the ending (as I did eventually). 

Fausnet’s writing is extraordinary in this fluid, fast-paced tale.  Narrated in the first person by Henry, the story reads like his own journal as he reflects upon each conversation he has and reveals his inner thoughts.  We get to delve into Henry’s psyche enabling us to not only understand the challenges and quandaries he faces, but also to enthusiastically root for him.  He wins us over.

Fausnet demonstrates an uncanny understanding of gay male emotions and sexual desires (she is a happily married heterosexual mother of two) and will keep you absorbed as Henry and the other characters in the novel navigate through the events shaping their lives.

Her character development is splendid.  You feel that you know each one intimately, and most of the characters are endearing and sweet.  This is especially true of Alice, an attractive bartender at a bar Henry frequented to pick up women, sidestepping Alice by not recognizing her myriad appealing qualities.    

The underlying question is: was Henry gay all along ... or will the drug wear off and he returns to being straight?

I suspect Fausnet purposely left out specific physical descriptions of the characters other than vague images such as beautiful eyes, muscular arms, etc. so as not to distract the reader from the underlying messages in the novel.  But I think it would have been fun and would have added context to be able to visualize each person as we turn the pages.

Fausnet’s references to Baltimore provided additional enjoyment to the storyline especially for us locals.  Besides Hopkins and Camden Yards, the Hippo is frequently mentioned throughout.  The Pride parade is a turning point scene.  The Baltimore Sun plays a vital role, and even Baltimore OUTloud is mentioned albeit as a support group marching in the Pride parade, not the wildly popular LGBT newspaper that it is!

Though there are many cleverly written light moments throughout Queen Henry—one that is particularly hilarious is when the Orioles players were speculating as to whom the gay player may be—Fausnet touches upon key social messages that are in play today. 

Despite the revelations by Jason Collins, Michael Sam and other athletes that they are gay, there is still great concern by gay male athletes to come out and face the potential hostilities.  Fausnet effectively describes the homophobia that exists in the locker room and the pressures that result. 

She began writing the novel a few years back when the environment for gays and lesbians was not as favorable as today. Therefore, I don’t think the current local media would be in the “gotcha mode” as portrayed in Queen Henry.  The same is true for the teammates who now would be wise not to publicly utter the f-word in dealing with the subject.  Moreover, the real Orioles today would not be inclined to openly express any anti-gay epithets as owner Peter Angelos, who was a substantial contributor in the fight for marriage equality in Maryland, would put the kibosh on that.

The other main theme is how Henry recognized his own homophobia, and once he learned he was gay understood how other gays and lesbians can be easily hurt and their lives wrecked by this bigotry and hatred.  He transformed his attitude once he saw himself as a victim.  It is a powerful message.

Queen Henry is a truly well-written novel with potent drama with campy humor laced throughout.  Though it contains important messages to LGBT folks and others, it is also a gorgeous love story and one that should not be missed.  Fausnet swung and hit a home run.

___

Queen Henry, Linda Fausnet, published by Wannabe Pride; July 2014; 360 pages; paperback (ISBN: 978-0-9916525-0-1); $10.62 on Amazon.com or wannabepride.com, her website to promote writers and books; $2.99 on Kindle.

Through His Eyes We See Progress

Yunel Escobar sending the wrong message

It was a costly little joke that Toronto Blue Jays shortstop Yunel Escobar played in September when he etched on his eye-black (the black stickers that ballplayers place under their eyes to cut down on glare) in small white letters in Spanish, “Tu ere maracon.”  The English translation is “You’re a faggot.”  However, the glare that resulted was the glare of the media and outrage from a public who believe athletes should be moving beyond homophobic slurs in this day in age.

 Escobar, 29 and a native of Havana, Cuba, apologized for what he said was meant to be “just a joke.”  He explained through a translator, “It was not something I intended to be offensive. It was not anything intended to be directed at anyone in particular.”  He added, “I don't have anything against homosexuals. I have friends who are gay.”  It’s the kind of word that is frequently bandied about in a joking way among Latinos, he explained.

OK.  Contrition displayed, apology accepted.  Sending a strong signal that such “jokes” are not acceptable in Major League Baseball, punishment was meted out.  MLB prohibits derogatory words or symbols on uniforms.  The eye-black falls into that category.

With input from Commissioner Bud Selig and the players union, the Toronto Blue Jays suspended the enigmatic Escobar for three days without pay, and the $92,000 or so in lost salary is to be directed to two LGBT advocacy organizations, GLAAD and You Can Play.  Escobar will also participate in an outreach initiative to help educate society about insensitivity and tolerance to others.

“I consistently say that Baseball is a social institution with important social responsibilities and that I expect those who represent Major League Baseball to act with the kind of respect and sensitivity that the game’s diverse fan base deserves,” Commissioner Bud Selig said in a statement.  “Mr. Escobar has admitted that his actions were a mistake and I am hopeful he can use this unfortunate situation as an opportunity to educate himself and others that intolerance has no place in our game or society.”

So what is the significance of a wealthy guy making over $5 million a year to play a boy’s game, acting stupid and forfeiting money he would never miss?  Considerable.  

Whether you like sports or not, whether you feel contemptuous towards overpaid privileged athletes, whether you revile mega-rich greedy owners, one thing is for certain: sports are deeply stitched into the fabric of our culture.  The rapid reaction by the baseball industry to deal with this unfortunate spectacle can be influential in helping to move society’s attitudes towards a more accepting place.  If Escobar’s messaging went unpunished, it would send the signal that it is OK to call people “faggot.”

The swiftness of the punishment in this case was very uplifting and is becoming a common occurrence.  Pro teams and leagues in all sports are finding out that homophobia in a more accepting society is bad for business.  We have seen teams and leagues take disciplinary actions in the wake of homophobic comments by the likes of John Rocker, Jeremy Shockey, Tim Hardaway, Terrell Owens, John Smoltz, Joey Porter and Ozzie Guillen.  These actions varied with the circumstances but there was clarity to them.  With few exceptions, the fans generally supported the team or league.

NBA Commissioner David Stern was particularly strong.  The NBA adopted a non-discrimination policy based on sexual orientation as part of their collective-bargaining agreement with the players’ union.  A message like that is extremely powerful in the macho-centric culture of the locker room.

In Maryland, the recent flap between the Ravens’ Brendon Ayanbadejo’s support for marriage equality and anti-gay state delegate Emmett Burns brought more reason to cheer.  Not only did team officials back the linebacker’s right to express his beliefs but other players in the NFL supported him as well, particularly Minnesota Vikings punter Chris Kluwe, another marriage equality advocate.  Dissenting teammates or opponents did not surface at least publicly.

Sports stars are often heroes, especially to children.  They have super-sized influence as a result of their celebrity. That is why corporations dole out big bucks to have athletes extol their products.  As such, homophobic or racial slurs and statements carry weight.  They can shape the attitudes of adults as well as children.  Blue Jays manager John Farrell, referring to the Escobar incident, said, “There is a definite role-model responsibility that some guys might not realize or might not want to take on, but it’s part of being a Major League player.”

In the National Hockey League, the aforementioned You Can Play project promotes safety in the locker rooms and that sports venues should be free from homophobia.  By way of videos, a growing number of players are stating that “if you can play, you can play.”  Athletes should be judged on talent, heart and work ethic, not sexual orientation. Although no gay male professional athlete has come out while active, there is a belief among those studying this issue that such a decision will occur within 10 years. 

The growing acceptance of LGBT folks around the country, the number of “night OUT at the ballpark” events, and the swift reactions to homophobia by sports teams’ management, players and fans demonstrate how progress is trending in the right direction. 

Luke Scott: Gunslinger

I was amazed to read in the Baltimore Sun on Feb. 27 that Orioles DH-OF Luke Scott is upset that Major League Baseball has implemented a ban on guns in the locker rooms. "I don't think everybody should pay for the mistakes of a few," he said.

This is insane. Maybe I'm just an old fashioned guy. I never liked the idea of the designated hitter. I never cared for games played on artificial surface. I hate indoor baseball. And I detest the disappearance of Sunday and holiday doubleheaders.

It's bad enough that baseball players are paid in the tens of millions but teachers who actually contribute to the betterment of society are woefully underpaid. But poor Luuuuuuuuuke (as O's fans call him) can't have his gun to go along with his bat and glove.

He comes off as an amiable chap, but I'm sure he's not a proponent of same-sex marriage or other progressive issues. Luke Scott is a Bible-carrying, finger-pointing-to-the-sky player who prays for base hits. Unfortunately for Luke and the O's, God fails to answer his prayers after the All-Star break. All Luke's swings do during his prolonged slumps is fan the fans on a hot, humid day at the Yard.

But Luke wants to carry his gun.

He mentioned the possibility, albeit "unlikely," that terrorists could somehow breach security and enter the locker room. Does anyone with the slightest hint of intelligence truly feel that a terrorist with a bomb strapped to his body would enter the Orioles locker room and blow up a stadium that is one-third filled watching the O's take on those dastardly KC Royals?

Does anyone really believe that such terrorist(s) who are about to blow themselves into the Inner Harbor would be deterred by Cowboy Luke Scott reaching into his gym bag to find the weapon?

What else is he afraid of—his teammates mugging him?

Four years ago, when Scott was a member of the Houston Astros, he told ESPN, "An athlete gets paid a lot of money. And someone who is after that, a thief, a mugger or someone who steals from people, they are taking a chance with the law that if they get caught, they are going to jail or face some other problem."

With a broad smile, he added, "In my case, you are going to get shot."

There have been way too many gun incidents in professional sports with suspended Wizzards' star Gilbert Arenas the most recent. The ban on guns by MLB makes common sense. Luke Scott feels he is being punished. I cannot recall one incident where a player in any professional sport was robbed at gunpoint in a locker room.

Like I said, I'm old fashioned. I used to believe that major league ball players and professional athletes of all sports should be role models for kids. Sadly, in Luke Scott's case, the players are now the kids.

Photo courtesy of ESPN.