I was already happy with our lineup of out athletes and a smart, talented comedic actor who’s a lesbian, as our headliner. After all, we have a women’s tackle-football team player who is transgender, an out, gay soccer champ—and even a straight-ally from the upper echelons of professional hockey management—all slated for weeks now to appear at this Thursday’s engagement in San Diego of LGBTs In The News—my nationwide, touring panel series.
Then I got a text from my friend and colleague-in-advocacy for LGBTQ equality, Martha Henderson.
Henderson is founder of a regional chapter of the You Can Play Project. The San Diego chapter of YCPP she founded and its national parent organization are partners in presenting LGBTs In The News’ first-ever panel focusing entirely on queer participation in sports at all levels. Henderson’s text message asked if we would be able to add a fifth panelist even though the event is just a few days away. I’m embarrassed to say my first reaction was less than affirmative.
Mercifully, only Blix and Valentina (my cats) heard that initial reaction. When looked at my phone to see who Henderson was proposing to add to the panel, the no-brainer reply I texted was an eager and unqualified, yes! Given who she wanted to add, it wouldn’t have matter it were event night and the live discussion were already underway.
Now, I’m thrilled to announce, thanks to Martha Henderson’s efforts, the next engagement of LGBTs In The News—titled, Who Can Play?—LGBTQ Participation in Professional, Amateur and School Sports, is fortunate enough to feature Katie Sowers. RSVPs for the event, which had already been steadily stacking up, have been coming in even quicker since Sowers, the NFL’s first out, gay assistant coach, agreed to join our lineup of panelists who will explore the power of including LGBTQ people in athletics at all levels.
“No matter what you do in life, one of the most important things is to be true to who you are,” Sowers told Outsports, shortly after the San Francisco 49ers announced, late last year, that they’d hired her full time as an assistant coach. “There are so many people who identify as LGBT in the NFL, as in any business, that do not feel comfortable being public about their sexual orientation.
“The more we can create an environment that welcomes all types of people, no matter their race, gender, sexual orientation, religion, the more we can help ease the pain and burden that many carry every day.”
Happening this Thursday evening at the famous Gossip Grill in San Diego’s historically LGBTQ Hillcrest neighborhood, this engagement of LGBTs In The News not only features Sowers, the NFL’s first out, gay assistant coach and staff member of five-time Super Bowl champions, San Francisco 49ers, it’s also got an amazing headliner: comedic actor, out lesbian, NBC comedy writer, Comedy Central stand-up comic, Conan guest performer and sports analyst, Erin Foley.
Foley, an All Things Comedy star and moderator of the Sports without Balls podcast, is also host of Lifetime Television’s Mixologist and a Movie.
All About Creating More Queer Visibility in Sports
This panel is about opening the next frontier in the quest for equality, visibility and inclusion in society. Competitive sports stand out among human endeavors as a domain where a reasonable person might expect the merits of athletic skill and the ability to win would eclipse prejudices. Yet talented athletes from all marginalized groups have had to demand the right to compete.
Katie Sowers knows this to be true from first-hand experience. She said during a recent interview that she was told outright during her time at a Christian college that she was being passed over for an athletics opportunity because she is not straight.
Asked by Outsports’ Jim Buzinski if she’s had any trouble gaining respect from 49ers players, she replied, “Not at all. I have been blessed with two great NFL organizations where they pride themselves in the quality of players that they have on their roster as not only athletes, but as professionals.
“...Players are respectful, they call me coach, and they respect me for chasing my passion just like they are chasing theirs.”
While Thursday’s panel event is free and open to the public, RSPVs are requested. Attendees can email their names and number of guests to info@lgbtsinthenews.com as late as Jan. 18—the evening of the event. Details are here.
While courageous former pro-ball players, like former NFL player, Michael Sam and former 13-season NBA basketball center and one-time All-American play (Stanford, 2000-01) Jason Collins blazed trails in sports in recent years by coming out, as Outsports magazine noted in late 2017: “There aren't any out gay male athletes in major professional sports [now].”
The good news, however—again, according to Outsports—is that this year there will be five openly gay college football players.
“The sports world should be a fun, safe, welcoming environment for everyone regardless of sexual orientation,” Foley said. “The You Can Play Project helps to create this environment every day, which is great because lesbians will only make your softball team better.”
Pro Hockey Exec. to be First Straight LGBTs In The News Panelist
Joining Foley and Sowers on Thursday’s panel, while also making history as the first-ever panelist who is straight to be part of an LGBTs In The News panel engagement, Matt Savant is president of business operations for the San Diego Gulls AHL hockey team. The Gulls are the primary development affiliate of the National Hockey League’s (NHL) Anaheim Ducks.
The NHL and professional hockey, moreover, have been at the forefront of making sports at all levels more accessible, safe and fun for all players. The You Can Play Project was formed to fight homophobia in sports and to honor the life of openly gay Miami University RedHawks goalie and student manager, Brendan Burke, who died tragically in 2010 at age 21 in an automobile accident.
Thursday’s LGBTs In The News panel engagement will precede, by two nights, a special San Diego Gulls Diversity Night game against the San Jose Barracuda, and a special Diversity Tailgate Party, happening, Saturday, January 20.
"You Can Play is excited to partner with the Gulls to promote inclusion and respect in hockey and beyond," said Chris Mosier, vice president of program development and community relations at You Can Play. "This night shows LGBTQ athletes, coaches, and fans and their allies that they are not only welcomed at Valley View Casino Center [where the Gulls play] with open arms, but also valued as members of the San Diego Gulls family."
In addition to Sowers and Foley, Gull’s president Matt Savant will also be joined on the panel by out, gay college athlete and You Can Play regional ambassador, Sam Johnson.
“I am extremely excited to be collaborating with LGBTs In The News, the San Diego Gulls and You Can Play, to create a thought-provoking and meaningful discussion,” Johnson, who plays defense for the accomplished Whittier College Poets NCAA Division III soccer team, said.
"Who Can Play? will prove to be inspiring and eye-opening as LGBT involvement in professional, amateur and school sports is discussed,” he said. “If you find yourself wondering why there aren't more out athletes, don't miss this event.”
Johnson, who The Seattle Times named one of Western Washington’s best high school soccer players around the time he made news by coming out as gay because he felt compelled to do something positive in response to the mass shooting at Pulse Orlando.
Rounding out Thursday’s panel, Brooke Sullivan is a tech professional, equality activist, and athlete. Currently taking time off to recover from injuries, she played tight-end and defensive-end for the San Diego Surge women’s tackle football team.
“Organizations like YCPP are key to raising awareness in the greater sporting communities and their members, leading the way to create more inclusive, safe, and positive environments for athletes no matter their gender or sexual orientation,” Sullivan said.
As a San Diego Pride volunteer for the past seven years, Sullivan has served as the organization’s Community Advisory Council chair, later stage-managing Pride’s entertainment department. She now organizes the Trans-Gender-Nonconforming area at the annual Pride festival in San Diego having done so for the past five years.