The Transgender Community and The You Can Play Project

Early this morning (on West Coast time anyway), I had a brief conversation via Twitter with Patrick Burke, co-founder and President of the You Can Play Project dedicated to combating homophobia in sports.  The conversation began when Burke said that a part of the project has, and will continue to be focused on working with fans, i.e. to combat homophobia in sports arenas (and through that in sports fandom as a whole).

I then asked if it would be within the scope of You Can Play's mission to also work on behalf of the transgender community.  Transgender individuals often find themselves in a difficult situation in sports arenas.  Unisex bathrooms are few and far between, often full, and typically "supposed" to be used by families.  That leaves transgender individuals with the unenviable task of choosing between the restroom of their birth gender (which is what they are legally supposed to do in most states) or choosing between the gender they identify as, present as, or to put it more bluntly (and offensively), most resemble.  That conversation went as follows (I have adjusted some of the character-limit-driven poor grammar and abbreviations):

Sixteen NHL Teams Participate in Spirit Day

In case you're unaware, Spirit Day is a 2010 concoction by GLAAD, the Gay & Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation to be observed on October 19th.  Participants wear purple to speak out against bullying and to show their support for LGBT youth.  Unsurprisingly, given the popularity of Patrick Burke's You Can Play Project, many NHL teams rushed to participate either by flashing some purple or by making a statement in support of the day and the project.  They were:

Buffalo Sabres
Carolina Hurricanes
Chicago Blackhawks
Columbus Blue Jackets
Dallas Stars
Detroit Red Wings (which is ironic given they're partnered with anti-LGBT Amway)
Edmonton Oilers
Montreal Canadiens
New Jersey Devils
New York Islanders
New York Rangers
Ottawa Senators
Philadelphia Flyers
San Jose Sharks
Toronto Maple Leafs
Vancouver Canucks

As LGBT (recreational) athletes ourselves, we would like to extend our heartfelt thanks to those NHL teams and all of those who have been involved with the You Can Play Project.

Editor's Note: Thanks to @BurkieYCP for some great publicity and be sure to let us know if anyone was left off.

Bigotry in Niagara Falls

If you haven't heard about it yet (and you will eventually), a Niagara Falls Reporter writer, Lenny Palumbo, has published an article containing some damning anti-gay language. Just in case the Falls Reporter wants to pull this article and pretend this never happened, I have taken the liberty of copying the text of the article and saving it here.

LGBT: What the Buffalo Sabres Could Do Better

As some of you are aware, one of my pet projects has been opening a dialogue with the National Hockey League’s Buffalo Sabres in respect to what they could do to reach out to the LGBT community. Recently I made the point that the Sabres could do better in this regard, prompting someone to ask, how?  That’s a good question, one I had to take a step back and think about. I don’t like being the type to offer complaints without possible solutions, so here they are.

Update: The Buffalo Sabres and the Salvation Army

Some time ago I decided to send a letter to the Buffalo Sabres organization regarding their affiliation with the Salvation Army using the feedback button on their website.  After a week with no response I went to the contact I acquired when I questioned them about their upcoming anti-bullying PSA, their director of community relations.  We had a conversation today that was (I think) a step in the right direction.  Since nothing in that conversation seemed confidential or damning, I will post it in it's entirety after the jump.  My side of the conversation will be in red.

LGBT Individuals In Sports - We're Getting There

If you've been following either of my Twitter accounts over the last few days, you've noticed I've been nothing short of a major pain in the ass to many hockey media people regarding the recent Krys Barch incident in which the Panthers player allegedly used a racial slur.  My talking point has been the vastly disproportionate responses to Barch's (at this point unconfirmed) transgressions, and those of Flyers forward Wayne Simmonds (who called a player a faggot - 'confirmed' only by video and lip reading) earlier this season, asking the question; "If the NHL punishes Barch after not punishing Simmonds with similar evidence in both cases, does it come off as weak on homophobia versus racism?"

The NHL and It Gets Better - Where We Stand

Just to do a quick recap of how my correspondences with various NHL teams regarding putting together an It Gets Better Video have gone.

Buffalo - The Sabres are currently working on an anti-bullying PSA inspired by gay Buffalo teen Jamey Rodemeyer's suicide and overlapping with many of the goals of the It Gets Better Project. They have refused to produce an It Gets Better Video because in their eyes it is exclusionary to victims of non-LGBT themed bullying. I have not received word on why they think it's okay to partner with the Salvation Army, who is exclusionary towards LGBT individuals.

Toronto - The Maple Leafs have essentially told me "great idea, we'll look into it," in the simplest of form e-mails possible. Since the organization has already lent itself to a pro-LGBT film, this apparent reluctance is curious.

Minnesota - I have not received a reply from the Wild.

New York Rangers - I have not received a reply from the Rangers.

Boston - I have not received a reply from the Bruins. I think Boston is the best shot at getting an NHL team to make an It Gets Better Video because they seem hell bent on spiting me in being better than the Sabres in every way possible.

In the coming days I will be contacting Philadelphia, Pittsburgh, New York (I), New Jersey, Ottawa, Montreal, Toronto, Washington, Winnipeg, Detroit, Chicago, Vancouver, Edmonton, Calgary, San Jose, and Los Angeles.