Sports and gay ladies go together like the peanut butter and jelly of lesbianism. Sure, not all lesbians and bisexual women play softball – or any sport for that matter. I include myself in the decidedly “non-sporty” category. It’s all I can do to walk and breathe at the same time some days. But if you don’t know at least one sporty dyke then you should go hang out by a grassy sports field any given Sunday. They are there. Trust me. So the fact that we still have little more than a handful of high-profile out ladies in professional sports is, to put it mildly, perplexing. Sure, there is Martina. And Billy Jean. Also France’s Amélie Mauresmo, Norway’s Gro Hammerseng, Australia’s Natalie Cook, Sweden’s Jessica Landström. And others, of course. But we always want more because we know they’re out there – playing their big gay hearts out.
So that’s why a Megan Rapinoe is so special. Well, really, she’s special for a lot of reasons – the hair, the personality, the ass-kicking soccer skills. But she’s also an athlete who came out at the height of her success, right before she stepped on the grandest stage of all – the Olympics. Not late in her career, not after her career was over. So then we could celebrate with her as an out and proud gay athlete as they put that gold medal around her neck. It was as close to winning a gold medal as I’ll ever come, that’s for sure.
Megan credits coming out with helping her play her best at the Olympics. She said of coming out: “I think it was the best decision I ever made. To be able to go into such an important event like that being a wide open book and just saying this is who I am, I’m damn proud of it and hopefully you are too.”
So over the weekend Megan was deservedly awarded the L.A. Gay & Lesbian Center's Board of Directors Award.
And if that doesn’t convince you to become a Pinoe superfan, maybe Tom Hanks screaming “Megan Rapinoe! Megan Rapinoe!” will. And, of course, if all else fails there’s always The Hair.
Thanks, Megan. And, as always, love The Hair.
gayest hair ever!
ReplyDeleteTHANK YOU! What an excellent way to start the day ~ Go Megan!
ReplyDelete“But if you don’t know at least one sporty dyke then you should go hang out by a grassy sports field any given Sunday. They are there. Trust me.”
ReplyDeleteSo that’s what you get up to on “any given Sunday” these days is it Snarks? Darling, you are incorrigible! :)
I for one share your Pinoe enthusiasm Snarks. Lovely little player! (Cute as a button too of course. And she plays a mean acoustic guitar. What more could any self respecting lady lady-lover want?! ;) ) Not at all like that talented but somewhat dubious Wambach woman. (Bit of a professional fouler that one, no?) More to the point, when the hell is she going to come out?! Quite frankly Abby darling, we’ll be about as surprised as we were when we found out about Napolitano!
I also share your enthusiasm for the USWNT Snarks. I have to admit I arrived late to the game when it comes to women’s football, sorry, soccer. Several years ago I had the terrible misfortune to stumble across some God awful European Championship finals match. (Can’t even recall who was playing.) Good God I felt as if I was being subjected to the very worst the Third (or even Fourth?) Division had to ‘offer’! Put me right off for years!
Happily though this summer I succumbed to the Olympic hype and gave it another go. Thank God I did and thank God for the USWNT! Truly the best women’s team in the game and one of the most enjoyable teams (men or women’s) to watch full stop! The semi final against Canada was an absolute classic. I could kick myself (pun intended!) for not going to Hampden! What the hell was I thinking?! Just think; to have been a mere spitting distance away from so much delectable sweaty American flesh!
Road cyclist Judith Arndt is probably my favourite out female athlete. Or at least she was until Armstrong, Hamilton, Miller and the rest of them all but obliterated my enjoyment of the sport. Anyway darlings, take a nostalgic side step around reality and cast your minds back to Athens 2004...
http://www.bobkestrut.com/2004/08/18/tell-us-what-you-really-think/
Now *that* is how to cross a finish line in style!
“Evidently, Arndt was more than a little miffed that her compatriot Petra Rossner...”
“Compatriot”?! Ha! Ha! Long term girlfriend more like! What a fabulous little Greek Tragedy!
PD
PS I once had the good fortune to briefly meet Arndt. Lovely woman.
Please don’t be doping Judith, please...
Ach, who am I kidding... :(
PPS On a more serious note...
ReplyDeletehttp://endoftheamericandream.com/archives/22-signs-that-voter-fraud-is-wildly-out-of-control-and-the-election-was-a-sham
No, i am not a Republican, I am a concerned, neither right nor left, British Truther!
Nut jobs ^-^.
ReplyDeleteThere were reports of machines switching votes from Obama to Romney as well. The GOP are just a bunch of sore losers. Where's the hanging chad??!!
Love it!! Thanks for sharing! Got a little teary-eyed at the end. And I didn't even recognize her all dolled up in a group photo, I'm so used to her in her uniform. Pretty hot!! :)
ReplyDeleteBritish 'Truther'? What in the fuck is a "British Truther"? I'll tell: just a good old ORDINARY TROLL. Please to fuck off at your earliest convenience, which would be now cause trolls be trolls for lack of a life and a brain. If you had a brain you wouldn't try to pitch political suicide to us. So I'll just sling it back to you: since you're nothing but a destructive presence, do the world a favor and remove yourself from our existence immediately, loser.
ReplyDeleteMs. Snarker, I'll blame your relative youth but you really should have done a bit more research. Martina came out voluntarily at the height of her active career. Billie Jean King was also still playing professionally when she came out, albeit past her peak and as a result of a palimony suit. So while there's much to admire about Ms. Rapinoe (and there IS PLENTY), you've overstated the case on this point.
rapinoe owns on the field and off! My hat goes off to her.
ReplyDeleteAh, I see Anonymous Troll is back. Now to stay on topic - Pinoe is simply wonderful. Such a terrific approach to life...and yes, cute as the bee's knees. Her knees are way cute, too.
ReplyDelete