Ballad for Sue and Megan

I know, I know – Sue and Megan broke up. I avoided talking about it during Lesbian Visibility Week because, honestly, after that Emily news I couldn’t take more bummer crap. But after 10 years, even Megan Rapinoe and Sue Bird couldn’t make it work. *Deep, endless sigh*

Obviously, sapphics like us get invested in our celebrated power couples – mostly because they are so rare. Sure, we have a good number of queer female celebrities in relationships with other women now. (Well, definitely more than 20 years ago, amirite kittens?) But very rarely are both partners equally famous. And, truly, no one was as well-matched accomplishment-wise as Sue and Megan. Both Olympic champions. Both world champions. I mean, it was the ultimate jock-4-jock situation. *Deep endless sigh*

I know, relationships are hard. I know. I hope they both find happiness again, apart. And that their separation has been as painless as possible. Even hearts are healthy as theirs break.

p.s. Don’t even think about it Sarah and Holland. Do. Not.

Playing Footsy

Is women’s sports having a moment or what? First the women’s NCAA college hoops finals smashes records (and handily beats the boys), and now a whole series about female soccer stars is coming to a screen near you. What could make it better? Yep, they’re queer female soccer stars. So, like “Bend it Like Beckham,” but actually gay – not just in all of our heads gay. And the Big Lesbian Cherry on top? Gay sports superstars/couple Megan Rapinoe and Sue Bird are producing the whole she-bang (emphasis on she-bang, because I hear the book was sexxx-y). Also, who can resist the name? “Cleat Cute?” Adorable! I haven’t read the book in question by Meryl Wilsner. But the premise – where a longtime star of the USWNT is recovering from an injury at the same time a rookie star is rising as the team prepares for the World Cup – sure works for me. Rivals to lovers, with cleats? Sporty dykes in love? Yeah, imma watch the heck out of this. So, kittens, who should they cast?

p.s. Considering the cultural moment women’s sports is having, how about we bring back “A League of Their Own,” Prime Video? Like, seriously, what would it cost Amazon? Less than half a tank of gas for one of Bezos’s megayachts, if that? Sigh, I guess we’ll just keep dreaming then.

Be Like Megan

You know, sometimes I think – actually, I know – that one of the reason we’re seeing such a backlash against LGBTQ+ people right now is that there’s a sadly significant number of knuckle-draggers who simply, positively, unequivocally just hate seeing us happy. They’re the ones who have used their imaginary superiority/morality over us to prop up their own inferiority for all these years. You know the types. They’re the ones screaming “Groomers!” at the top of their lungs, both past and present. And they’re the ones cravenly using us as a political wedge to hype up the pitchfork set.

With my fitful focus these days, I missed writing about Megan Rapinoe’s retirement last month. Normally, I would write about her accomplishments. Her trail blazing. Her talent. Her conviction. But today I just want to talk about her joy. Her pride, her confidence. And, yes, her love. That’s also what has made her a target for the Right Wingers. How dare she be so proud of herself? How dare any of them be proud of themselves?

But proud we are, and will always be of an icon like Megan, who was out before she became a household name. Who championed equal pay and recognition for women’s soccer and sports. Who fought racism and sexism and homophobia and transphobia in sports and the world. Who did it all on her own terms with whatever the hell (short) hair color she wanted.

I think we’re all old enough here to remember when “Be Like Mike” was the prevailing celebrity sports slogan of the era. Well, I think we should all instead try to “Be Like Megan.” Believe in yourself. Know your worth. Fight for what’s right. Kiss your longtime girlfriend in front of the universe and tell the worst among us to just to go seethe. We’re here, we’re queer, cope or get out of the way.

My Weekend Crush

Remind yourself that there are still good things. The crunch of autumn leaves under foot. The warmth of a cat snug on your lap. The knowledge that no matter how the Electoral College ultimately plays out, more Americans voted for the kind, decent man than voted for the hateful, corrupt man – by the many millions. (And he's gonna win the stupid, racist, outdated Electoral College even, barring Trump cheating and other bullshit.) Still it’s hard to believe in good things in a year like this. But, guess what, love still exists despite – or perhaps in spite of – such intentional cruelty. Like, maybe between two professional athletes who happen to be tops in their respective games who also happen to be women and then happen to be in love and finally happen to decide they’re going to tie the knot despite – or perhaps in spite of – the ugliness of our current world. You know, like Megan Rapinoe and Sue Bird getting engaged in a preemptive strike on the shittiness of 2020. Leave it to the lesbians to single-handedly try to turn this unrelentingly abysmal year around. You’re welcome, world. Have a safe, healthy and righteous weekend, all. And COUNT EVERY VOTE.

Tank Top Tuesday: Sportsball Ladies Edition

As sports cautiously, strangely make their way back into our public lives, women’s soccer was the first out of the gate. And while I tend to agree that professional sports should be the reward for a functioning society - and we are very much not functioning yet - it is nice to see America’s soccer stars again. And if they are wearing tank tops or tank top adjacent items of clothing, all the better. Again, we have to take our joy where we can find it these days. Also, I know the above shot of is technically about how truly terrible it is to play on turf. But, horrible turf rash/bruising aside, the ladies of the NJ Sky Blue team look, um, ready to play sportsball. 

Suits Them

The truth is, no one except tremendously fit athletes and/or ridiculously slim models would look good in menswear this outrageously oversized. Still the rumbled Laurel & Hardy Chic works for Megan Rapinoe and Sue Bird because they are Megan Rapinoe and Sue Bird and I would probably think they looked adorable posing in trash bags together.



But they look super adorable in the new InStyle being their Power Lesbian Couple selves and wearing various forms of tailored and very, very untailored suiting.



p.s. I also suggest you watch the accompanying video because, well, do you need a reason? It’s Megan Rapinoe and Sue Bird.

Naked Lady Monday: Sue & Megan Edition

Remember how I always say representations matters? Well, highly toned and incredibly chiseled representation matters, too. Ahem. Fans of everyone’s favorite not-so guilty pleasure, ESPN The Body Issue, were treated to the first-ever out gay couple on its cover this year. Pro basketball’s Sue Bird and pro soccer’s Megan Rapinoe graced the cover and pages of The Body Issue together. And it was good, it was very, very good.



As Megan told the magazine in the accompanying interview:

“I think neither of us really wants to just do things and be like, ‘We're the gay couple.’ But to have this really unique vehicle to actually do that, to celebrate who we are in our sport, but also the fact that we'll be the first gay couple, is pretty special. It's pretty amazing to think about, especially in the times we're in. Just think of how far we've come, but also the current climate and defiance in the face of that. Not only are we female athletes, but we're dating as well. It's kind of badass.”

Have I mentioned this photo shoot, even the strange lost in the forest shots, are very good? Because it is.

My Weekend Lesbian Power Couple

Newsflash: All your favs are gay and apparently dating each other. In an interview with ESPNW released yesterday, it was revealed that Sue Bird, of the U.S. Women’s National Basketball team and the WNBA’s Seattle Storm, and Megan Rapinoe, of the U.S. Women’s National Soccer team and NWSL’s Seattle Reign, are dating. They met, and this is adorable, at the 2016 Olympics in Rio because of course their meet-cute is better/more impressive/infinitely sportier than yours.



In the same interview Sue, a 15-year veteran of the WNBA and 10-time All-Star, came out as gay.

“I'm gay. Megan's my girlfriend. ... These aren't secrets to people who know me. I don't feel like I've not lived my life. I think people have this assumption that if you're not talking about it, you must be hiding it, like it's this secret. That was never the case for me.

"It's happening when it's happening because that's what feels right. So even though I understand there are people who think I should have done it sooner, it wasn't right for me at the time. I have to be true to that. It's my journey."

Congratulation on coming to this stage of your journey, Sue. And congratulations on your super sporty relationship. This is most definitely one of those times I bemoan the fact that same-sex couples can’t produce their own biological offspring because, damn, can you imagine the athletic prowess of the Bird-Rapinoe baby?



So now I guess all that is left is to rank them on the Definitive Lesbian Power Couple List. Below Ellen and Portia (duh, because everyone is below them). Probably above Samira and Lauren (sorry, fellow writers, we’re still just writers). Less May-December than Sarah Paulson and Holland Taylor (you know, not that there's anything wrong with that). Near wherever K-Stew and whomever she is currently dating (but seriously, who is it now?) Happy lesbian power coupling weekend, all.