Another LGBT Win

Italian Olympian, Rachele Bruni has just officially upped the number of LGBT athletes competing in the Olympics this year to fifty-one.  After winning her medal and dedicating it to her “beloved,” people wanted to know who she was referring to.  It was then she admitted it was for her girlfriend who had accompanied her to Rio.  “I’ve never done a big coming out. Undoubtedly there are people who have too many prejudices, but I live peacefully. I do not think about the prejudices, I live for myself, for my passion for swimming and for the people who love me,” said Bruni.

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Proud Parent: a label so many deserve

The following is a letter from Scott Tayloe, our Founder, in response to NBC Olympic correspondent Al Trautwig’s tweet, “They may be mom and dad but they are NOT her parents.” regarding Simone Bile’s parents.

Dear Mr. Trautwig,

Parenting, in direct definition, is the process of promoting and supporting the physical, emotional, social, financial and intellectual development of a child.

Our child, birthed by a mother and father who knew that they couldn’t support him in these various ways, chose to adopt their child to us.  From the moment we cut the cord in the delivery room we have seriously and proudly undertaken these duties.  We have changed his diapers, held him while he cried, taught him the difference between right and wrong.  We have nourished him in our home where he has a roof over his head for as long as we are alive.  We’ve given him guidance on how to act and how to speak.  We have given him a glimpse into this beautiful world with all of its great differences, differences that we believe only make us stronger as a whole.

Mr. Trautwig, based on your strong opinion on who an Olympic athlete’s parents are, I fear you don’t fully understand or grasp what it means to be a parent.  And I regret that as a parent, one of my most difficult duties is to have to explain to our son how and why it is there are people out there like you.  All we can do is remind him how proud we are to be his parents.

Congratulations, Simone, on your Olympic medals.  And congratulations to your parents on raising such an incredible and inspiring daughter.

Sincerely,

Scott Tayloe

 

Site: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Parenting

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“Out” Athletes at the Olympics

Forty-five athletes at the 2016 Summer Olympics are open members of the LGBTQ community.  Eight of these athletes are from the United States.  Hayden’s List congratulates these outstanding Olympians and wishes them nothing but success in their quest for gold!

Seimone Augustus, Basketball
Augustus is a five-time All Star with the WNBA and is heading into Rio as a two-time Olympic gold medalist. She is an advocate for the LGBTQ community, especially in sports, saying it is the “alpha-male ego” of male athletes that cannot accept gay players.

Elena Delle Donne, Basketball
Donne was the 2nd overall pick in the 2013 WNBA draft.  She is a current member of the Chicago Sky.  Donne is also a Global Ambassador for the Special Olympics.  She came out right before the Opening Ceremonies to Vogue Magazine.

Kelly Griffin, Rugby

Griffin is a member of the first-ever Olympic Women’s Rugby Team for the United States. She is married to Ashley Griffin with two children.

Brittney Griner, Basketball
Griner is passionate about fighting bullying. She told the LA Times “When I was younger, it really bothered me…I’ve learned to love myself.”

Angel McCoughtry, Basketball

McCoughtry grew up with “traditional” family values and father who was a pastor. Needless to say she was scared to come out. McCoughtry told ESPN “…I wasn’t expecting it to turn out this positive.”

Ashley Nee, Kayak White Water Slalom
Nee was terrified of rapids as a child and now is competing for gold.  After a shoulder injury took her out of the 2008 Summer Olympics, it was Nee’s wife who encouraged her to continue to pursue her dream.

Jillion Potter, Rugby
Potter has come back from a spinal injury and a cancer diagnosis to compete in Rio.  She’s also come a long way from her Texas high school that cut a girl from the basketball team for being gay.  Potter believes that rugby is a very accepting sport, “…anyone has a place, and it really becomes a safe place to be yourself.”  She also takes her responsibility as an “out” athlete very seriously. “It transforms society’s views when young boys and girls see gay athletes with their partners, and they ask their parents, ‘Oh, that’s OK?’ It becomes commonplace, something people don’t have to be afraid of.”

Megan Rapinoe, Soccer
Rapinoe competed in London in 2012 and scored a “Goal Olimpico” which is kicking a ball in a curve from the corner of the field.  She came home with the gold medal.  Rapinoe works with the Gay, Lesbian and Straight Education Network and also Athlete Ally.

Quick Facts:

  • Twenty-four percent or eleven athletes of the forty-five “out” athletes are male
  • Seventy-six percent or thirty-four of the athletes female
  • For the United States, all “out” athletes are female

Do you agree with Seimone Augustus and the “alpha-male ego” that does not allow for gay males to be out as athletes?  Share with Hayden’s List your thoughts.

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Slurs at LGBT Olympians

Reports show that LGBT athletes are the target of homophobic slurs.  Megan Rapinoe, a lesbian from the US women’s soccer team said she’s heard words like “bicha” and “puta” while on the field.  (“Bicha is a Portuguese word similar to ‘faggot.’)  Rapinoe told the LA Times, “It is personally hurtful, I think a sort of a mob mentality kind of takes over.”  She adds, “I don’t think that all Brazilians fans or everyone that was there last night is homophobic.”

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BBC Commentator’s Homophobic Remarks

A spokesperson from the BBC apologized on behalf of Paul Hand, tennis commentator.  As the kisscam panned the crowd, Hand said, ‘Let’s hope they don’t go on to two blokes sat next to each other.’  Spectators reacted on twitter, asking the BBC to enlighten Hand, saying that it’s perfectly acceptable for two men to kiss.  BBC said, ‘The comment was ill judged and we apologise to any of our viewers who were offended.’

 

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Teammates for Life

British field hockey players, Helen Richardson-Walsh and Kate Richardson-Walsh, are more than just teammates on the field, they’re also a married couple.  They’ve played field hockey together for nearly twenty years, been a couple for eight and finally married in 2013.  And if that weren’t enough, it gets better: the world will get to watch them work their “near telepathic magic” (as one of their coaches puts it) on the field in the Rio Olympics.

We can’t wait to cheer them on next month and the other 34 Out LGBTQI athletes heading to Rio!

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