Hi Guys, this probably will sound stupid, but I was wondering if you guys and gals would want to visit the Blue Jays Message Board.....Lemme 'splain....Someone posted a thread titled "Check Out This Site" and it turned out to be some spam thing. So I put in a reply saying "well, here's a site that isn't spam, and it's a baseball/sports forum" and I listed outsports.com So of course you can imagine some of the idiot replies when you put a gay subject in where the audience is predominantly straight men....Anyhoo, I was wondering if anyone wanted to go to that thread and put in your opinion?

to get there, you go to the Blue Jays website within mlb.com then under Fan Forum, choose Message Boards.

Thanks

Billy a.k.a Merloni26

You don't have to tell me about homophobia on the Blue Jay fan forum (run by MLB.com). When I started a thread about the Gay Community Day with the Blue Jays that I am organizing I received homophobic--but also supportive--replies. If you think somebody's post violates the guidelines (for example, the person who said "you and your kind will spend a wonderful eternity burning in H-E-L-L") you can report them (click on Options) to the board moderator. Tell them specifically that it is homophobic, and that MLB should not tolerate homophobia on its board. This is what I did on the thread I started and the homophobic comment was deleted.

Perhaps you might also want to edit your original post and indicate the Outsports.com has sections and forums specifically dedicated to baseball fans---just to clarify for people who might not actually look at the site.

Don't know why that board won't tolerate the word "gay." I can understand them prohibiting "fag," but there's nothing wrong with the word "gay."

And Merloni26--what were you doing on the Blue Jays message board when you're a Red Sox fan? Advanced scouting? wink

Canmark -- not to get off topic, but how is the prep for Gay Community Day going?

LOL, Actually...I was just surfing around the BJ's site...um, er..The Blue Jays site to see if I could find I pic of J.P. Riccardi, I heard he's cute LOL

I wonder if a Gay Day at Fenway would be successful

[ December 18, 2003, 04:52 PM: Message edited by: Merloni26 ]

Gay Community Day with the Blue Jays is coming along well.

The Jays have blocked off tickets for us on the Field Level - 3rd base side(reg. price $37 CAD), and will offer a 15% discount (30% for groups of 15 or more) on tickets. Tickets can be ordered as early as...now! from Blue Jays Group Sales at (416) 341-1564.

Am working with scottie (from the Outsports board) on a website that will promote both the Toronto and Philadelphia gay day events (and list events in other cities like Chicago). We plan to have it up in January.

Am still looking for support from local organizations and sponsors (to help pay for the cost of advertising and promotion), but have received support already from the Gay & Lesbian Professional Athletes Assn.

I've invited Billy Bean (via Tyler Hoffman ) to throw out the First Pitch--although he is not confirmed. We will also get to chose someone to sing the national anthem.

The date of the event is: Friday June 25, 2004, 7:00pm. Blue Jays vs. Expos at SkyDome. This game will take place during Gay Pride Week in Toronto.

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Merloni26--there are a bunch of Outsporters in the Boston area (plus the GLAF ) for support. I encourage you to approach the Red Sox about having a similar event. I've received very positive support from the Blue Jays, as has scottie from the Phillies. The Cubs will be having their 4th annual Out at the Ballgame on June 19th, 2004; the White Sox are in their 3rd year. Gay community events have been held by the Rangers, the Braves, the Twins; and AIDS Awareness days have been held by the Marlins and Giants... Major league teams are happy to support any group, and I don't see any reason why the gay community in Boston wouldn't want to support an event like this.

I believe not allowing the word "gay" on the message boards is an MLB rule, as it is not allowed on the Phillies message boards either. I'll have to ask to see if anyone knows why.

I would guess that it was being flung around as an insult a whole lot.

No doubt it would, Lou-luvver. Actually, this time a year ago I was talking with one of the guys from Pridesports Boston about organizing such an event, but for one reason and another we never followed through. I'll be glad to help out again this coming season. We could probably fill a couple of thousand seats, easy. With marriage becoming legal in May, and the Democratic convention July 26-29, it's gonna be a happenin' summer in Boston.

Seriously, any of you folks who'd want to talk about it, email me with your thoughts, and we can have a conversation after the first of the year. (No committee meetings, please!)