Happy birthday to our deputy managing editor and host of the weekend Outsports podcast The Sports Kiki, Alex Reimer! He turned 28 today! In his honor, our homepage is filled with his latest work. He also has a Substack, and this is a column I heartily recommend reading:
I've spent much of my 20s obsessing over my career. It's mostly brought me misery. On my 28th birthday, I have a message for my younger self: Calm the fuck down.
— Alex Reimer (@AlexReimer1) December 11, 2020
My latest: https://t.co/3q1tAJ9Bkf
In the spirit of his latest personal work, which I encourage you to subscribe to, as I have, this week’s winners are ranked as Calm and losers as Uptight.
Calm: Derrick Gordon says opponent called him the ‘F-word’ during game
Gordon says the incident happened during a game Thursday. He’s currently playing professional basketball in Cyprus.
Uptight: Trans soccer player called ‘cheater’ after her first match. Her team lost, 7-1
After the match, Mara Gomez’s opponents made an incredible gesture that brought her to tears.
Calm: How a new generation of bi athletes is pushing back against bi-erasure
A rising number of LGBTQ athletes is coming out as bisexual. These are their stories.
Uptight: Zero NFL players choose LGBTQ cause for their cleats, 3 support anti-gay group
At least 11 players are supporting anti-bullying efforts that tackle homophobia, four selected the ACLU.
Calm: English soccer manager has found widespread acceptance as a gay man in the sport
Luke Tuffs has been out and accepted his entire career. He’s also been incredibly successful in a short period of time.
Uptight: John Cleese earns justifiable pushback for Twitter jab at trans athletes
The Monty Python legend also defended J.K. Rowling’s transphobia and in doing so, revealed that even comic geniuses can be blinded by ignorance.
Calm: Layshia Clarendon is trans, and yes, also non-binary
On Instagram, New York Liberty guard Layshia Clarendon wrote that a friend helped them see that ‘You can be trans and non binary, genderqueer and so much more.’
Uptight: After resigning for homophobia, Reds announcer Thom Brennaman hired by baseball league in Puerto Rico
Thom Brennaman has been hired to announce baseball in the Roberto Clemente League in Puerto Rico.
Calm: Sports Illustrated names Breanna Stewart one of its 5 ‘Athlete Activist’ Sportspersons of the Year
Sportswriters unhappy with the choice not to name a Black WNBA player are speaking out. Sports Illustrated’s top editor explains to Outsports why he stands by the selection of Breanna Stewart.
Uptight: Sports Illustrated throws up a brick in its Sportsperson of the Year selection
SI selecting Breanna Stewart as the face of the WNBA’s activism in 2020 is not a good look.
Calm: Bi college lacrosse player thrives after finding her identity
Therese Pitman used to hide her feelings for other women while also dating men until she decided to just be herself.
Uptight: Staten Island Yanks sue Yankees and MLB over minor league contraction scheme
Baseball’s best Pride Night uniforms weren’t enough to save the Staten Island Yankees. Now they’re taking the majors to court.
Calm: Out trans non-binary wrestler Still Life with Apricots & Pears wants better industry inclusion
The wrestling work of art found self-confidence through pro wrestling’s embrace of their trans non-binary identity and wants that push to continue.
Calm: Out lesbian wrestler Rebel Kinney found passion in wrestling, looks to pay it forward
‘The Psycho Dyke’ turned inspiration from pro wrestler Jazz into a burgeoning in-ring career in the U.K. wrestling scene.
Calm: Premier League striker writes supportive note to LGBTQ fans after shattering rainbow flag
Jamie Vardy of Leicester City wrote the goodwill message on a flag he snapped after scoring a game-winning goal.
Calm: This gay former Big Ten Champion is running again for a worthy cause
Derek Wiebke left running after leaving the Univ. of Minnesota. Now he’s returning to the sport for charity.
Calm: After being outed, this former college basketball captain found solace in Boston’s gay basketball league
When Quadry Allen was outed to his family, his brothers in the Boston Gay Basketball League took him in.
Calm: Human Rights Watch demands end to abusive sex testing in women’s athletics
The human rights group is calling for an end to the ‘discriminatory but necessary’ practice by World Athletics.
Calm: Just in time for the Holidays: Join us for a special QuaranTeam Zoom chat
Join us for an Outsports Zoom chat on Friday, Dec. 18, the last night of Hanukkah and one week before Christmas!
That’s all for this week! I’ll bring you a fresh list of winners and losers next Saturday. Got a name I missed, or want to challenge my choices? Comment here or on Facebook or Instagram, tweet at us, message me via any social media, or just plain email me at [email protected] Thanks, and be good to yourself and one another!
