Regretfully, I haven't discussed LGTB issues on PlayCity as much as I would like.  To preface, just so we're clear (and in the event that I decide to run for political office twenty years from now!), I believe whole-heartedly in equal rights for gay, lesbian, transgender, and bisexual individuals in this country – yep, including the controversial right to marry.  

Okay, so now that that's out of the way, I wanted to share a story with you about Jamal Brown, an openly gay former Dartmouth track & field athlete. 

Photo courtesy of www.fearlesscampustour.org

I read his narrative on Outsports.com, an online source whose mission is "to build the broadest, deepest, most informative and most entertaining gay sports community. This encompasses sports fans, teams and leagues. A mixture of breaking news, commentary, features, member profiles, photo galleries, and discussion boards, Outsports is the place to go for sports fans and athletes. Nothing like Outsports exists either on- or off-line."

Brown's story takes me back to my college years running track.  One of my teammates, who I ended up growing quite close with, was gay.  Though everyone "knew" he was gay, I also knew that he struggled, particularly in his relationships with certain heterosexual (and hyper-masculine) male athletes on our team.  I also shared a close relationship with a female teammate who, while sobbing outside of our dorms, admitted to me that she was gay.  She too struggled to find acceptance among our other teammates.  

I'm sensitive to these issues not only because of personal relationships but because I can empathize with LGTB folks, particularly LGBT folks of color, who confront bigotry and stereotyping on a daily basis.

ABC report on openly gay athletes

So in the spirit of highlighting sports for good organizations on PlayCity, I want to share with you the following organization that is contributing to human rights activism through sports.

The Gay & Lesbian International Sports Association is "an international gay and lesbian sport association modeled after a multi-sport governing body, its members are international sporting federations, continental associations representing sport teams and clubs from the major regions of the world, and host cities of GLISA's World Outgames and Continental Outgames."

Though we still have a ways to go concerning civil and human rights in this society, I'm glad to know that there are people and organizations fighting for, and representing on behalf of, LGTB athletes.