gay4soccer
Because soccer isn't gay, but once in awhile it kinda is.
Soccer Ally May: San Jose Earthquakes
05/14/13
The Allies List has crossed the one hundred mark for Major League Soccer players represented and now it’s time for the San Jose Earthquakes to add to the ranks.
The Quakes have just been through a time of learning over the past few weeks following Alan Gordon’s use of a homophobic slur on the field, but the team already has a few allies. Mike Fucito took part in a Seattle-wide It Gets Better video while with the Sounders. Sam Garza and Dan Gargan both joined the list last season, and Dan Gargan represented the Chicago Fire last summer at an event for Equality Illinois.
Let’s get some Quakes to join this trio. Use the list below to ask players on Twitter to become allies by tweeting to us at @gay4soccer or with the #soccerally hashtag.
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Portland Timbers Fans Stage Anti-Homophobia Display
05/14/13
The Timbers Army led their fellow Portland Timbers fans in an anti-homophobia display prior to the team’s 3-0 victory over Chivas USA Sunday.
Anne Peterson of the Associated Press captured the display on video and posted it to YouTube:
It’s just the first of a bunch of displays like this we’ll be seeing over the next few weeks as supporters groups across Major League Soccer mark the International Day Against Homophobia coming up this Friday, May 17. Keep an eye on the stands across the League!
Several more images of the display coming up after the jump.
Robbie Rogers Poses for the NOH8 Campaign
05/13/13
Robbie Rogers posed for the NOH8 Campaign last month while visiting New York City, and he and the campaign released the resulting photograph over the weekend:
The NOH8 Campaign originally started as a silent protest to the passage of Proposition 8 in California reversing gay marriage legislation in the state. It has since grown to stand for human equality in marriage and beyond.
If you like this photo of Robbie Rogers, you can order it (as well as those from current MLS-ers like Jay DeMerit) at their website to help support the campaign.
Another way to support them is by participating in one of their open photo shoots. Their next one in the United States is at the W Hotel in Boston on June 1. The shoot is from 3 to 7 PM and it’s great scheduling because the Revolution home match that weekend is on Sunday the 2nd. Also for this Boston event proceeds will not only benefit the NOH8 campaign, but also the One Fund set up to assist those affected by the Boston Marathon bombings and their families. You can get all of the details here.
Soccer Ally May: LA Galaxy
05/13/13
With 17 new players signing on, last week was an amazing start to our team by team recruitment drive for our Allies List. Can the LA Galaxy keep up the pace?
The Galaxy have a trio of players on the list right now with Colin Clark and A.J. DeLaGarza both signing on at this time of year. DeLaGarza and Omar Gonzalez both also work with Athlete Ally through its Ambassadors program.
How many players from the team who has welcomed Robbie Rogers to their practice field will join them? Help us by asking the players on the list below. We’ll keep an eye on our @gay4soccer handle and #soccerally hashtag for replies. You can also sign on as a fan by signing onto our statement of support on our Fan Allies page.
Soccer Ally May: FC Dallas
05/10/13
We wrap up the first week of our may ally recruitment with another team with a pair already on the list, FC Dallas.
Goalkeeper Chris Seitz joined the list last year, but the college teammate of Robbie Rogers also joined Athlete Ally as an ambassador earlier this year. We added Eric Hassli to the list after his participation with many players from Toronto FC in the You Can Play Project last season.
Who will join this pair? Help us in asking the players to join the Allies List by tweeting us at @gay4soccer or using the #soccerallly hashtag. There are plenty of MLS, NWSL, NASL, and USL matches this weekend as well so if you’re in a spot where you may meet a player you can also make an in-person ask.
Bryant University Says You Can Play
05/09/13
by gay4soccer
in Uncategorized
Bryant University in Smithfeld, Rhode Island is the first school in the Northeast Conference to make a video for our friends at the You Can Play Project.
Both the men’s and women’s soccer team at Bryant are represented, with defender Ryan Stone and midfielder Regan Marin appearing to spread the message that one’s sexual orientation does not matter when it comes to participation in sports. If you can play, you can play.
Go Bulldogs!
Soccer Ally May: Chicago Fire
05/09/13
The club spoke out for LGBT athletes this week, but with two players currently on the Allies List, the Chicago Fire are the next up in our May recruitment drive.
Last season the Fire had players appear at a cocktail hour put on by an LGBT rights organization and staffers pied in the face for the cause. But current players Dilly Duka and Paolo Tornaghi both signed on as allies at this same time last year.
Let’s add some players from this team that has shown great support in the past. Use the list below to ask players to join; we’ll keep an eye on our @gay4soccer Twitter handle and #soccerally hashtag for their replies. And if you’re a Fire fan–or fan of any team–and want to sign on you can do that here.
Soccer Ally May: Colorado Rapids
05/08/13
Two days into our May recruitment push for our Allies List and we already have five new players signed on so let’s keep up that great pace with the Colorado Rapids.
As with our other teams so far this week the Rapids are represented by only one player on the list, and that’s only by way of an offseason trade: Nathan Sturgis whom they acquired from Houston in December.
So let’s push for another good day today. We’ll keep an eye on our @gay4soccer mentions and the #soccerally hashtag for players up for joining. And there is midweek action tonight so if you’re in a place where you meet up with a player you can ask them in person.
Here’s the list of players from the Colorado Rapids on Twitter:
Chicago Fire Lobbies in Support of LGBT Athletes
05/08/13
The Chicago City Council votes on a resolution supporting LGBT athletes today, and the Chicago Fire were among those speaking in favor of it at hearings yesterday.
As part of the hearings Dan Lobring, Senior Director of Communications, shared the club’s support of Robbie Rogers, their work with Chicago Pride last year, and the work of the Section 8 supporters group and their diversity tifo last April.
Major League Soccer and the Chicago Fire are certainly ahead of the curve when it comes to the goals of the resolution, which calls on the leadership of professional sports leagues to hand down sanctions for use of homophobic language from players. It also calls for commissioners to publicly state support for out athletes, which we have seen Don Garber do several times since Robbie Rogers’ coming out in February.
(Update 1 PM CT)
The resolution supported by the Fire was passed unanimously by the Chicago City Council!
Soccer Ally May: Chivas USA
05/07/13
After a successful first day with the Montreal Impact our month-long push to add professional soccer players to our Allies List, we continue with Chivas USA.
Goalkeeper Dan Kennedy is currently the only Chivas player on our list. And as the face welcoming LGBT fans to the team’s pride night a few years ago he was one of the first players we included. Montreal increased from one to four yesterday. Can Chivas USA do the same?
Players can tweet at our @gay4soccer handle or use the #soccerally hashtag for inclusion on the list. You can also check out this post for our new way to ask players from any team, any league to join in person. And fans can join now as well using this web form.
But now onto the Chivas.
