Volume 5 Issue 1
Getting Ahead in 2011

With all the holidays – religious and secular – that fall during the last few months of the year, my favorite is undoubtedly New Year’s Day. Not New Year’s Eve, as that is not the actual holiday but most gays would think so, right? Also, New Year’s Eve 2009 was set in motion when I watched a friend throw up in a crowded bar … at 10:30 p.m. It was all downhill from there.

No, I love New Year’s Day, because that is when I can put the baggage of the previous year behind me – start living a better life and being a better person. I say this every year, and every year I take baby steps toward this.

So, don’t judge me.

I lost and gained weight, ending the year 10 pounds lighter than when it began. I worked on my novel, then started over, and finished the year one chapter ahead. I saved money, then blew it all, then ended the year with a little something extra in my account. Then I spent it on gifts for others.

Basically, I’m slightly ahead of where I was 12 months ago. And that’s ok.

As a gay sports community we also are ahead of where we were 12 months ago. There is more participation than ever in gay sports leagues; young leagues continue to grow, and new leagues are popping up in cities big and small all over the country. Gay athletes who participate in all sports – softball, volleyball, rugby, football – are coming out and enjoying their sport. And they are standing up as positive examples of gay athletes. By this time next year, our community will have grown even larger.

Professional athletes are finally coming out as straight allies. In this issue of Compete, for example, we are spotlighting current NFL stars Antonio Cromartie, Scott Fujita and Brendon Ayanbadejo, as well as former NBA legend Isiah Thomas, all of whom have stuck their necks out for equality. With their voices and influence, we can count on making some inroads in the locker rooms of professional sports. Whereas we are now slightly ahead of where we were in this respect a year ago, we’ll be even further ahead in 2012.

And, to toot my own horn, Compete’s stature and visibility in both the gay community and the sports community has increased. Our circulation has gone wider and our reach has expanded. (But just wait to see where we go in 2011!) We continued to bring you stories of out gay athletes in all kinds of sports, including NASCAR (Evan Darling, pictured left), boxing (Nicole Dean, below in yellow) and dog sled racing (Kyle Lashley, in this issue). These athletes – although they are few compared to their counterparts in softball, football and such – are lone advocates in their sports, but the impact they are hoping to have is enormous.

Many of the athletes we profiled in 2010, particularly in the latter part of the year, spoke of a desire to tell their story because of unsettling news of bullying, taunting and even suicide among gay youth. They realized that their stories and the experiences they are able to share can make a difference for someone just like them. In the coming year you will read about even more athletes making a difference.

Every year that Compete has been publishing has been a watershed year, each one better than the last. 2010 was no different, and 2011 will certainly be our best year yet. If you’ve enjoyed the past 12 months of Compete – well, you ain’t read nothin’ yet!

 

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