Spotlight on Outsports

This month marks the release of Fair Play: How LGBT Athletes Are Claiming Their Rightful Place in Sports by Cyd Zeigler, one of the world’s foremost experts on LGBT issues in sports and cofounder of Outsports. To celebrate the release of Fair Play, today we’re pleased to share a short spotlight on Outsports.

Events: Join Cyd Zeigler at Unabridged Bookstore in Chicago on Thursday, June 23, at 7:00 PM, and at Bluestockings Bookstore in NYC on Wednesday, July 20, at 7:00 PM.

Outsports, naming itself the worldwide leader in gay sports news, commentary, and media coverage, is certainly faithful to its claims. The website, sponsored by SB Nation, focuses mainly on headlining news, events, and circumstances of LGBT communities in sports around the globe, and creates a medium through which these issues can be both emphasized and discussed. Founders Cyd Zeigler and Jim Buzinski have cultivated a safe, forward-thinking online community that focuses on continuing the ascent of LGBT communities, while also creating opportunities for site viewers to not only comment on and engage with original postings, but also to create their own content.

The website approaches the issues at hand from a variety of angles. For example, while headlines like “Gay athlete excelled after coming out” and “Coach’s words of praise make gay athlete cry” emphasize the milestones of LGBT athletes and highlight moments of progression, there are also articles like “Why there will never be a gay Jackie Robinson” and “Mexico soccer fans yell gay slur ‘puto’ during COPA match in Arizona” that shed light on the areas that are lagging behind in the era of LGBT advancement.

Perhaps the area where the most important levels of dialogue have been taking place is the Fanposts section of Outsports. It’s here that the public is able to share their views and opinions in full article form and comment on those that have been written by others. Many of these ask questions that encourage discussion, or simply offer encouragement to those who may need it. For example, the article “How do you respond to homophobia at sports events?” openly describes several occasions where gay slurs were loudly remarked at sports events and were treated as being “surprisingly regular.” Another article, however, titled “Gay D1 basketball player wants to know if he should come out publicly,” is a simple self-written call for aid in finding answers; the editors confirmed the identity of the submitter, opening the floor for commentary. The article inspired several comments of encouragement, advice, and guidance in making the decision to come out by sharing stories of their own experiences, or those of athletes they knew.

Posted: Jun 16, 2016

Category: Akashic in Good Company | Tags: Akashic in Good Company, Cyd Zeigler, Edge of Sports, Fair Play, Fair Play: How LGBT Athletes Are Claiming Their Rightful Place in Sports, LGBT, Outsports, SB Nation, sports, spotlight