Truth be told, there's a market for women's ball, namely families withUm--Mr. Kent--you forgot the lesbians. Lesbians form a significant portion of the fan base for women's basketball. I know you know that--the WNBA knows it. It's just that no one wants to talk about it. Did Swoopes's (whom Kent mentions in the article) coming-out this year do nothing to show that it's ok to talk about lesbians and basketball? Apparently.
young children, older fans, African-American families, that may not be the
standard, listen-to-talk-radio, live-for-SportsCenter sports fan.
It's disappointing. Sure all of us with toasters know the score--know the high numbers of closeted players and recognize one another in the stands. It's time for the Others to provide that nod of recognition too.
2 comments:
Or was he perhaps trying to move away from the old stereotype that *only* lesbians are interested in women's sports?
Just a thought.
If that was his intent then he could have acknowledged lesbians as a loyal fan base to which these other constituencies have been added. No, I truly believe there is a very loud silence around the presence of lesbians (as athletes, coaches, administrators, and fans) in basketball--and of course most women's sports. (See Strong Women, Deep Closets.)
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