Lesbian Liberty Fans Kiss in Protest

Associated Press ^ | Saturday, August 03, 2002

[Dog Gone]

NEW YORK (AP) -- Lesbian fans of the New York Liberty accused the WNBA team's management of ignoring their presence at Madison Square Garden and protested by kissing during Friday night's game.

The kissing, during breaks of a televised game against the Miami Sol, was organized by ``Lesbians for Liberty,'' a group which complained that the team catered to other groups with events to mark Father's Day and Black History Month.

In an e-mail encouraging the display, the lesbian group asked, ``Are you tired of the WNBA and the New York Liberty denying that lesbians are packing Madison Square Garden week after week for women's basketball games?''

Other protesters marked the team's ``Banner Night'' promotion by holding up ``Lesbians for Liberty'' signs.

The team issued a statement saying its games ``bring together all facets of the city, including the gay and lesbian community.''

[Dog Gone]

I give permission for anyone to add whatever Keywords are appropriate.

[martin_fierro]

And nine of the WNBA's remaining ten viewers turn off their TV sets.

[nothingnew]

"Beam me up".

FMCDH

[Dr. Thorne]

Yep. WNBA is toast. Good riddance to bad basketball.

[cactusSharp]

could you imagine if the chocladykes were to play
football too.....the wimmens bball will
die on the lesbian agenda

[billhilly]

Farm Team?

[Dog Gone]

``Are you tired of the WNBA and the New York Liberty denying that lesbians are packing Madison Square Garden week after week for women's basketball games?''

They do have a point. Nobody else attends.

[Incorrigible]

 

FANS IN LIP-LOCK HOOPLA
AT THE GARDEN

 

By JESSIE GRAHAM

---

DOUBLE DRIBBLE:
Organizer Robyn Overstreet (left) and Jenni Paul kiss before last night's game.
- R. Miller

August 3, 2002 -- Liberty fans just expecting a women's basketball game also got to see some tonsil hockey last night, as lesbian fans locked lips in the stands to protest "being ignored" by the team they love.

Some women in the stands at Madison Square Garden stood up and smooched during timeouts in the nationally televised game against the Miami Sol.

"Are you tired of the WNBA and the New York Liberty denying that lesbians are packing Madison Square Garden week after week for women's basketball games?" read an e-mail sent by Lesbians for Liberty, the group that organized the same-sex kiss-in.

Other WNBA teams, such as Seattle, Sacramento, Los Angeles, Minnesota and Miami, have acknowledged the league's large lesbian fan base with special promotions, such as discounts for gay groups.

Even big-league men's baseball teams like the Chicago Cubs and the Atlanta Braves, have set up gay-fan appreciation nights.

But not everyone noticed the lip-locking protest.

"I've been watching the game," said Bob Race, 42, a Liberty fan from Lyndhurst, N.J. "I'm a season-ticket holder and I want to get my money's worth."

Although the Liberty boasts the only "out" general manager, Carol Blazejowski, and player, Sue Wicks, in the entire league, they aren't openly courting the lesbian market.

"They run away from using the word ‘lesbian' at any of the games," said Robyn Overstreet, 22, an organizer of the mass lip-lock.

The protesters are asking the team to celebrate the Lesbian and Gay Pride March at a game and to have players attend community events for lesbian fans. The team has similar events to mark Black History Month and Father's Day.

"Reflecting the diversity of New York, our games bring together all facets of the city, including the gay and lesbian community," the Liberty said in a statement.

League insiders said the WNBA advised its franchises last year to aggressively court special groups, like lesbians, as potential season-ticket buyers to help boast sagging attendance numbers.

"Our directive is to sell as many tickets as you can, including going after any group or target audience," said league spokeswoman Traci Cook.

[Dog Gone]

"I've been watching the game," said Bob Race, 42, a Liberty fan from Lyndhurst, N.J. "I'm a season-ticket holder and I want to get my money's worth."

What?? A guy was there?

Somebody needs to check which bathroom he really enters.

[Dr. Frank fan]

Lesbian fans of the New York Liberty accused the WNBA team's management of ignoring their presence

Boo hoo. I mean really, why do they care whether the team's management "notices" them? I go to sports events all the time. Not once has it crossed my mind that the management of the team I'm watching should "notice" me and not "ignore" me by doing something especially condescending and patronizing just for Me. go figure.

Why has such a once-noble cause as civil rights seemingly sunk into nothing more than a grab for attention? I feel the same way about the various "pride" parades. It's a little incomprehensible to me why it's supposed to be so important and "pride"-inspiring for certain people to walk down a city street and have people stare at them. Or in this case, for them to kiss and have people stare at them.

Is there anything behind this other than attention seeking? Anything at all?

[glock rocks]

``Lesbians for Liberty''

and their sister group "Fags for Lumberjacks"

[demlosers]

And nine of the WNBA's remaining ten viewers turn off their TV sets.

The tenth fan is a dyke, WNBA's target audience.

[Commander8]

They aren't even making a real impact. Women's basketball isn't even areal sport. If they really want to push buttons they ought to do that at a more credible sporting event like the manure tossing event at the bubbalympics.

[redbaiter]

"Treat us like everyone else, except when we say not to." Everybody clear on that?

[evolved_rage]

"I've been watching the game," said Bob Race, 42, a Liberty fan from Lyndhurst, N.J. "I'm a season-ticket holder and I want to get my money's worth."

He just likes to watch...

[nothingnew]

He just likes to watch...

Chauncy Gardener?

FMCDH

[Jonathon Spectre]

What is the WNBA?

[Tacis]

Where on earth did they get so many black lesbos? And, why hasn't the government stopped the racial segregation of black females into these WNBA teams? Why aren't all these blacks allowed to play in the same league as the white female basketball players, whatever it is called?

[TheErnFormerlyKnownAsBig]

What is the WNBA?

It's what is called a tax shelter. Every WNBA team is owned by the same people who own the mens team in the same city.

The WNBA teams are sister corporations of the NBA teams, under the same umbrella corp as the NBA teams.

I know the WNBA teams are losing money and the Corps. are using them as a tax write-off.

[evolved_rage]

He just likes to watch... Chauncy Gardener?

Larry Flint.