[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

[billhilly]

Farm Team?

[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.

[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"

[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?

[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?

[Junior]

Any pictures?

[yendu bwam]

Just make the WNBA an all lesbian affair, and the rest of us can continue to ignore it. Oh wait, I forgot, it already is and we already do.

[SamAdams76]

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.

So what exactly to these lesbians mean by the WNBA management "ignoring their presence?" I assume they purchased tickets to the game and gained admission just like everybody else. I've been going to Red Sox games at Fenway for years and I've never once been "formally recognized" by MLB management. Never realized that that was something that was supposed to happen. Or is it only supposed to happen for lesbians?

BTW, the photo of the two lesbo's earlier in the thread shows a man and a woman. At least it looks like a man.

[Archie Bunker on steroids]

"Where the boys aren't"

[jaz.357]

"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." I AM A MALE LESBIAN OK!..HEY what are you doing with my freekin FRANKFUTTER!!!!