PinkNews.co.uk » Mark Umbach

Swimmer Ian Thorpe reveals he is dating a woman

Mark Umbach — Wed, 23 Jul 2008 10:24:26 +0000

For years, probably since his appearance at the 2000 Sydney Olympic Games, many have been speculating, and most gay men have been hoping, that the Thorpedo—gold medal winner Ian Thorpe—was indeed a homo. Well, don’t count on it.

This past weekend, in an interview with Australian paper The Sunday Telegraph, Thorpe was again vague about the gender of his new significant other. When asked if there was someone special in his life he said, “There is, but they don’t live in this country.”

That interview had the web buzzing that Thorpe might finally reveal more details about his private life, which he has famously kept to himself, probably part of the reason for the homospeculation.

On Monday, however, all our Thorpe dreams were finally laid to rest.

Web site News.AU.com reports that, in an interview with Women’s Day, Thorpe finally revealed the gender of his new love interest.

“I am in a new relationship and I am very happy; except she lives on the other side of the world.” Thorpe told the magazine.

“It’s very cool, but we want to see how it goes. She’s a friend of a friend and we were introduced. She has all the qualities that are most important to me.”

Over the years, despite the rumours, Thorpe has been linked to a slew of women, including American swimming champion Amanda Beard and Fox Sports’ Lee Furlong.

Thorpe will be seen in Beijing at the Olympics this August as part of his sponsorship deals.

COMMENT: “Gay brain” study makes sweeping generalisations

Mark Umbach — Sat, 21 Jun 2008 02:00:02 +0000

Many of you have probably read about the recent study that says the brain makeup of gay males is similar to that of straight women, and that holds true for gay women and straight men.

Now, I’m all for science and trying to figure things out, but in this matter, I’m trying dig a little bit deeper and figure out what exactly all this means.

From science’s standpoint, it would seem like the researchers are drawing comparisons between the sexual attractions of the subjects.

Gay men and straight women are both attracted to men, and gay women and straight men are both attracted to women.

And I don’t think it would be a giant leap to infer that people reading the study are going to deduce that gay men tend to act more like women and gay women tend to act more like … playing into the biggest stereotype faced by the gay community.

(Funny timing, too, that the study was put out during this momentous week for gay rights in California).

The latter part of that comparison is where we’ll have to draw the proverbial line. The problem with a study such as this is that it makes such a sweeping generalisation.

I know a lot of gay men. I also know a lot of gay women.

Part of the reason I’ve managed to become good friends with so many gay people is because I’m part of a community.

More importantly, I’ve been able to meet so many different folks because in LA, I’ve been a part of three different sports organisations, all with different interests.

It is this last point that I would like to drive home.

Despite the fact that we may have similar brain structures, or what have you, the LGBT community is so non-homogenous, that I just cannot come to terms with this study.

Is the study saying that the brain shape dictates sexual attraction?

If that is the case, then, sure, there may be something to it.

But it cannot be ignored that people are going to read this article and draw from it that gay men are all feminine and dainty and that’s all.

Over the past six or seven years of being a gay man, I’ve had to come to terms with a lot of things.

Over the past two years, however, I’ve come to terms with one bigger issue, and that’s the fact that we’re not all the same.

I know gay men who like to play baseball and football.

I know gay men who like to ice skate or swim.

And I know gay men who like to decorate and sew.

And I personally think that all of these things are fantastic. I think everyone should be who they want to be.

On the flip side, I certainly know straight women who like to play lacrosse or field hockey.

I know gay women who wouldn’t pick up a tennis racquet if Anna Kournikova were itching for a game of doubles.

I have to admit most of the straight men I know would, but not because of the tennis racquet. Some straight men would rather sit in the corner crocheting.

I’m sure this new study will stir even more debate; let’s just hope it’s not used to reinforce stereotypes.

The real issue is that you cannot stereotype and place the entire LGBT community into one group.

We are as diverse as the population itself, and while this study certainly has its merits, the way it is being presented doesn’t sit well with me.

COMMENT: A kiss is just a kiss? Not for baseball-loving lesbians

Mark Umbach — Fri, 06 Jun 2008 13:00:21 +0000

People across America generally view the Pacific Northwest as one of the most progressive, and dare I say liberal, regions of the United States.

That stereotype was put to the test last week with the Seattle Mariners were taking on the World Champion Boston Red Sox.

During the third inning of the May 26 game, Sirbrina Guerrero and her date were approached by a Safeco Field usher who told them that their smooching was inappropriate behaviour.

Taken aback, Guerrero told the Associated Press:

“I was really just shocked. Seattle is so gay-friendly. There was a couple like seven rows ahead making out. We were just showing affection.”

Now, according to the Safeco Field Code of Conduct found on the Mariners page of MLB.com, the rules regarding PDA read as follows:

“Our staff will proactively intervene to support an environment where guests can enjoy the Safeco Field experience free from unacceptable behaviour, including the following: Displays of affection not appropriate in a public, family setting.”

This is where the debate becomes tricky.

According to Guerrero, a couple was “making out” just seven rows ahead of her and her date.

Was that couple reprimanded for their behaviour? Why is a gay couple making out deemed inappropriate while a straight couple faced no consequences?

Rebecca Hale, a spokesperson for the Mariners club, told AP that the usher was responding to a complaint that the women were “making out” and “groping.”

Not so, says Guerrero, who claims that she and her date were exchanging brief kisses while sharing some garlic fries.

Meanwhile, Seattle-based blogger Dan Savage is not standing for the double-standard.

As he points out in his column on The Stranger website, when America sees a man with his arm around his girlfriend, it’s seen as cute affection.

But should a man put his arm around his boyfriend, that’s seen as shoving homosexuality down the throats of people who aren’t quite comfortable with it yet.

Comfortable with what? Comfortable with people being happy? Comfortable with people being in love?

Comfortable with the idea that not everyone in the United States is exactly the same? Comfortable with a modern, 21st century family unit? Puzzling.

Be that as it may, there are clubs out there that are reaching out to their gay fans.

Clubs including the San Diego Padres, the Washington Nationals and the San Francisco Giants, among others, sponsor gay nights at their stadiums.

Currently the Mariners are “investigating” the incident.

Earlier in the week Guerrero says that the Guest Services Department had apologised to her, but Hale did not confirm this with AP.

Australian diver comes out ahead of Olympics

Mark Umbach — Thu, 29 May 2008 09:41:37 +0000

Like many athletes around the world, Australian Matthew Mitcham fought his way to the top of his sport to qualify for the Beijing Olympic Games.

Unlike many of his Olympic counterparts however, the diver must fight to bring his life partner with him to the Games.

Mitcham, 20, came out in an interview with the Sydney Morning Herald this Sunday.

Now, he will compete on the 10-metre platform, diving for the gold as Australia’s only openly gay Olympic athlete.

What Mitcham would like more than anything else is for his longtime partner, Lachlan, who fought the tumultuous battle of Olympic dreams with Mitcham, to be there in the stands cheering him on.

The young diver and his partner currently do not have the funds to get Lachlan to Beijing, but Mitcham tells the SMH that Johnson & Johnson offers an Athlete Support Programme that would allow for friends and family of those competing to travel to the competition.

It has been a long road for Mitcham.

For a long time the young athlete had to battle depression, which led him to see psychologists and a brief time on medication.

Then, after both a physical and mental burnout, he decided to retire from the sport while still a teenager.

Nine months later he realised he had not yet lived his dream and, literally, dove back in head first.

Just last week Mitcham was back in action in Ft. Lauderdale, Florida, competing in the USA Diving Grand Prix.

Maybe a little bit to his own surprise, Mitcham fought the elements and took home the gold, besting two Chinese divers that will be gunning for him in a few short months in Beijing.

If things come together for Mitcham, he could become only the second openly gay diver with some gold medal hardware on his mantle.

Greg Louganis, a three-time Olympian, came out as gay shortly after returning from the 1988 Olympic Games in Seoul, South Korea.

Louganis won gold on the 3-metre spring board and 10-metre platform at both the 1984 Los Angeles Games and the Seoul Games, as well as taking a silver medal in the 10 metre at the 1976 Montreal Games.

Come August, all eyes will be on the 10 metre platform once again.