26 February 2010
Ireen Wüst is a Dutch long-track speed skater. Sunday evening in Vancouver at the 2010 Winter Olympics, the out lesbian kissed her partner Sanna van Kerkhof, another ice skater, after winning the gold medal in the 1500 meter race. The scene was broadcast on the giant screen facing the track, which is a huge boon to out GLBT athletes in a field where gays and lesbians don't have much visibility.
A four time speed-skating world champion, with a gold medal from the 2006 Winter Olympics in Torino, Wüst is well-loved in Holland where speed-skating is a very popular sport. She came out of the closet in 2009.
Wüst has had quite a time being one of the rare out athletes in professional sports-she reports being annoyed with the constant barrage of inquiries she receives into her private life. She insists on speaking about speed-skating, as she reminded readers of eurOut, a European lesbian website. Wüst's story brings to mind the media circus surrounding French tennis star Amelie Mauresmo's coming-out during the Australian Open in 1999. Mauresmo reports that ten years later, there is a still an eerie silence surrounding the issue of gay and lesbian athletes. But the revelation of Wüst's and international rugby superstar's Gareth Thomas's sexuality over the course of the past 4 months has certainly brought much-needed visiblity to their existence and participation in professional sports.
25 February 2010
httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Sgmie274aAA&feature=player_embedded
The Internet has exploded with rumours on 'the big kiss', so don't blame Yagg for jumping on the bandwagon with spoilers, we warned you first! For all of you who haven't followed Desperate Housewives into its sixth season, here's the backdrop: Susan inherits a strip-club, promptly gets rid of it, and convinces Robin (played by Julie Denz), one of the strippers, to quit her job and change lifestyles. After a series of disputes Robin moves in with Susan's neighbor Katherine. They go out one night, get hit on by some guys, and Robin mocks the guys by kissing Katherine, who seems to like it even though she is clearly taken by surprise. In the next scene back at Katherine's house, Robin implores Katherine to 'explore her options' even further!
In an interview with The Advocate, published before the episode with the kiss, Dana Delany (Katherine on the show) discusses Desperate Housewive's ongoing usage of gay themes, her role in gay rights politics, and discloses that she came close to kissing Jennifer Beal on the set of The L Word.
25 February 2010
httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c2uc_gNxB9k&feature=player_embedded
YAGG Editor Judith Silberfeld recently caught up in Paris with Paige Braddock, Charles Schultz creative director and creator of the sensational lesbian comic book series Jane's World. Braddock reveals that half of her comics' readership is heterosexual, discusses shortcomings of the hit tv show 'The L Word', and reports that gay males comprise the smallest % of the comic series' followers. Finally, Braddock she tells why she likes the comic strip format of story-telling.
24 February 2010
httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2EnfRKHkQ6E&feature=player_embedded
In a first-of-its-kind series for the Internet, lesbian blogger and activist Tatiana Potard directly adresses lesbians with a video using comedy and straight-talk to encourage good sexual hygiene and STD prevention amongst lesbians. A Yagg exclusive.
Ireen Wüst is a Dutch long-track speed skater. Sunday evening in Vancouver at the 2010 Winter Olympics, the out lesbian kissed her partner Sanna van Kerkhof, another ice skater, after winning the gold medal in the 1500 meter race. The scene was broadcast on the giant screen facing the track, which is a huge boon to out GLBT athletes in a field where gays and lesbians don't have much visibility.