Compete February 2013

7TH SIN CITY SHOOTOUT RECAP

SPORTS. DIVERSITY.

NEW BODIES IN NASCAR

JACQUES

SNYMAN

SPORTS, MUSIC & MODELING

COMPETE’S INSPIRING ATHLETE MMA FIGHTER LIZ CARMOUCHE

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BEN COHEN FOR THE HUMAN RIGHTS CAMPAIGN

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FROM THE SkyBox

by Eric Carlyle, Co-Founder

I

have to say I love Compete. Each month I get excited as our editor-in-chief clues me in to what the issue will cover. I am never disappointed. February was an especially big month for sports diversity. Nine-year-old Sam Gordon attended the Super Bowl in New Orleans as guest of NFL commission Roger Goodell. A YouTube video of Gordon dominating football play made her an instant internet star and caught the world’s attention. What makes Sam different from most nine-year-olds is that she (yes, she) is a star football player back home in the Salt Lake City area. Score one for diversity.

This month I was most impressed that Kenneth Faried from the Denver Nuggets came out for LGBT equality. I must admit I had not followed Faried on the court but I’m truly a big fan now. Many of you may already know this but our Ally Editor, Matt Fish was once a Denver Nugget himself. For Matt, this hits really close to home. Score two for diversity.

Then Robbie Rogers, a major league soccer player, came out as gay. I first learned of Rogers coming out on Outsports.com. Congratulations to them on their great online coverage of Rogers. Score three for diversity.

While we can’t cover every inroad into sports equality, we are always striving to bring you the best of the best. You can help us by volunteering to be a guest blogger or by being a newshound. Your tips, ideas and stories are what make Compete your magazine.

February was a great month for sports diversity. Who knows what March will bring? Let’s all hope more big things.

Sport On,

Eric Carlyle, CEO eric.carlyle@mediaoutloud.com

www.joesnyder.com 6

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| COMPETE | February 2013

February 2013 Volume 7, Issue 2

FOUNDERS CEO/Publisher/Sales Eric Carlyle • eric.carlyle@mediaoutloud.com CIO/Website Production David Riach • david.riach@mediaoutloud.com COMPETE MAGAZINE Editor-in-Chief Connie Wardman • connie.wardman@mediaoutloud.com

Ally Editor Matthew Fish • matt.fish@mediaoutloud.com Community Editor Ty Nolan • ty.nolan@mediaoutloud.com Art Director Jay Gelnett • jay.gelnett@mediaoutloud.com Contributors Harry Andrew, Bryce Carter, Ian Colgate, Jason Galea Ph.D., Jeff Kagan, Miriam Latto, Lisa Mansfield, Chris Mosier, Brian Patrick Photographers Gregg Edelman, Don Thompson, William Waybourn COMPETENETWORK.COM Associate Editor Ty Nolan • ty.nolan@mediaoutloud.com COMPETE RADIO Executive Producer Joe Dugandzic • joe@qtalkaz.com

Jacques Snyman

Photo by Alpha-boy foto

16 NASCAR is Changing Bodies 20 A Head for Sports & Business

Meet Molly Lenore

26 What Happens in Sin City

(Shootout) Isn’t Staying There!

32 Jacques Snyman

Hitting the Pitch in More Ways Than One

SOCIAL MEDIA Chris Lembke • socialmedia@competenetwork.com COMPETE SALES & PARTNERSHIPS (ALL BRANDS) Media Sales Executives Tyler Skarda • tyler.skarda@mediaoutloud.com Copyright 2012 MEDIA OUT LOUD, LLC 4703 South Lakeshore Drive, Suite 3 Tempe, Arizona 85282 P 480.222.4223 • F 480.889.5513 Compete is a trademark of Media Out Loud, LLC MISSION STATEMENT Compete unites the world through sports.

www.competenetwork.com www.facebook.com/competemag @competesports Please note: As a cost cutting measure and to protect our environment this month’s issue has been sent to you without a poly cover.

KICK–OFF 8 Grandstanding 10 Face Off 12 Ask the Community Editor 14 Left Field Departments 24 MVP Woody Hartman 34 SPORTS Liz Carmouche Overtime 40 Gym Bag 42 TOP 10 /On Deck 44 Events COVER PHOTO by Jared C. Tilton / Getty Images for NASCAR 46 Sports Yearbook

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GRANDSTANDING LETTERS TO COMPETE MAGAZINE

THE KISS SEEN ROUND THE WORLD Just read it [Scott Norton cover story, Jan. issue] for the third time. And cried again!

Thomas Fleisher – Phoenix

THEY KISSED ...

... and on TV! Amaaazing.

Julio Martinez – Los Angeles

BOWLING IS A SPORT

I love that you ran a story on bowler Scott Norton. Bowling takes skill like any other sport but some of my friends don’t think it’s a sport.

Thanks for helping me make my point with them [Jan. issue].

Karen Dougherty – Los Angeles

HITTING THE SLOPES

Of course, our favorite article is on page 36!

Thanks for the chance to share the fun of LGBT skiing & snowboarding [Jan issue]!!!

Ski Bums – New York City

BRIAN SIMS AN INSPIRATION

Thanks for making me aware of Pennsylvania Representative Brian Sims in your November 2012 issue. I’ve been following his career ever since and continue to be impressed by him. He makes me think I might be able to do the same.

Tyler Roberts – San Diego

SUBSCRIBE ME, PLEASE

From the Catbird Seat

by Connie Wardman, Editor-in-Chief

W

hat a great time to be part of sports diversity when it is picking up steam from every corner. Compete isn’t just about reporting scores, it’s about telling the stories about the people and events who so clearly and proudly exemplify sports diversity at its very best.

This issue has stories like first openly gay MMA fighter, Liz Carmouche who will make history as the UFC holds its first-ever women’s fight in the UFC 157 this month. We’re also recapping the seventh annual Sin City Shootout as well as giving you a peek at the new car design for NASCAR you’ll be seeing on the track. And by request, we’ve brought back our popular MVP. We also want to introduce you to Molly Lenore, Compete’s Inspiring Athlete of 2012. She’s a remarkable athlete, to be sure. But she’s so much more. And the same thing goes for our hunky model Jacques Snyman. As athletes, they’re certainly winners. But they go beyond that—in their personal diversity they represent the best in each of us, making the world a better place simply by who they are and how they live their lives!

We also want to tap the expertise of our community editor, Ty Nolan who has spent many years as a therapist dealing with issues related to the LGBT community.

He will be writing an occasional column called Ask the Community Editor. If you have a specific question you would like addressed, please email me.

And keep those letters coming in that tell us what you like about Compete and some of the things you’d like to see covered—I’m only an email away. We love hearing from you. After all, as Eric always says, this is your magazine.

Keep Smiling,

Connie Wardman, Editor-in-Chief connie.wardman@mediaoutloud.com

Wow – just saw your underwear issue [September issue] at my gym. Sign me up.

Ralph Gaines – Las Vegas 8

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| COMPETE | February 2013

Elevated Dining

Mt. San Jacinto State Park and Wilderness

• World’s Largest Rotating Tram • Spectacular Views • Dining at 8,500 ft

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FaceOff

THE QUESTION ...

We’ve gotten such positive response to Scott Norton and his husband Craig Woodward shown kissing on ESPN. What do you think this means for the future of LGBT equality?

Matthew Fish Ally Editor

matt.fish@mediaoutloud.com

TO EACH HIS OR HER OWN It was a great scene when ESPN showed Scott Norton and his husband Craig Woodward kissing on their December broadcast of the 2012 PBA Chameleon Championship. Showing this event on ESPN, television’s most signature-sports network, shows just how far we have come in terms of sexual equality.

I would like to congratulate Scott, both for his win and for being open about his life – and that includes congratulations to Craig as well. Just as important, I would like to congratulate ESPN for choosing to show the kiss, a relevant, meaningful gesture between two people who love each other, without cutting away to something less significant. This means so much more than a “Saturday Night Live” skit working hard to make people feel uncomfortable for a laugh.

What does this kiss mean for the future of LGBT equality?

Well, I think it is only a beginning, a doorway for sports stations to be able to show more of these types of realistic celebrations and same-sex relationships on television without cutting away to what the trophy looks like. Human relationships are so much more appealing when it is pure from the heart and can be shared with everyone involved.

This one brief kiss on national television has now opened the door to showing two human beings celebrating a victory together, uninhibited and uncensored. It is exactly the same kind of public display of affection approved for straight people – why should it not be equally appropriate for gay people?

If this is how a victor wants to celebrate his or her performance, then great! It should not be censored. To each his or her own! Why put a stop to people expressing themselves in an appropriate manner that suits their personal preference.

Whether the outward expression of your celebration is doing a hand stand, a cartwheel or kissing the person you love, it should be done proudly and without inhibition.

If society stops the expression of love in its purest form, then we have taken a step back in time. We have come so far, let’s not stop our progression as a civilization now. At a time in our world history when we are so open to working on equality, it would be counterproductive to censor a heartfelt expression like this kiss. Let’s continue to accept one another no matter what our age, race, religion or sexual preference may be.

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Ty Nolan Community Editor

ty.nolan@mediaoutloud.com

WE GET TO SEE THE WORLD AS IT IS We at Compete Magazine are proud of our history with openly gay pro bowler Scott Norton who graced our last cover.

He recently made history with one of the most natural expressions of success and love when he won the 2012 PBA Chameleon Championship in Las Vegas. He kissed his husband, Craig Woodward. ESPN broadcast the kiss, most likely airing the very first footage of an openly gay professional sports star kissing his husband after his victory.

The kiss is now part of our collective YouTube heritage.

After I reported on Scott, another male kiss caught my eye in the Sports Illustrated (SI) Super Bowl preview issue. The photographer captured the moment of the 49ers clinching their place in the Super Bowl. In the photo taken at the first gay sports bar to open in the Castro, two male 49er fans are lip-locked in celebration. One of the bartenders at Hi Tops, the scene of that kiss, shared how his mother reacted to the SI picture. According to Logan Chavama, “I told my mom and she cried.”

What does it mean when mainstream sports magazines and television networks freely acknowledge LGBT realities?

Like ESPN’s coverage of Scott and Greg, it begins to “normalize” seeing actual couples in an America where nine states, our nation’s capital, and two American Indian Nations (the Coquille and the Suquamish) have legalized same-sex marriage. 2013 will see the possibility of additional states doing the same. And next month the Supreme Court will make a decision that may strike down the Defense of Marriage Act that forbids federal recognition of marriage equality.

On Tuesday, Ryan Murphy’s television program “The New Normal” features an openly gay actor portraying an openly gay husband. The male couple is expecting the birth of their son through a surrogate. The episodes are literally a “normalization” of a gay married couple in prime time. Murphy’s “Glee” shows us inter-racial same-sex couples on Thursday during prime time.

What have the media trained us to see – a biracial President or the multi-ethnic sports star, Tiger Woods? The media remind us that one out of every six marriages in the U.S. is now inter-racial. It has connected the similarity between interracial marriages and same-sex ones – both were originally illegal solely on the basis of prejudice. The media teach us to see the world as it really is … just as Scott and Greg have done.

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| COMPETE | February 2013

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Ask The Community Editor

DIFFERENCE IS NOT THE SAME AS DISEASE

by Ty Nolan

Question: The American Psychiatric Association has dropped Gender Identity Disorder from its manual but many transgender advocates are still concerned. Based on your counseling experience, what is your take on this?

I

once invited someone I had been seeing to join me in Chicago where I would be presenting at an American Psychiatric Association (APA) Conference.

Receiving a phone call at the hotel from a former student of mine who was attending the conference, I told him, “I’m here with a friend.”

My guest looked up and said, “I’m not your friend.”

Me: “Okay, how would you like me to introduce you?”

He: “Significant Other.”

Me: “Ooooookaaay.” And I then returned to my original conversation and said, “I’m looking forward to introducing you to my Significant Other.”

Former Student: “This is new, huh?”

I share this for a few reasons. One is that in order to get back into our hotel we had to go past an LGBT group led by the Lavender Menace protesting how the APA classified Trans people. The second reason is how my “new” relationship reflected the differences that can exist in how individuals perceive another person’s identity. The third is a quote from the psychiatrist Thomas Szasz: “In the animal kingdom, the rule is, eat or be eaten; in the human kingdom, define or be defined.”

This all comes together as the APA has announced that the organization is removing “Gender Identity Disorder” (GID) from the updated “Bible” of psychiatry, the “Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM), which is something the Lavender Menace group was demanding at that Chicago meeting. The Gay and

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Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation (GLAAD) has urged the media to “acknowledge that ‘Gender Identity Disorder’ – as well as the idea that trans people are automatically ‘disordered’ – are now antiquated ideas among healthcare professionals.”

As a therapist, I was required to enter a DSM diagnosis for the patients we would see at our clinic. One of the troubling things about psychiatry and sexuality is that these concepts intercept issues of legality, treatment, and allocation of resources. For example, some health plans will provide resources to treat problems that are “legitimized” by being found within something like the DSM but will refuse support for problems that don’t have this legitimization.

Thus there’s a catch-22. While shifting how the psychiatric community understands Trans reality may on some levels serve to remove a certain stigma of “disease/disorder” from being Trans, it may also suddenly deny access to medical support to individuals seeking hormone treatment, therapy, and sex-reassignment surgery. An important issue to consider is that this can primarily impact the poorest within the Trans community, including those who are incarcerated or in homeless shelters. As American society faces significant cutbacks in state and federal medical care, there will undoubtedly be decision-makers who will welcome an opportunity to save money by restricting support to people without formally recognized “diseases and disorders.”

The newest DSM offers the classification of “Gender Dysphoria,” ( “dys” has to do with pain and “phoria” means to bear) as a way of describing someone with “a marked incongruence between one’s experienced/ expressed gender and assigned gender.”

Ultimately, we are all still trapped within a medical model that operates from a “what is wrong with a person” perspective. It also denies an individual the power to define him/herself, a power the medical community reserves for itself. This is why a sexologist I know prefers the term “Gender Euphoria,” to remind us that difference is not the same as disease.

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| COMPETE | February 2013

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KICKOFF

LEFT FIELD

FROM THE COMPETE BLOGS

DAVID POCOCK JOINS ATHLETE ALLY AMBASSADOR PROGRAM [Compete blog From Jan 23, 2013]

Hudson Taylor, Executive Director of Athlete Ally has scored another major player in his fight against homophobia and bullying in sports. He’s just welcomed Down Under’s David Pocock to Athlete Ally. On his website, Hudson writes: We’re so excited to announce today that Australian rugby star David Pocock has joined our Ambassador Program to help challenge homophobia in sports.

David Pocock David’s ongoing support for the LGBT community makes him a perfect addition to our team.

To have David join the program is fantastic, and brings an important international mission to Athlete Ally. He’s a star in one of the world’s most aggressive sports, and it is really exciting to work with him. David is a perfect example of a man who is helping shift sports culture away from homophobia and living by the values he stands for.

David is one of the most recognizable rugby players in Australia, and currently plays outside flanker for two professional clubs. But before excelling in rugby, David grew up in Zimbabwe and developed a keen desire to help those who are less fortunate or those who are bullied. Today, he carries that passion to do good with him and dedicates his time to speaking up for LGBT rights in Australia.

This addition to the program – on the heels of the NFL’s Scott Fujita, Brendon Ayanbadejo, and Chris Kluwe - marks a distinct new international supporter for Athlete Ally, and we are really excited to work with David and see him continue spreading the message of equality and acceptance down under.”

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TIA NORFLEET, NASCAR’S FIRST AFRICAN-AMERICAN FEMALE DRIVER Tia Norfleet, NASCAR’s first African-American female driver as well as its youngest, has turned into a role model for minorities wanting to follow their dreams. While driving is her passion, her goal is to teach young people, particularly females, about careers in racing and motorsports.

It’s also to make them understand the truth and power behind her daily Tia Norfleet motto – “Get right or get left.”

Making her racing debut this past August, this resident of Augusta, Georgia comes by her passion for racing honestly. As the daughter of NASCAR driver Bobby Norfleet who made his own NASCAR debut in 2000, she says that racing is her life.

With NASCAR already accused of racial discrimination, to say nothing of the fact that it’s a male-dominated sport, she’s not about to take a back seat to anyone. For those who wonder if she’s up to the task, according to Isaac Hayes, spokesperson/CEO of the online fund raising organization, Tiapower.com,“It is sheer passion and instinct that drives this youngster to want to compete in this sport; she was born to compete.”

Tia is very committed to a number of programs, such as the National African-American Drug Policy Coalition and the Motorsports Institute, Inc. as well as serving as the Safe America Driving Program’s spokesperson. She has also appeared in a number of commercials, magazine ads and radio/television interviews.

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| COMPETE | February 2013

THUMBS UP TO CHARLES BARKLEY … for the courage to speak out against antigay discrimination. During a tribute to Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. prior to the Celtics-Magic game, Sir Charles said,”You know, people try to make it about black and white. He talked about equality for every man, every woman. We have a thing going on now — people discriminating against homosexuality in this country. I love the homosexual people. God bless the gay people. They are great people.”

THUMBS UP TO BOEING … the Washington state aircraft manufacturer for changing its policies to now extending “pension survivor benefits to all spouses, as defined under either State or Federal law whichever defines the same sex person as a spouse .” This is a change from its earlier stated policy to deny those benefits to same sex married couples.

THUMBS UP TO BRENDON AYANBADEJO … for using his Super Bowl winning publicity to call for an end to homophobia in professional sports. He’s asking straight athletes to follow Pee Wee Reese’s example 66 years ago when he courageously put his arm around Brooklyn Dodgers black teammate Jackie Robinson in public, showing the crowd that skin color doesn’t make a difference – teammates are teammates. And the same holds true for sexual orientation – athletes are athletes.

?

SPORTS QUIZ

Where was the first NASCAR race held?

… for killing a bill that would have given protections to LGBT residents in the areas of housing, government, public services and the workplace by a vote of 21-26.

A recently-released Gallup study shows that North Dakota has the lowest number of LGBT residents than any other state in the U.S.

THUMBS UP TO THE NORTH AMERICAN OLD CATHOLIC CHURCH (NAOCC) … for ordaining Shannon T.L. Kearns, a transgender man, into the priesthood. Kearns is tasked with starting a new parish in Minneapolis, the House of the Transfiguration. With a Master of Divinity from Union Theological Seminary in New York City, Kearns says he is honored and humble, and looks forward to “many years serving as a priest.”

A progressive Catholic tradition, the NAOCC welcomes and ordains women, LGBT people, married and partnered people as well as those who have been divorced.

Shannon T.L. Kearns A: The first NASCAR race took place on a dirt track at the old Charlotte Speedway in North Carolina on June 19, 1949 in front of a crowd of approximately 23,000. Christian “Jim” Roper took first place (and the $2,000 purse) in a Lincoln Cosmopolitan after reading about the race in a syndicated comic strip.

Other legendary racers competing that first day included Lee Petty, Curtis Turner and Buck Baker.

Thumbs

THUMBS DOWN TO NORTH DAKOTA STATE SENATE

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G6 2013 Daytona Preseason Thunder Jimmie Johnson at front of line

“LIKE A G6, LIKE A G6” … MOVE OVER FAR EAST MOVEMENT— THERE’S A NEW G6 IN TOWN. THIS SEASON NASCAR WILL INTRODUCE A NEW RACECAR TO THE COMPETITION. THE NEW “GENERATION 6” (G6 OR GEN-6) SPRINT CUP SERIES RACE CARS HAVE ALREADY BEGUN TESTING AND WILL BEGIN COMPETITION WHEN THE GREEN FLAG FALLS ON SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 24 FOR THE 55TH RUNNING OF “AMERICA’S GREAT RACE,” THE DAYTONA 500.

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| COMPETE | February 2013

A NEW RACE CAR HOLDS PROMISE FOR NASCAR

by MICHAEL T. MYERS of Queers4Gears.com Photos by Jared C. Tilton

Photo by Jared C. Tilton / Getty Images for NASCAR

T

he Gen-6 car has been long awaited by the drivers, the auto manufactures that participate in the sport and most of all – the fans. The Gen-6 car replaces the “Car of Tomorrow,” or the “COT” as it will always be known. The COT was a bland looking racecar that neutered brand identity and impacted the quality of racing on track – but it was very safe, and when it was introduced, safety is what NASCAR needed.

On February 18, 2001 NASCAR lost Dale Earnhardt Sr. on the last lap of the Daytona 500 and his death sparked an intense seven-year design program that resulted in the COT. The car had a much larger roll cage, large crumple zones and the driver’s seat was moved toward the center of the car. The COT was less aerodynamic and utilized special large roof flaps that would extend to keep race cars on the ground if they spun backwards at high speed.

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Photo by Jared C. Tilton / Getty Images for NASCAR 2012 CMS Testing—Brad Keselowski on track

Safety improvements in the COT coupled with the soft walls (SAFER Barriers) on the track worked to save lives. NASCAR hasn’t lost a driver since the COT was first introduced.

There were countless spectacular crashes and in a majority of cases, the driver walked away from the wreckage. Despite this safety record, the COT never had a good reputation.

The main problem most people had with the COT was the way it looked. Each manufacturer shared the same basic body. The only way to distinguish a Ford from a Chevy was to look at the stickers and decals on the car. One thing about stickers— they were hard to read as cars raced by at nearly 200 mph.

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The changes with the new Gen-6 are mostly cosmetic to address these concerns. The chassis of the new car is similar to the COT with each manufacturer providing unique body panels. With the Gen-6 cars, fans will be able to identify each manufacture’s unique brand identity at any speed. The cars will look like their street-legal counterparts seen on showroom floors. NASCAR has put the “stock” back into stock-car racing.

The old adage of “race on Sunday, sell on Monday” is once again an accurate reflection of a sport that is totally market-driven.

There are some minor changes under the body as well. A forward roof bar and center roof support bar were

added to the roll cage. A taller spoiler has been added to help compensate for some of the different aero characteristics between manufactures.

NASCAR has also been working with Goodyear to introduce a new tire with the Gen-6 car. NASCAR’s vp of competition, Robin Pemberton said, “Moving into 2013 we’ve worked hand-in-hand with Goodyear and their engineers to get a plan together to build tires specifically for this new race car and optimize the grip. We have built this car with the mind-set that we are going after more of a mechanical grip and reduce some of the aero dependencies of the car for 2013.” (continued on page 20)

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| COMPETE | February 2013

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The Gen-6 car’s aerodynamics will provide less downforce and mechanical grip will become more important than it was with the COT. Jeff Burton, driver of the #31 Caterpillar Chevy SS thinks the quality of racing will improve with the new car.

“My theory is based on years of experience and watching what’s going on with this sport, how it’s evolved,” Burton said before a test of the new car at Charlotte Motor Speedway.

“We’ve been through this thing – a lot of downforce, little downforce; a lot of grip, low grip; all these different tire combinations. At the end of the day, the better the cars are stuck in the race track, the closer the cars run to each other. Especially on big tracks, the better the grip is, the closer the action can be.”

“I believe that more grip gives the drivers more opportunity to put their car in a position that they wouldn’t be able to put it if they didn’t have that grip,” Burton said. “That’s why I think the racing is going to be better.”

Basically, this means the car will be harder to drive and that brings the driver’s skill back into the equation. The crew chiefs will also be able to create “mechanical downforce,” meaning good old fashioned wrenching will become more important than the laptops crew chiefs depended on with the COT. The Gen-6 car will be a work-inprogress in 2013. The testing sessions have provided an opportunity for crew chiefs and drivers to understand the characteristics of the new car. But despite this testing and countless hours in a wind tunnel, there is more that is unknown than is known.

You cannot recreate true race conditions in a wind tunnel or during a testing session. It will take several races for both the drivers and the

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crew to find the sweet spots and dial in what they want. The playing field has been leveled-out since all teams have had equal time to prepare for the 2013 season – so throw out the old notes. It will be interesting to see which driver/crew chief combination will be the first to find an edge with the new car.

Don’t miss your chance to catch the new Gen-6 cars in action. During the first 10 weeks of the season, NASCAR will race at tracks across the country from Florida to California. If you have never been to a race in person, don’t miss the opportunity. The sounds, smells and speed simply do not translate on television!

Michael Myers

NASCAR’S FIRST TEN RACES OF 2013 Feb 24:

DAYTONA BEACH, FLORIDA

March 3:

PHOENIX, ARIZONA

March 10: LAS VEGAS, NEVADA March 17: BRISTOL, TENNESSEE March 24: FONTANA, CALIFORNIA April 7:

MARTINSVILLE, VIRGINIA

April 13:

DALLAS, TEXAS

April 21:

KANSAS CITY, KANSAS

April 27:

RICHMOND, VIRGINIA

May 5:

TALLADEGA, ALABAMA

For the complete 2013 schedule or to buy tickets to any of these races, visit NASCAR.com Michael Myers is the founder of Queers4Gears.com and host of “The Out of the Tunnel Podcast.” You can follow him on Twitter: @Queers4Gears

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Meet

molly lenore COMPETE MAGAZINE’S 2012 INSPIRING ATHLETE OF THE YEAR

By Brian Patrick

WE HONOR A NUMBER OF ATHLETES, both gay and straight, at our annual Compete Sports Diversity Awards. It is always an honor and privilege to present each person with his or her award and then we are honored and privileged again to introduce them to you, our readers. As you read about Molly Lenore, we know you’ll find her just as inspiring as do we.

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At the 2012 Compete Sports Diversity Awards Engineered by Lexus held in November in Atlanta, the Inspiring Athlete of the Year Award was presented to Lenore by Compete Magazine’s editor-in-chief, Connie Wardman. She began by reading some of Lenore’s own words.

Calling sports a wonderful metaphor for life, Lenore said that “For me, being a transgender person means never really fitting in anywhere. But LGBT sports and the resulting community that had been created has let me be who I am – an athlete, teammate, mentor and friend.”

She continued to say that “It has helped shape me, it has allowed me to preserve the bonds that I had as a male with my male teammates which is so important to me. Playing with the women has helped me feel, if only at times, that I do fit in as a woman, as a lesbian. I am not sure who I would be without sports. I really can’t imagine.”

Although Lenore is a diehard football player, her introduction to the LGBT community was actually through the New York Big Apple Softball League. Just a year after transitioning to Molly, she emailed them, explaining that she was transgender and asking if it was alright for her to play. Their response was “Of course!”

It was one of her softball teammates who told her about the New York Gay Football League, then in its first season. She was put on their wait list but didn’t play until the second season. Since football has always been so very special to her, Lenore said that “Playing with the men again felt right for me, it is what I knew; I might have changed my gender but not my mindset.”

Then in 2006 Lenore was invited to play starting middle linebacker

with the New York Bad Apples, representing New York at the Gay Games in Chicago. Not long after registering, she was informed that because her team was in the men’s division, she couldn’t play since she had registered as a female. But with the support of her teammates, and Cyd Zeigler of Outsports.com, the Gay Games organizers modified the men’s division to an open division so she could play. Although starting as the lowest seed, the Bad Apples wound up winning the silver medal.

Just months later, she played with the New York Warriors in the National Gay Flag Football League’s Gay Bowl in Dallas where the team won the first of three straight Gay Bowl championships. After playing with the Warriors for six years, in 2012 she decided to play for the New York Dolls, one of the two New York teams sent to Denver this past September to play in the first ever Gay Bowl women’s division.

Although it’s been hard for her not to play with the guys, she says they will forever be a part of her. But it was very important to Lenore to make sure the women’s division was successful. As Commissioner of the New York Gay Football League for the past 10 years, Lenore and Molly Lehman of Denver will be on hand in Phoenix in 2013 to lead the women’s division for Gay Bowl XIII being held over the Columbus Day Weekend.

But there is so much more to Lenore than just football. After spending years as a mortgage banker, by age 30 she decided to honor the artist within and enrolled in art school.

Then working for the iconic New York American Museum of Natural History for eight years, she collaborated with Joey Stein to create interactive spaces and large-scale interactive sculptures, an integral part of the museum’s evolution into what is now an immersive multimedia environment. Their combined drive to push the limits of technology led to them founding Moey Inc. in 2003.

As President of Moey Inc., she and co-founder Stein now offer creative exhibit design that they describe as the “intersection of art, science, technology, design and education” to create innovative, dynamic and meaningful technology-based exhibits across the country and beyond for planetariums, science centers, children’s museums, artists, scientists and corporate clients.

Perhaps a part of Moey Inc’s success is because as a company, it retains a sense of fun and adventure. For example, hanging in their office is a neon caricature of Lenore with her signature dreadlocks.

Part of what makes Lenore so inspiring is her willingness to talk about her life before “Molly.” At a time when we are now openly discussing the issue of being transgender, we must recognize that those like Lenore are being very courageous by revealing themselves. Their willingness to (continued on page 26)

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AGE: 29 HOMETOWN: Denver, Colo.

CURRENT RESIDENCE: Los Angeles, Calif.

SPORT: Ultimate Frisbee RELATIONSHIP STATUS: Single FAVORITE ATHLETE: The Cal Bear in me says Aaron Rodgers, but Chris Kluwe deserved a big shout out for speaking up for gay marriage.

INTERESTS: Anything outdoors ... backpacking, climbing, kayaking, snowboarding, you name it! Also, theme parks, urban planning, and videogames.

LIKES: A strong man (physically and emotionally) who is humble and kind (maybe even a little shy).

DISLIKES: Arrogance, vanity, whiners, and people who are afraid of a little dirt.

BEST PHYSICAL FEATURE: Arms WHY HE LOVES HIS SPORT: “Nothing feels better than the camaraderie of a team pushing each other to accomplish something together. I can think of no better way to make lasting friendships.”

WOODY HARTMAN

TEAM COMPETE MV P

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(continued from page 23) be vulnerable about their “difference” opens them to potential attack from those who don’t understand. But they feel the risk is worth it to help people truly comprehend that they are regular people like everyone else. They simply know they were born into the wrong body.

When asked about the physical changes due to the required hormones and the impact on her athletic performance as a woman, Lenore says that her muscle mass has

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changed. She’s not as strong or fast as she used to be as a man but she also says that she’s turning 48 so it’s hard to separate one cause from the other.

Always an athlete, Lenore revealed that growing up as a boy she was active and sports-oriented, playing both football and baseball. She had a younger sister that she got along with and was definitely the big brother protective type.

She was always attracted to women but didn’t necessarily iden-

tify with a male sexual orientation. And now, as a woman, she is still attracted to women but says she has really grown beyond that.

She now finds that her attraction to someone isn’t based simply on sexual orientation, it’s based on who the person is as a total human being – she now sees no gender barriers.

And her family has always been very supportive of her.

Although her father has passed, she shared that even though he didn’t understand, he was supportive of her transition to a woman.

Growing up in a loving and supportive family is perhaps one of the reasons why Lenore so firmly believes that people are basically good. Although Moey Inc. works with top corporate and museum executives, many of them very conservative and protective of their personal and company/ museum reputations, Lenore isn’t aware of facing any difficulty or discrimination from them.

So to you, Molly Lenore, we offer our thanks for helping us all to be more open, accepting and understanding. Truly, you are both an inspiring athlete AND human being!

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SIN CITY SHOOTOUT

SHOOTS TO NEW HEIGHTS

H

eld last month in Las Vegas, the seventh annual Sin City Shootout (SCS) has managed to outdo itself once again, drawing over 5,700 athletes ready to play. When you hold a major sports festival that goes from five sports last year to 12 different ones this year, you know you’re doing something right. This year gay sports lovers and their ally athletes were on hand to participate in Basketball, Bodybuilding, Bridge, Dodgeball, Frisbee, Golf, Ice Hockey, Soccer, Softball, Tennis, Volleyball and Wrestling. Host for the event each year is GLASA, the Greater Los Angeles Softball Association.

This annual weekend isn’t just about playing sports.

There are also lots of opportunities to take part in extras, like discounts for shows, tours, restaurants and shopping. Oh, and did we mention the fun party atmosphere? Starting with registration on Friday at host hotel, the Tropicana, as you walked into the registration area the lights were already flashing and dance music was shaking the foundation. Oh yeah, there was a party going on! According to tournament director Eric Ryan, “We had over 3,000 participants in the closing party that lasted well past 4am in the morning. Rooms 20 stories up from the Bagatelle closing party location could hear the music and cheers all night long.”

No doubt about it – this annual festival is a good time. And it’s continuing to grow. Ryan says they’d “love to add Billiards, Bowling, Cycling or any other sport. If organizations would like to see their sports added get in touch with me soon.”

Contrary to the city’s ad campaign, not everything that went on in Vegas that weekend stayed in Vegas — a number of the participating groups sent us information on what transpired. Here’s some of it for you to enjoy!

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BASKETBALL Jason Jaramillo, SCS tournament coordinator for the NGBA (National Gay Basketball Association), reported that they had 23 teams from across the U.S. participating in four divisions – competitive, intermediate, recreation and novice. And here are the winners: Competitive Open Championship San Francisco Rockdogs Competitive City Championship Orange County Balls Deep Intermediate Open Championship Hollywood Blindside Intermediate City Championship San Francisco Shock Recreation Open Championship San Francisco SOS Novice City Championship Empire State Ballers (from NYC) NGBA awarded its first Spirit of Basketball Award that honors Stephen Chambers, a true sportsman on and off the court who recently passed away. Inaugural awardees were Seth Labey from Austin, Texas and Michael Alexander from Dallas.

Jaramillo added that the Tropicana “truly welcomed the Sin City sports festival all throughout the casino.

I personally thought it was cool to see the dealers wearing a softball-themed uniform with the Sin City Shootout logo.”

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Wreck N Effect– Dodgeball Team

Doom – Dodgeball Team

BIG GAY FRISBEE One of the first-time sports at this year’s SCS was Big Gay Frisbee (BGF). In its first national tournament they attracted 28 players that fielded four teams. Coming from cities as diverse as Los Angeles, Las Vegas and Albuquerque, the final battle was between teams Gays and Confused and the Shady Ladies. The Shady Ladies were the ultimate winners.

President and founder of BGF Seth Harrington said “We’re really excited for the turnout we had this year.

There has been so much interest expressed in our sport – we’re certain to see even more teams compete next year!”

BRIDGE For its first year at SCS, the group playing bridge was relatively small but they were able to schedule four separate bridge events. And their numbers were boosted by the addition of two tennis players and two local Las Vegas bridge players, one of whom is a leading professional, according to tournament organizer Steve Kaessner. A popular American Contract Bridge League (ACBL) Tournament Director, he made certain this was an ACBL-sanctioned club-level event (black points) with some Charity and Championship designations.

LEADERS WERE: Stan Fong from Toronto, Canada 2.12 masterpoints Bryan Morgan of Dallas, Texas 1.93 masterpoints Frank Floca of Austin, Texas 1.41 masterpoints Kaessner also reported that Dick Burnett of Tucson, Arizona played in his first competitive bridge game and wound up winning his first masterpoints. As a result, he decided to become a member of ACBL, the national bridge association.

Calgary Flamers – Dodgeball Team the first year for dodgeball at the Shootout and they had 28 teams with over 175 participants. It even included a Canadian team who won the best sportsmanship award – the Calgary Flamers. Winner of the nosting division was DOOM and taking home the 8.5 division was Wreck N Effect.

Amazing game-changing catches were made by teammates, girlfriends and series MVPs Nina Fiore and Morgan Muldrew from team Shotgun Nina Fiore and Morgan Muldrew Wedding. They took their team into overtime which made the crowd go wild. Although they lost in the end, the winning team gave them their medals following the game. We got a great picture of the two of them kissing. According to Mason, “We cannot wait until next year!”

L-R John Hunt, Brynne Van Putten and Jeff Kagan

ICE HOCKEY

The National Hockey League might have been on strike, but ice hockey flourished in the desert of Nevada as hockey players from across the globe showed up to participate in the SCS. Tournament coordinators Brynne Van Putten and John Hunt, both from the Los Angeles Blades, collaborated with Jeff Red Cosmos – Ice Hockey Champions

DODGEBALL Thanks to Jake Mason of WeHo Dodgeball (the team who hosted this portion of the SCS) for the skinny on the dodgeball competition. He reported that this was Content is copyright protected and provided for personal use only - not for reproduction or retransmission. www.CompeteNetwork.com COMPETE For reprints please contact the Publisher.

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Kagan of the New York City Gay Hockey Association to produce the first international gay hockey tournament in Las Vegas. The 54 skaters in attendance played on four teams in this inaugural event but they anticipate growing each year, possibly even doubling in size by 2014.

According to Kagan, the undefeated Red Cosmos faced the Black Russians for the Sin City finals. Cosmos Captain Tony Tiet scored the game winner as the Red Cosmos took the championship 6-3. Stars of the game included the following: Alberto Juarez with two goals and Eddie Arnez with a goal and three assists.

Goaltender Jerome Veysset from Paris made enough saves to save France (Joan of Arc would be proud).

Honorable mention went to Black Russian’s goaltender John Hunt who was not only one of the coordinators of the event, he also played in six games, two of them back-to-back.

Piggies – A Division Runner up

SOFTBALL From CJ Martini, his team, the Las Vegas Grease Monkeys, played in the C division. The team is sponsored by The Garage LV, a local gay bar in Vegas.

They competed against some of the top 32 teams in the C division. After going a saddening 0-2 in Round Robin to be seeded 27/32, the Monkeys also had a disheartening 1-1 Tourney play on Saturday. Starting in the losers’ bracket on Sunday, the Monkeys won six straight games (two in extra innings) before finally CJ Martini – Las Vegas Grease Monkeys falling to the San Francisco Boom.

VOLLEYBALL Ray Robles of the Los Angeles Volleyball Association (LAVA) reported that they had 13 teams (about 90 participants) playing in three divisions – A, BB and Modified-B. Although a smaller number of teams than they normally draw at their two-day tournaments, they are only expecting this SCS tournament to continue growing. The top three winning teams, MVPs and All-Stars for each division are shown on the right:

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Decepticons – BB Division Runner up A-Division • • • • •

1st Place – Team Das Riiite 2nd Place – Team Piggies 3rd Place – Team LAPD MVP – Ray Lewis , Das Riiite All-Stars – Ben Harmon, Piggies; Mario Mendez, Piggies; Gilbert Wilson, Das Riiite

BB-Division • • • • •

1st Place – Team Balls of Joy 2nd Place – Team Decepticons 3rd Place – West Coast Mixed Nuts MVP – Alejandro Chavez, Decepticons All-Stars – Wing Chu, Balls of Joy; David Picazo, Balls of Joy; Patrick Pingca, Decepticons

Modified B-Division • • • • •

1st Place – Team Yoshi Boom 2nd Place – Team Bring It On 3rd Place – Team Lucky Seven MVP – Chris Ubiadas, Yoshi Boom All-Stars – Chris Angara, Transformers; Rodel Apostol, Yoshi Boom; Tony Schumacher, Bring It On

If you or your sports team wants to participate, please contact Tournament Director Eric Ryan at Director@sincityshootout.com.

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The all new

See his package before you hookup.

Scan this QR code for full uncensored image.

By scanning this code you confirm you are 18+

squirt.org Hot ’n uncensored.

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L.A. GAY & LESBIAN CENTER

AIDS/LIFECYCLE 12 YOU CAN MAKE A DIFFERENCE

C

heck your calendar. If you don’t already have June 2-8 set aside to ride in the AIDS/LifeCycle 12, do it now and prepare yourself for a treat.

You’ll be riding in the iconic seven-day, 545-mile bike ride from San Francisco to Los Angeles that has become the world’s largest fundraising event to fight AIDS. But you’ll also be meeting a wonderful and eclectic group of people, people like Tyler Cassity who represent the heart and soul of this important cause.

A graduate of New York City’s Columbia University, how did Tyler – a software project consultant-turned-owner of the legendary Hollywood Forever Cemetery in Los Angeles – decide to get involved? Having only cycled in the crazy urban traffic of New York City, how did he wind up joining the international group of cyclists riding to end HIV/AIDS? His is just one of the endlessly fascinating stories you’ll discover when you join thousands of others from around globe.

For Tyler, it began when he moved to L.A. after purchasing the historic cemetery. Becoming friends with an executive of the L.A. Gay & Lesbian Center who invited him to join the center’s team, Tyler started with some training rides to prepare for long distance open riding that included some differing types of terrain. He also took advantage of the mentoring they offer in everything from bike maintenance to fund raising. Now his fourth year of riding to end AIDS, last year he alone raised $55,000.

When you talk to Tyler about the ride and what it means to him, you hear his intense passion as he describes the experience as transformational. Likening it to a pilgrimage, he talks about the wonderfully supportive sense of community that pushes you physically as well as mentally, emotionally and spiritually to do your personal best. And for him, the annual candlelight vigil held by the ocean in Ventura is the true spirit of the ride. In silence interrupted only by ocean waves, you each remember and honor your loved ones as well as others who have lost their lives to AIDS. It is also the time to honor those living with HIV/AIDS. Although he is gay, Tyler talks about the diversity of the riders. His first year tent mate was a straight ally, and one of Tyler’s first supporters was a straight co-worker honoring a gay brother. This diverse family of riders really mirrors the diversity in families the world over. And it’s not just about the cyclists – this family on the move includes untold numbers of roadies and volunteers who keep the ride on track and on time. Calling the ride “incredibly well-supported,” Tyler says

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that these are the people who make sure the riders get adequate nutrition and hydration both throughout the lunch and four rest stops during the day and once they’re camped for the night. They also provide medical resources and bike repairs throughout the seven-day journey.

Whether you choose to ride alone or as part of a team, register now to take advantage of the mentoring and free training by going to www.aidslifecycle.org.

You will be supporting the life-saving programs and services of two of the nation’s largest HIV/AIDS organizations, the L.A. Gay & Lesbian Center and the San Francisco AIDS Foundation.

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JUNE 2-8, 2 013

AIDSLifeCycle.org 2 decades of commitment Register today and Save $20 Discount code COMPETE Content is copyright protected and provided for personal use only - not for reproduction or retransmission.

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PRODUCED BY & BENEFITING:

Jacques Snyman

In Tune, On Pitch, & In Love

by Connie Wardman

D

o you normally think about rugby and Baroque music in the same thought? I suspect hardly ever. But there’s one rugger who can’t separate the two – Jacques Snyman. A countertenor, rugby player and model who has been recently married, he has quite a story that begs to be told. And who doesn’t love a good love story, especially around Valentine’s Day. Born and raised in South Africa as the youngest of three children, he grew up in a versatile family that was heavily involved in both sports and music (his maternal grandmother was an opera singer and her husband was an international track athlete and rugby player). Jacques is a countertenor, meaning that he has the uncommon ability to sing in a very high range.

Although he was teased and bullied as a young boy for singing so high, that talent was always in demand at family Christmas gatherings where he, his siblings and cousins would put on musical concerts a la the von Trapp family singers. While sports and music were approved paths for family members to follow, the path of the heart wasn’t. According to Jacques, it wasn’t really a happy household – the words “I love you” were never spoken.

A rugby player first and foremost, Jacques has always been involved with sports. He was the South African long jump and decathlon champion and when he moved to England in 1996, he was a professional track and field athlete competing on the European circuit. Unfortunately, he

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Photos by Alpha-boy foto

broke his back the next year while pole vaulting.

Returning to South Africa, he joined a men’s singing group with friends. Singing an octave higher in a rehearsal to be funny, the conductor, a college music teacher, stopped him and said that he had a voice that should be developed. The countertenor range was very popular in Baroque music so there are lots of those roles that showcase his talent.

But not every music conservatory has a specialist on hand—you need to go where proper instruction is available.

That prompted a move back to England where he was again told by another music professor to continue his voice training, a repeat experience that next landed him in the U.S. But in spite of a broken back and all his work in music, Jacques has continued to play rugby – a fact that I’m sure surprises everyone except serious ruggers.

Although he’s now living outside Baltimore and attending Anne Arundel Community College studying music, Jacques first landed in Fort Lauderdale where he met Victor by chance at a local Starbucks. Jacques says they met on a Friday and by Sunday, when he invited Victor on a date to the zoo, he knew he was “the one.” But Victor, whose four children live in Maryland, wasn’t happy being so far away from them and just 10 days after their meeting, he moved back to Maryland.

A long-distance relationship worked for awhile but thanks to the power of love, Jacques joined Victor and they recently married. In fact, Jacques says that until meeting Victor, he had never used the words, “I

love you” to anyone.” The bonus is that Victor’s kids are very supportive of the couple, giving Jacques his first real experience of what it feels like to love and be loved – to be part of a loving and accepting family environment.

Currently working with three of his Anne Arundel music teachers who are all graduates of the prestigious Peabody Conservatory of The Johns Hopkins University, Jacques is pursuing his music career. He has given a number of fund-raising concerts for a variety of LGBT causes such as the It Gets Better and Trevor Projects and other worthwhile charities. He also goes to local schools where he helps introduce kids to different kinds of music.

And of course, he continues to play rugby. Rugby has long been known for being one of the more inclusive sports and his local club, the Severn River Rugby Football Club in Severna Park, Maryland, is no exception. A straight club, they hosted Jacques and Victor’s wedding reception.

Love comes in all sizes, shapes, colors, genders, even kingdoms – humans aren’t the only ones who touch and are touched by love. So let’s hear it for Jacques, our Baroqueinspired countertenor/ rugby player/model, and his husband Victor. May your love for one another continue to grow and may you become an inspiration to the many others who long to marry the one they love.

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To hear a clip of Jacques singing, go to: youtube.com/watch?v=vn7gy-Yw_K0

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SPORTS

LIZ CARMOUCHE MAKE WAY FOR THE GIRL-RILLA

by Harry Andrew

O

n February 23rd in Anaheim, California, history will be made when the UFC (Ultimate Fighting Championship) holds its first-ever women’s fight in the UFC 157 as the main event. Matched in this inaugural women’s championship competition will be newly-crowned UFC Women’s Bantamweight (135 pounds) Champion Ronda Rousey and her challenger, Liz Carmouche, the first openly gay athlete in MMA (Mixed Martial Arts). Unlike WNBA, WTA and other women’s sports leagues, the UFC women’s division takes place on the same events as the men.

But history is being made twice on the 23rd. More than simply being about two women on the fight card for the first time, the most exciting fact is Carmouche’s status as the first openly gay fighter in MMA. There’s lots of buzz in the UFC community over the match, mainly because she wasn’t high on the UFC’s list when they were looking for an opponent for Rousey’s first title defense. Although other fighters were contacted, they all turned the fight down – all that is except Carmouche who had been trying hard to get a match with Rousey.

She’s not concerned about being ready for this fight, though. While most opponents don’t start training until a fight has been offered, she says she’s been training for it since Rousey won the title. With some big fight experience to her credit (she challenged for the Strikeforce belt against Marloes Coenen and lost), Carmouche’s MMA pro record lists seven wins and two losses – the feeling is that she is as ready as anyone

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else who has stepped into the cage with Rousey.

What’s really been getting as much or maybe more attention beyond the UFC community has been Carmouche’s sexuality and it’s caused her to adjust her routine. All the attention around her coming out is something she didn’t ask for but she’s no more interested in backing away from that attention than she is from backing away from a fight. She has said that “I didn’t expect the role that I was going to take with the homosexual community and leading it forward, but I’m certainly accepting it and hoping I can be an advocate.”

Known as “The Girl-rilla,” she was always athletic – always a little faster and stronger than the other kids – she was always getting into trouble by playing too rough with the boys during soccer matches. She grew up to become a U.S. Marine, serving in the Corps. for five years from 2004-2009. Rising to the rank of Sergeant, she completed three tours of duty in Iraq as an electrical engineer working on helicopters. Carmouche says, “Becoming a Marine allowed me to serve my country and challenge myself. I’ve always been a physical type of person.”

Serving in the military during the days of “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell,” Carmouche says that she had to hide her sexuality from even her closest friends.

She shared the story of Kim, her best friend in the Marines. One day in Iraq “Kim said that homosexuals in the forces should be put on the front line because they deserve to die. This was my best friend talking. I knew then I couldn’t come out to anyone.”

She continued to say that when she left the Marines, “I called Kim and let her know – ‘Hey, I’m one of those people you wanted killed.’ I was very blunt about how she’d made me feel … and she did a total 180.

Kim told me she loved me and would never, ever want to see me get hurt.

She said the way she grew up, she’d never met a gay person and didn’t know what she was talking about.”

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Carmouche recounts that to this day, Kim “thanks me for changing her views on gay people and now says she can’t imagine why she was ever homophobic.” It was this experience in addition to the support of her family, including her long-time partner, Elisa (a boxer in her own right), that encouraged her to come out as the first openly gay fighter in MMA. After leaving the Marines, Carmouche landed in San Diego and started looking for a sport that would provide an outlet for her love of physical competition. She decided to try her hand (and all the rest of her body) at MMA and “The first time I sparred, I got a bloody nose and I was hooked,” she said. “I thought this is awesome!

This is for me!”

As she trains for her professional career in MMA, she also works as a professional trainer, especially loving her work with the kids. Referring to her opponent in her upcoming fight, Carmouche says that “Rhonda and me [sic] are making history as the first women’s fight in the UFC. But first and foremost in MMA, I want to be the first female fighter to win a UFC championship inside the Octagon.”

She has never made a secret of her sexuality and by and large, the MMA community and fans have been supportive. Carmouche, the Girl-rilla, has started to call her growing group of fans “the Lizbians.” She says that “When I think about it, it is cool being the first openly gay athlete in the sport and in the UFC. And I hope I can set a good example of myself.

I’m proud of who I am and of sharing my life and having full support with a great person and my family.”

When asked if there was anything she wanted to share with Compete readers, Carmouche was eager to have you know about the wonderful diversity within MMA. She says that while many people not familiar with the sport think all MMA fighters are “meatheads,” that’s not true. She says that although they represent everything from Ph.D.s to street people, in the end they are all true athletes.

We wish you well in both your upcoming fight and your MMA career – you go, Girl-rilla!

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TEAM TO END AIDS

By Kristen Hellwig

J

eff Cohen spends most of his time in a courtroom. But when he’s not in front of a jury or in his office preparing for a trial, you can probably find this criminal defense attorney training for his next event with TEAM TO END AIDS (T2), an endurance training program benefiting AIDS Project Los Angeles (APLA). T2 trains participants to complete a marathon, trail run, triathlon, or other fitness event while they raise funds for the lifesaving care, prevention, and advocacy programs of APLA. In September of 2012, Jeff completed the Nautica Malibu Triathlon – International Distance with T2.

As part of T2’s triathlon training program, Jeff would wake up every Monday morning for a 6:00 a.m. group swim; meet his teammates every Wednesday evening for a long bike ride followed by a run; and spend every Saturday morning on another long bike ride with his team.

“At times, it can be a struggle to fit everything in,” Jeff admits. “But this is important to me, so I make it work.”

Raising money for AIDS service organizations like APLA has been a priority for Jeff ever since he learned that his younger brother, James, was HIVpositive. James has been living with HIV for about 15 years and was diagnosed with full-blown AIDS in 2011. You can hear the emotion in Jeff’s voice as he talks about his brother.

“He’s a foster dad for two amazing kids. He’s a really awesome person. And he’s living with -- not dying from -- AIDS.” During the 2012 training season, Jeff raised $8,000 for APLA, a non-profit organization that provides food, dental care, counseling services, and more to thousands of people living with HIV/AIDS in Los Angeles County. As a group, T2’s Nautica Malibu Triathlon participants raised about $150,000 for the care, prevention, and advocacy programs of APLA. Getting to know his fellow triathlon participants was one of the things that Jeff enjoyed most about the program.

“Part of the fun of the project is getting to do this with other people like you. You meet these people and you have this shared experience. You ride a bike next to them for an hour. Then you run four miles with them,” he explains. T2 staff members promote

38

this sense of community at weekly coached workouts, through online forums, and with race-weekend activities and race day support.

Jeff has already signed up to participate in the 2013 Nautica Malibu Triathlon on September 7, 2013 with T2 -- and he is taking on an additional challenge by signing up to compete in the Austin 70.3 Half Ironman with T2. This will be Jeff’s first half Ironman, but his passion for the cause will help drive him to the finish line.

“It’s an incredibly powerful feeling when you’re able to marry the physical with the emotional,” Jeff says enthusiastically. “You never know how hard you can push your body physically until you have a cause to which you’re 100 percent committed emotionally.”

To learn more about T2’s summer training season, which starts May 18, visit TEAMTOENDAIDS.com.

Jeff Cohen

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| COMPETE | February 2013

Who doesn’t love a man With stamina?

Boot Camp for Runners. Š2013 aIdS ProjectContent Los angeles is

Team To end aIdS will get you in shape and ready to run your best race.

benefiting

Training begins soon for the nautica malibu Triathlon, the austin Half Ironman and the Xterra Trail Run in Hawaii.

Space is limited.

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R FAMILY VACATIONS CELEBRATES 10 YEARS OF HAVING FUN

N

ine years ago best friends Gregg Kaminsky and Kelli Carpenter agreed that there was a growing LGBT vacation market and decided to launch R Family Vacations. Now celebrating their tenth anniversary season they are, as Gregg says “helping LGBT individuals and families realize their dreams” for an LGBTspecific vacation. He also says that their straight friends and family members are always welcome, too. R Family Vacations is the most inclusive international company offering vacations that are designed specifically for the gay community.

Gregg and Kelli decided to launch the fun that is R Family Vacations in 2003. But these business partners weren’t novices. Gregg had worked in the travel industry for 16 years. Formerly the vice president of Atlantis Events, the world’s largest gay tour operator, he created specialty vacations in Mexico, the Caribbean, Africa, Australia, Europe and the U.S. While growing up, Kelli had sailed on annual cruises with her family. And with an extensive marketing background working for the likes of Pepsi and Nickelodeon, her strengths were a great match for Gregg’s. In fact, Kelli’s family was featured in HBO’s “All Aboard” and, as one of the producers she was nominated for an Emmy.

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So what does R Family Vacations offer? In addition to their core concept of family vacations, they also offer international adults-only adventures for gay men and women traveling together, and their latest, The Broadway Cruise featuring lots of Broadway performers in a laidback atmosphere, is now in its second season. The company also offers active family summer camp experiences; this season there is one on the East Coast in Connecticut and another on the West Coast in central California near Yosemite.

Over 18,000 people have traveled with them over the last nine years so they’re obviously doing lots of things right. With a high number of repeat vacationers, they’re always on the lookout for unique ways to improve their vacations and keep the experiences fresh.

While there have always been parents who are gay, there is an actual gay baby-boom going on that Kelli and Gregg anticipated when they launched the business. There are now many more gay couples who are choosing to become parents.

And the good news is that R Family Vacations has lots of wonderful family adventures ready for these families to enjoy.

For more details on R Family Vacations or to see their 2013 schedule of cruises and events, go to their website at www.rfamilyvacations.com.

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| COMPETE | February 2013

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GYM BAG

Joe Snyder >>>

The Joe Snyder Shining 01 Bikini Brief’s silky fast dry fabric means it can double as men’s underwear or swimwear! The side seam is 1-inch and the front pouch is a standard JS pouch that accentuates your manhood while providing excellent support.

This brief’s single layer fabric is available in 21 color options, all with an alluring sheen finish. Each JS multipurpose garment is finished on the top right corner of the narrow pouch with the stylish linked JS logo. It’s a 100 percent Mexicanmade collection that includes briefs, thongs, boxers, and much more. It’s possibly the most comfortable and properly designed garment you will ever wear. Please visit our website at:

joesnyder.com

K’mandoSport™ >>>

Experience ultimate comfort, K’mandoSport™ style.

For the gym, outdoor sports or everyday adventure, the K’mandoSport™ pouch provides active men with a soft, snug fit for comfort and protection.

Stretch-knit construction adapts to every physique, and under sports clothes or jeans, K’mandoSport’s cushioned design lifts and supports.

Made in the U.S.A. from high performance sport fiber, 100 percent MicroTerry, Comfortrel XP , K’mandoSport is • • • • • •

Highly wicking Anti-bacterial Breathable Fast Drying Soft stretch fit Cushioned protection

For more information on our many styles check out our website at:

kmandosport.com 42

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| COMPETE | February 2013

>>>

Bling Dental

>>>

Mane ‘n Tail

Mane ‘n Tail shampoo and conditioner were originally concocted in the 1970s to make the manes and tails of Arabian show horses more beautiful. They were created by Straight Arrow president Devon Katzev for use on the family’s horses. But when other horse owners started using the products on their own hair, a new business was born from the back of the family horse trailer.

Since 1993 the company has operated from Bethlehem, Pennsylvania and offers an array of items from hair cleansers and conditioners, hair treatments, hair strengtheners as well as pomades and moisturizing cremes. You can see their full array of products at:

manentail.com The Jäger™ Line is the creation of Dr. Raymond Frye, DMD. A leading cosmetic dentist known for his celebrity smile makeovers and cutting edge cosmetic techniques. Dr. Raymond makes caring for your smile fun with products that are sleek and stylish on your counter top, yet powerful and effective agents in the fight against gum disease, gingivitis and cavity prevention.

The Jäger™ iOsonic toothbrush and UV sanitizer and JägerWhite teeth whitening system were selected this year for the 2013 Grammy celebrity gift lounge! Of course, to quote Dr. Raymond, “You don’t have to be a celebrity to smile like one!” Check out The Jäger™ Line at:

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EVENTS GAY SPORTS EVENTS AROUND THE COUNTRY Find more events online at competenetwork.com

MARCH 2013 FEBRUARY 2013 AQUATICS

SKIING/SNOWBOARDING

2013 Ski-n-Swim Extravaganza!

Ski Bums Day Trip

BOWLING

Winter PRIDE 2013

Salt Lake City, Utah Feb. 15-17

Winter Express Trio Tournament Ann Arbor, Mich.

Feb. 2

Texas Roll-off Tournament Ft. Worth, Tex. Feb. 8-10

San Francisco Golden Gate Invitational Classic San Francisco, Calif.

Feb. 15-17

Bluegrass Classic Louisville, Ky. Feb. 15-17

Sweetheart Invitational New Haven, Conn.

Feb. 15-17

Ice Bowl

Omaha, Neb. Feb. 22-24

RODEO Arizona Gay Rodeo Laveen, Ariz.

Feb. 15-17

SOFTBALL Gasparilla Softball Classic Tampa, Fla. Feb. 15

Sugarbush, Vt. Jan. 31-Feb. 3

Whistler, British Columbia Feb. 3-10

Ski Bums Day Trip

Seven Springs, Penna.

Feb. 9

Ski Bums Day Trip Camelback, Penna.

Feb. 13

Ski Bums Day Trip Windham, N.Y. Feb. 16

3rd Annual Park City Gay Ski Week Park City, Utah Feb. 21-24

Telluride Gay Ski Week Telluride, Colo.

Feb. 22-Mar. 3

TENNIS Clay Court Classic 2013 Ft. Lauderdale, Fla. Feb. 15-18

2013 Cactus Open Phoenix, Ariz.

Feb. 16-18

VOLLEYBALL 3rd Annual Volley del Sol Avondale, Ariz.

Feb 16-17

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| COMPETE | February 2013

TOP TEN GLOBAL DESTINATIONS

Grab your suitcase, your swimwear and passport. Here are the latest up and coming global destinations on the rise for tourists according to TripAdvisor. Although Italy is still representing the traditional European vacation, it’s not Rome.

With the exception of Russia and the Ukraine, formerly part of the USSR, most of the new “hotspots” are south.

These destinations are all gaining a reputation for remarkable places to stay and play as well as offering great food.

It’s interesting that number one on the list is Mar del Plata in Argentina since it’s one of the places where Compete’s Ally Editor Matt Fish once played professional basketball.

According to Trip Advisor CMO Barbara Messing, “These rising hotspots around the world are gaining the attention and admiration of travelers on TripAdvisor.” So for your next “inspired” vacation, here’s where to begin.

1.

2.

3.

4.

5.

6.

7.

8.

9.

10.

Mar del Plata, Argentina San Paulo, Brazil Kiev, Ukraine Montevideo, Uruguay Perth, Australia Mexico City, Mexico Hobart, Australia Guadalajara, Mexico Moscow, Russia Turin, Italy

Source: HuffPost Travel and TripAdvisor.com

On DECK NEXT MONTH IN COMPETE MAGAZINE

H

ey sports fans – are you into college sports? When March rolls around, does your mind automatically go to March Madness? If you love the pure love of the game that you get in college competition that’s harder to find in professional sports, then the next issue of Compete is for you. Get the latest on what’s happening on campus.

Also, learn more about Hudson Taylor and his Athlete Ally program that is attracting straight athletes, both college and professional, who are standing up as allies for sports diversity. The organization includes such notables as the NFL’s Brendon Ayanbadejo of the Baltimore Ravens and its latest ally, the NBA’s “Manimal,” Kenneth Faried of the Denver Nuggets. Especially neat is the fact that Faried is the proud son of two lesbian moms.

MARCH MADNESS!

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Yearbook

THIS MONTH IN SPORTS HISTORY: FEBRUARY

1 New York Giants and Chicago White Sox play an exhibition baseball game in Egypt - 1914

8 Michael Gross swims world record 800m freestyle (7:38.75) - 1985

2 U.S. Male Figure Skating championship won by Brian Boitano - 1985

9 U.S. Male Figure Skating championship won by Gordon McKellen Jr. - 1974

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4

5

6

Jockey Billy Shoemaker (58), retires after his 40,350th horse race - 1990

John Madden is named head coach of NFL’s Oakland Raiders - 1969

Kareem AbdulJabar becomes 1st NBA player to score 38,000 points - 1989

10th Winter Olympic Games opens in Grenoble, France - 1968

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To gain deregulation WWF admits pro wrestling is exhibition, not a sport, in NJ court - 1989

James “Buster” Douglas KOs Mike Tyson to win heavyweight boxing crown - 1990

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L.A. Lakers retire Magic Johnson’s #32 uniform - 1992

U.S. Male Figure Skating championship won by Todd Eldredge - 1991

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Malcolm Campbell drives record speed (253.96 mph) at Daytona - 1932

Major NFL rule changes (hash mark 10 yds in, posts on goal line) - 1933

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Wayne Gretzky sets 2 records; 45th hat trick & 10th 40+ goal season - 1989

AMA urges ban on boxing, cites Muhammad Ali’s deteriorating condition - 1983

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N.Y. Yankees announce 5,000 uniformed soldiers admitted free at upcoming home games - 1942

L.A. Dodger Orel Hershiser 1st to win a $1M salary by arbitration - 1986

Longest collegiate basketball game (6 OTs)-Niagara beats Siena 88-81 - 1953

Brothers Anton and Peter Stastny score 8 pts each for NHL Quebec - 1984

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Tiger Woods, 16, becomes youngest PGA golfer in 35 years - 1992

Martina Navratilova - 3rd to win 100 tennis tournaments (Connors and Evert) - 1985

Chicago gives Cubs right to install lights & play up to 18 night games - 1988

7

18 1st Iron Man Triathlon held, Kona, Hawaii - 1978

Patty Berg/Pete Cooper win LPGA Orlando Mixed Golf Tournament - 1954

Source: www.brainyhistory.com

46

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| COMPETE | February 2013

We share a desire to take our community to new heights.

As a renowned provider of exceptional service for more than 120 years, we believe that everyone deserves peace of mind. And as a trusted financial partner with a history of stability, unsurpassed service and integrity, we are committed to helping LGBT individuals and same-sex couples navigate their unique financial and estate planning complexities.

For more information, visit northerntrust.com/lgbt or contact: Mark Braun National Practice Liaison LGBT and Non-Traditional Family Practice 312-444-4592 or mrb3@ntrs.com

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©2013 World of Wonder

NEW SEASON! JAN 28

MONDAYS 9/8c @RuPaulsDragRace

NEW SERIES! MEET TV’S NEWEST EXPERT ADVICE PANEL:

A PORN STAR, A PSYCHIC & A SHRINK.

LIVE! FEB 4 MON 11/10c

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