Now that the World Series is over, Major League Baseball is going into contract negotiations. And Rafael McDonnell, communications and advocacy manager for Resource Center Dallas, is calling on baseball Commissioner Bud Seelig to include LGBT issues in the bargaining process.
“I ask as an LGBT fan and on behalf of the center that you both please add sexual orientation provisions to MLB’s new CBA [collective bargaining agreement], and encourage each team owner that has previously not done so to add sexual orientation, gender identity and gender expression nondiscrimination protections to their team’s employment nondiscrimination policies,” McDonnell wrote.
He points out that the National Football League added sexual orientation to its nondiscrimination policy earlier this summer. The National Hockey League has had the provision since 2005 and Major League Soccer since 2004. Also, nine teams have produced “It Gets Better” videos.
More than half of all MLB teams — including the Texas Rangers — have held LGBT fan days.
Baseball would be joining “nine of the Fortune 10 companies, 48 of 50 of the Fortune 50 and 89 percent of the Fortune 500,” McDonnell wrote.
The new NFL nondiscrimination clause reads:
There will be no discrimination in any form against any player by the Management Council, any Club or by the NFLPA because of race, religion, national origin, sexual orientation, or activity or lack of activity on behalf of the NFLPA.
That contract was written by Ted Olsen, representing the players, and David Boies, representing the owners. Olsen and Boies are better known as the attorneys who teamed up to win the Prop 8 case in Appellate Court. That decision is on hold until a ruling is made on standing by the California Supreme Court.
Out is so important
Iceland was very homophobic until 1978, when a popular singer admitted he was gay. 33 years later, after CUs (1996), their parliament voted for gay marriage 49 to 0. And their PM married her girlfriend 3 days later.
I’ve been there for pride this past august. almost half of the city of Reykjavik , about 90,000 out of 220000 come out to Pride, and its a family affair.
What I keep on forgetting to do is calling org 78 to see if they have data on what % of Icelanders admit they are gay – since there is zero stigma attached
Bet its 10 -15% when no one has to hide in the closet.
Let me add – IMO the gay community has the cart in front of the horse. Get most people out and gay marriage will become a no brainer for most of the population.
Except the extremist who will probably show how close to nazis they really are
ill say this: i laugh at ignorant people and their labels. i am married to a female but recently transitioned to female(m2f)… so we still love each other… but now to the world.. we are a lesbian couple lol wtf man?