Wednesday, April 21, 2010

Bisexual Men Not Gay Enough for Softball

Three bisexual men from the San Francisco area have filed a lawsuit claiming they were discriminated against during the Gay Softball World Series in the Seattle area two years ago.

UPDATE 11/28/11: Gay softball organization agrees to pay undisclosed sum to the bisexual men

UPDATE 6/2/11: Federal Judge rules softball league can limit number of non-homosexual players

-- From "Bisexual men say gay softball series discriminated" by Associated Press 4/20/10

The Seattle Times reports that the men filed the case Tuesday in U.S. District Court in Seattle against the softball tournament's organizer, the North American Gay Amateur Athletic Alliance. It alleges that after another team complained, the alliance ruled the three men were "nongay," and took away the team's second-place finish.

The lawsuit accuses the alliance of violating Washington state laws barring discrimination.

Beth Allen, the alliance's attorney . . . said the alliance is a private organization and can determine its membership based on its goals.

The lawsuit, however, contends the tournament is a "public accommodation" that is open to the public and uses public softball fields.

The lawsuit said that after another team complained, each of the three men was called into a conference room in front of more than 25 people and asked "personal and intrusive questions" about his sexual attractions and desires, purportedly to determine if he was heterosexual or gay.

The men are asking for $75,000 each for emotional distress.

To read the entire article, CLICK HERE.