26-Year-Old Robbie Rogers Returning To MLS As First Openly Gay Player; Los Angeles Galaxy Expected To Formally Announce Signing Saturday

Coming out and coming back — each was a difficult decision for Robbie Rogers, and one complicated the other. He told the world in February that he is gay and at the same moment said he was leaving soccer. Now, Rogers is reversing field and has agreed to terms with the Los Angeles Galaxy, according to two people familiar with the negotiations. Both spoke to USA Today Sports on the condition of anonymity because the Galaxy has not announced the deal. Rogers will be the first active openly gay player in Major League Soccer. He also hopes to play for the U.S. national team in the 2014 World Cup — and to be the role model for gay teens that he wished he'd had. Rogers' epiphany to return to the game came when he spoke to a group of about 500 kids at the Nike Be True LGBT Youth Forum in Portland last month. "I seriously felt like a coward," he told USA Today. "These kids are standing up for themselves and changing the world, and I'm 25, I have a platform and a voice to be a role model. How much of a coward was I to not step up to the plate?" And so, newly turned 26, he will step onto the pitch again. He couldn't imagine such a thing when he told his secret in February, writing an open letter on his website and linking to it with this pithy tweet: "Just getting some shit off my chest." That was February 15. About six weeks later he told the Guardian why he'd chosen not to play soccer anymore: "I wouldn't want to deal with the circus. Are people coming to see you because you're gay? Would I want to do interviews every day, where people are asking: 'So you're taking showers with guys — how's that?' "If you're playing well it will be reported as: 'The gay footballer is playing well.' And if you have a bad game it'll be: 'Aw, that gay dude … he's struggling because he's gay.' Fuck it. I don't want to mess with that." Then, on April 25, Rogers appeared at the LGBT youth forum. Days later, NBA player Jason Collins came out. That made a much bigger splash in American media than had Rogers' announcement. For one thing, Collins was an active player — or, at least as a free agent, he hoped to play again. For another, as an NBA player he was from one of the four major North American team sports. Rogers was out of his sport — and his sport was soccer. Still, he's had a more consequential career than Collins in several respects. The winger has played for the U.S. national team in 18 international matches. He won the 2005 NCAA championship with the University of Maryland. He led the Columbus Crew to the MLS Cup in 2008, when he was named to the MLS Best XI (for the league's top 11 players). He'd just been released by the English soccer team Leeds United when he announced his sexual orientation and his retirement in a 408-word post on robbiehrogers.com, writing in part: "Life is simple when your secret is gone. Gone is the pain that lurks in the stomach at work, the pain from avoiding questions. … Secrets can cause so much internal damage. … Try convincing yourself that your creator has the most wonderful purpose for you even though you were taught differently. "I always thought I could hide this secret. Football was my escape, my purpose, my identity. … Now is my time to step away. It's time to discover myself away from football. … Honesty is a bitch but makes life so simple and clear. My secret is gone, I am a free man. I can move on and live my life as my creator intended." His invocation of creator is an integral part of who he is. "I'm a soccer player, I'm Christian, and I'm gay," Rogers says. "Those are things that people might say wouldn't go well together. But my family raised me to be an individual and to stand up for what I believe in. So the same principles that raised me to be an honest person are the same things that made me want to come out. I know I was created this way for a reason. … Being Catholic — and people may disagree — but we are called to love everyone. Be honest. Be true in your relationship with God. I've always lived that way." Rogers has been training with the Galaxy for several weeks. "I was a little scared to put myself back in that situation but after the first few days I was like, 'Wow, I miss this, I love this,' " Rogers says. "Once I got on the field, I felt really normal. More normal than I ever did in the past." Rogers says he's been feeling more and more at home, though he admits he still needs to get back to game shape. "I want to compete and be successful," Rogers says. "I just want to be able to compete. Every day in training, make my team better and prove myself." Rogers could provide punch for the 4-3-2 Galaxy, who have struggled to generate much offense outside of Mike Magee. They are in fifth place in the Western Conference. "I want to win," Rogers says. "I don't want to go back just to be back. … Whether it's ping-pong or I'm on the field, I always want to win." Rogers has his sights set beyond the MLS season, on the national team and a spot on the 2014 World Cup roster. "I want to get past the point where I was before," he says. "I want to get back to the national team. I was so close to making the World Cup in 2010, I want to be there for the next one." Rogers got a call from Collins, that other newly out pro athlete, "the afternoon after he released his story, and just wanted to see how the process had been like for me with media and the attention," Rogers says. "I just tried to give him as much advice as I could. He seems like such a nice guy." Rogers turned 26 on Sunday. He remembers how utterly confusing life was for him as an American teen a dozen years ago. "I started feeling very different," he told The Guardian, "and it was a case of, 'All right, I'm good at football and I get attention from girls. Why don't I want that? What's wrong with me?' I realized I was gay when I was 14 or 15. I was like, 'I want to play football. But there are no gay footballers. What am I going to do?’” Now that he's coming back after coming out, there is a gay footballer. "I want to come back and be that voice, be that role model," Rogers says. "I want to compete on the field. I want to make it back to the national team. I want to be a role model. I have a lot of motivating factors working for me right now. There's a lot to be excited about. It's awesome to be part of a movement that is changing our society."

Courage Sports Camp Claims Athletics Can “Cure” Gay Urges And Help Participants Led Chaste Lives

In Pennsylvania, while many Americans gather this holiday Memorial Day weekend to spend time with family and friends, there's a sports camp being held outside of Philadelphia for adult men -- claiming to offer help to deal with same sex attractions. "Are you or a loved one experiencing homosexual attractions and looking for answers?" Courage asks on their homepage. The Courage Sports Camp, being held at St. Charles Borromeo Seminary in Wynnewood, Pennsylvania, believes that if men let go of the anxiety and shame they may have felt playing sports as a child, it will help them resist gay urges. A coach at the camp tells NBC10.com that this type of "sports therapy" can help. "A lot of these guys that are struggling with same sex attraction have some of this as the root cause of their disorder," said coach Mark Houck. One participant, who asked not to be identified, explains how the camp has helped him. "When I play sports, it connects me in a way that's deeper than sex. In that sense, it repairs, you know, what I think was missing," the man said. Courage has more than 100 chapters worldwide and offers a twelve step plan, similar to what you'd find in an Alcoholics Anonymous program. "We admitted that we were powerless over homosexuality and our lives had become unmanageable," is step one of the program. "The purpose of Courage is not to cure or fix or change anybody except from the point of view of helping people to understand what's the moral thing to do, what God would like them to do with their life and to give them the support to do that," said Father Phil Bochanski, one of the camp organizers. "You can't pray the gay away." That's what one protester stated on a sign as he stood alongside other critics outside the camp Friday. "This group is based on the Catholic church and it's stuck in its ways, it's not going to change and as far as I'm concerned they are causing some real harm and damage to the gay community," said Ed Coffin of the Peace Advocacy Network. Organizers say all the camp participants are there of their own free will and can leave anytime they want.

Puerto Rico Legislators Pass Two Gay Rights Bills; One Bill Prohibits Employment Discrimination Based On Sexual Orientation Or Gender Identity; Second Extends Domestic Violence Law To Same Sex Couples

Legislators in Puerto Rico on Friday approved a heavily debated bill that outlaws employment discrimination based on gender or sexual orientation. Opponents of the bill prayed on the steps of the seaside Capitol building as lawmakers voted on a simplified version of the measure, which was widely rejected by religious organizations in the conservative U.S. territory. The original version was broader and would have also banned such discrimination when it comes to commercial transactions, property rentals and public transportation, as well as in other circumstances. About half of U.S. states have approved similar bills. The measure's author, Sen. Ramon Luis Nieves, told reporters he is not bothered that the original version was not approved. "This is not insignificant," he said. "This is a great victory in the fight for human rights in Puerto Rico." Legislators on Friday also approved a separate bill that extends a domestic violence law to gay couples. Both bills are to go back to the Senate, which is expected to approve them. The governor has said he would sign both measures. Supporters of the bill waved rainbow flags and loudly chanted "Equality!" as they crowded around legislators who approved the bills. "A decade ago, (we) were criminals under a sodomy law. Today, we're second-class citizens," said Pedro Julio Serrano, spokesman for the U.S.-based National Gay and Lesbian Task Force. "When this measure becomes law, we will be closer to obtaining the first-class citizenship we deserve." The new measures come as the U.S. territory begins to debate gay rights more seriously in the Caribbean region, where sodomy laws and harassment of gays is common. Earlier this year, Gov. Alejandro Garcia Padilla signed an order extending health insurance coverage to the domestic partners of workers in his executive branch of government, regardless of gender. The island's Justice Department also is prosecuting its first hate crime case for the killing of a hairstylist who was set on fire. But the push toward more gay rights in Puerto Rico remains widely debated. The island's House of Representatives approved the anti-discrimination bill 29-22 after a 10-hour debate that ended overnight Thursday without a consensus. The proposal did not have full support from the governor's Popular Democratic Party, which controls the island's House and Senate. The governor had met with members of his party late Thursday and urged them to vote for the bill. "The country has a social obligation, a historic obligation and also a Christian obligation to fight all types of discrimination," he said. The island's Senate approved the original measure 15-11 last week, but the House of Representatives sought to changes in the bill. Rep. Javier Aponte Dalmau was among those who opposed the measure. He said all types of discrimination are wrong, but considered the original bill's wording to be too far reaching, and there are other judicial means to address potential discrimination. Other legislators voted against the measure saying they believe the island's Constitution already addresses discrimination. A local Christian organization, Puerto Rico for Family, said the bill was unnecessary because the gay and lesbian community has not proved it faces greater employment discrimination than other groups. "This law creates a base to promote homosexuality and other conducts in schools," the organization said in a statement. Most government agencies in Puerto Rico already have their own anti-discriminatory policies, but human rights activists say they are often not enforced.

18-Year-Old Lesbian Rejects Plea Deal Made By State Attorney General Which Would Have Kept Her Name Off Florida Sex Offender Registry; Case Of Kaitlyn Hunt Accused Of Having Consensual Sex With 14-Year-Old Teammate Heads To Trial

In Florida, Kaitlyn Hunt, an 18-year-old lesbian accused of having a relationship with a 14-year-old basketball teammate rejected a plea deal Friday that would have kept her name off the state sex offender registry. Hunt was a high school cheerleader and star basketball player in Indian River County before her relationship came to light. She faces two felony charges of lewd and lascivious battery on a child 12 to 16 years old. If she was convicted of the charges, her sentence could range from probation to 15 years in prison and registering as a sex offender, according to CBS4 news partner the Miami Herald. “It is mind blowing that she’s facing felony charges and sexual predator status,” her mother Kelley Hunt-Smith told CBS4 earlier this week. She believes the issue is not about age, it’s about sexual orientation. “This is being fueled by the other girls’ parents. They’re not accepting of their relationship because it’s a girl on girl relationship. In my opinion, this has nothing to do with age, if Katilyn was a boy they would not have a problem,” said Hunt-Smith. The parents of the other girl, Lori and Jim Smith, talked exclusively with the CBS affiliate in West Palm Beach, WPEC. They said the social media campaign, Free Kate, is slandering, abusive, and destructive. The Smith’s said they are not anti-gay, but got fed up with the “bad influence” Hunt was on their daughter. “The stories that people are saying,” Lori said before hesitating while fighting back tears. “I love my daughter and I’m willing to do whatever to protect her.” The Smith’s said Hunt should be punished but shouldn’t be sent to prison or labeled as a sex offender. Hunt, who turned 18 on August 14, 2012, was said to have been dating the 14-year old, C.S., since November. The girls began their fling just before Christmas when they had consensual sex in a bathroom at Sebastian River High School, according to the paper. In Florida, the legal age of sexual consent is 18 and the state’s adopted “Romeo and Juliet” law keeps 18 year olds from being registered as sex offenders if they had consensual sex with classmates age 15 or older; but Hunt’s case doesn’t qualify because C.S. was underage, Indian River State Attorney Bruce Colton told the Herald. Hunt’s friends and family are doing everything they can to help her including setting up a Facebook page for support, called “Free Kate,” which now has more than 25,000 members. According to the Herald, Hunt’s attorneys issued a press release that said in part: “Our client is a courageous teenager who is choosing not to accept the current plea offer by the State of Florida. This is a situation of two teenagers who happen to be of the same sex involved in a relationship. If this case involved a boy and girl, there would be no media attention to this case."

Toronto Catholic School Board Trustees Rejects Motion Banning Gay-Straight Alliances

In Canada, Toronto Catholic District School Board trustees rejected a motion Thursday night that would have banned students from setting up clubs called Gay-Straight Alliances in separate schools. Trustee Garry Tanuan’s motion drew media attention to the school board meeting, with parents and students making passionate arguments for and against the clubs – even though Ontario law says they must be permitted. The motion failed to pass by a vote of 7 (opposed) to 4 (in favor). Tanuan argued that the provincial government forced school boards to accept GSA’s through provincial legislation, but the Constitution protects the rights of Catholics to run their own schools in ways consistent with their religious doctrines. Another trustee, Sal Piccininni, who supported GSAs, called the opposition to the clubs outdated. The motion would go against Ontario law. Last June, the provincial government passed the Accepting Schools Act, which stated that students could not be prevented from setting up a GSA in any Ontario school. The anti-bullying legislation made it clear that sexual assault, gender-based violence and incidents based on homophobia will not be tolerated in the province’s elementary and secondary schools. Ontario Education Minister Liz Sandals said in a statement last week that no school board is exempt from the Act. “It is our responsibility to ensure all students feel safe and welcomed at school,” she said in a statement. “I know that Catholic values of tolerance and love make them natural allies in the fight against bullying. I hope the Board will continue to foster an accepting environment for all students.” Although the Act came into effect at the beginning of the academic year, it was later revealed that a provision in Canada’s constitution could be used to circumvent the Act. Church leaders have argued that Catholics should be free to design their own methods to fight bullying. Tanuan’s motion called for all anti-bullying clubs to adhere to the “Respecting Difference” report issued by the Ontario Catholic School Trustees’ Association last January. This report offered guidelines for Catholic schools that included calling groups like GSAs “Respecting Differences” clubs and avoiding discussions of sexual attraction, political activism and gender identity.

Transgender Bride Files Complaint With Saskatchewan Human Rights Commission After Bridal Shop Refuses To Serve Her, Nevada Legislature Advances Constitutional Amendment Allowing Voters To Decide Whether To Legalize Same Sex Marriage, For The First Time Gay Pride Flag Will Be Flown From Seattle City Hall, Peace Corp Announces It Will Now Accept Applications From Same Sex Couples Wanting To Serve Abroad, Harry Styles Shirtless Sleaze

In Canada, a transgender woman has filed a human rights complaint against a Saskatoon bridal shop. Rohit Singh was at the Saskatchewan Human Rights Commission's office in Saskatoon Wednesday morning to file the complaint. Earlier this month, Singh asked to try on an outfit at Jenny's Bridal Boutique. The store owner refused, she felt other people in the store would be uncomfortable with Singh trying on gowns. Singh believes she was discriminated against. "It's not just my battle," Singh said. "It's the battle for all the transgender community, which are discriminated day by day from all society." The story received national media attention and a protest was staged outside of the bridal shop. Dozens of people gathered in front of the downtown store to show their support for Singh and to raise awareness of transgender rights. Activist Miki Mappin took part in the protest and was also present this morning when Singh filed the human rights complaint. "It's an issue that we all face in many areas in our lives, not just in retail," Mappin said. Saskatchewan's human rights commissioner David Arnot told CBC News earlier this month that any discrimination, whether it is direct or indirect that a transgender person experiences as the result of a store's policy or rule, is still a human rights violation. "We live in a multicultural, multidimensional Saskatchewan and these cases are increasing," Arnot said. "We are noticing more and more transgender cases, particularly we've seen examples of bullying at the high school level. We also are aware that Transgender Saskatchewan is very concerned about this. We have met with them." Once a complaint is filed with the commission, both sides are offered the chance to mediate their dispute. If that doesn't work, the complaint will go to a hearing.

In Carson City, Nevada, a constitutional amendment that would let voters decide whether to legalize same sex marriage passed the final hurdle of the 2013 legislative session Thursday but still has a long way to go. Senate Joint Resolution 13 passed the Assembly on a 27-14 vote, bringing the process to get it to the ballot in 2016 to an end for this year. All the no votes were Republicans. It must pass again in identical form in the 2015 legislative session before it could go to the ballot. Gov. Brian Sandoval’s signature is not required. The proposal would remove Nevada’s current prohibition on same-gender marriage from the state constitution, and add new language recognizing same-gender marriage. It also includes a provision to guarantee that religious organizations do not have to perform such unions. The measure earlier passed the Senate on a 12-9 vote with all Democrats and one Republican in support. Assemblyman Elliot Anderson (D-Las Vegas) acknowledged during a 25-minute floor debate that the proposal presented a difficult decision for many of his colleagues. He spoke in support and noted that many in the state gaming industry support the amendment. Senator Tick Segerblom (D-Las Vegas) one of the main sponsors of the measure, has said in prior testimony that the measure is both a civil rights and economic issue in Nevada where marriage is big business. Assemblyman Cresent Hardy (R-Mesquite) spoke in opposition to the measure. “I believe marriage between a man and a woman is ordained of God,” he said. Assemblywoman Michele Fiore (R-Las Vegas) spoke in support of the measure. “When we started this floor session, I introduced my mother to this body, proudly,” she said. “What is currently in our constitution does not allow her to get married. You see, my mom is gay. I love my mom with all my heart, and I am who I am today because of her guidance, influence and how she raised me.” Other members of the Assembly spoke both for and against the amendment. Nevada voters in 2002 approved a constitutional amendment defining marriage as being only between a man and woman. Richard Ziser, who led the effort to win voter approval of the protection of marriage amendment more than a decade ago, has said in his written testimony to lawmakers that religious liberty would be threatened by the new amendment. “First Amendment rights, freedom of conscience and religious liberty would be in constant tension with a newly created right to same-sex marriage,” he said. Supporters of the current language argue that supporters of same-gender marriage should go through the difficult initiative petition process like they did. But recent polls show that more Nevada voters support repealing the gay marriage ban. A poll conducted by the Retail Association of Nevada earlier this year found that 54-percent of voters want the state constitutional ban on gay marriage repealed, while 43-percent want it to stay in place.

In Washington State, the Pride Flag will be flown on the Seattle City Hall flagpole for the first time June 1, marking the start of Gay Pride Month, Mayor Mike McGinn said Thursday. The mayor will attend a 3:30 pm ceremony that day hosted by the Seattle LGBT Commission. The flag will also be raised on the day of the Pride Parade itself, on Sunday June 30. The Pride Flag will be flown in addition to the U.S. flag. "The Pride flag is a symbol that represents Seattle's longstanding commitment to equality," McGinn said in a statement. "By flying the flag over Seattle City Hall, we honor that commitment to leading by example in the march toward equal rights for all." The City of Seattle offers transgender health benefits and opened City Hall for 140 weddings the first day it was legal for same-sex couples to wed on December 12, 2012. Voters in Washington State approved same sex marriage with passage of Referendum 74, and the state's first license was issued the morning of December 9 in King County. Sabina Neem, co-chair of the Seattle LGBT Commission, said the organization is excited to host the event and "play a role in this historic occasion." The public ceremony is planned for the courtyard outside Seattle City Hall at 600 Fourth Ave.

On Tuesday,The Peace Corps announced that they will now start taking applications from same-sex partners who want to serve together overseas. Peace Corps Deputy Director Carrie Hessler-Radelet said Tuesday opening up to same-sex domestic partners will diversify the pool of applicants for the volunteer force, which serves overseas in a variety of projects, including education, health, economic development, environment and agriculture. Married heterosexual couples, which make up about 7-percent of assignments, have been serving in the Peace Corps since it began in 1961, she said. Same-sex couples can start applying on June 3. "Service in the Peace Corps is a life-defining leadership experience for Americans who want to make a difference around the world," Hessler-Radelet said in a statement. "I am proud that the agency is taking this important step forward to allow same-sex domestic partners to serve overseas together." Same sex couples wishing to join will be required to sign an affidavit to verify their relationship. Though many countries that host Peace Corps volunteers have laws forbidding same-sex relationships, the Peace Corps promised to provide “safe and productive assignments.” Peace Corps assignments for same-sex couples are new but homosexual individuals have been serving in the Peace Corps since its beginning, according an association formed for lesbian, gay, bisexual transgender alumni of the corps. The U.S. Peace Corps was established by President John F. Kennedy in 1961 and since then more than 210,000 Americans have volunteered for service in 71 host countries

Harry Styles is a mess – a shirtless, sweaty, hot mess, but a mess nonetheless.

Boy Scouts Of America Vote To Allow Gay Scouts But Not Gay Scout Leaders; Compromise Policy Change Takes Effect January 1

In Grapevine, Texas, the Boy Scouts of America opened its ranks Thursday to gay Scouts but not gay Scout leaders - a fiercely contested compromise that some warned could fracture the organization and lead to mass defections of members and donors. Of the roughly 1,400 voting members of the BSA's National Council who cast ballots, 61-percent supported the proposal drafted by the governing Executive Committee. The policy change takes effect January 1. "While people have different opinions about this policy, we can all agree that kids are better off when they are in Scouting," the BSA said after announcing the results at the council's annual meeting near Dallas. However, the outcome will not end the bitter debate over the Scouts' membership policy. Liberal Scout leaders - while supporting the proposal to accept gay youth - have made clear they want the ban on gay adults lifted as well. In contrast, conservatives with the Scouts - including some churches that sponsor Scout units - wanted to continue excluding gay youths, in some cases threatening to defect if the ban were lifted. "We are deeply saddened," said Frank Page, president of the Southern Baptist Convention's executive committee after learning of the result, reports the Associated Press. "Homosexual behavior is incompatible with the principles enshrined in the Scout oath and Scout law." The Assemblies of God, another conservative denomination, said the policy change "will lead to a mass exodus from the Boy Scout program." The result was welcomed by many gay-rights groups, which joined in the call for an end to the ban on gay adults. "I'm so proud of how far we've come, but until there's a place for everyone in Scouting, my work will continue," said Jennifer Tyrrell, who's ouster as a Cub Scout den leader in Ohio because she is lesbian launched a national protest movement. The vote followed what the BSA described as "the most comprehensive listening exercise in Scouting's history" to gauge opinions within the community. The BSA could also take a hit financially. Many Scout units in conservative areas fear their local donors will stop giving if the ban on gay youth is lifted. The BSA executive committee suggested a plan in January to give sponsors of local Scout units the option of admitting gays as both youth members and adult leaders or continuing to exclude them. However, the plan won little praise, and the BSA changed course after assessing responses to surveys sent out starting in February to members of the Scouting community. Of the more than 200,000 leaders, parents and youth members who responded, 61-percent supported the current policy of excluding gays, while 34-percent opposed it. However, most parents of young Scouts, as while as youth members themselves, opposed the ban. The proposal approved Thursday was seen as a compromise, and the Scouts stressed that they would not condone sexual conduct by any Scout - gay or straight. "The Boy Scouts of America will not sacrifice its mission, or the youth served by the movement, by allowing the organization to be consumed by a single, divisive, and unresolved societal issue," a BSA statement said. Since the executive committee just completed a lengthy review process, "there are no plans for further review on this matter," the group said. The BSA's overall "traditional youth membership" - Cub Scouts, Boy Scouts and Venturers - is now about 2.6 million, compared with more than 4 million in peak years of the past. It also has about 1 million adult leaders and volunteers. Of the more than 100,000 Scouting units in the U.S., 70-percent are chartered by religious institutions. Those include liberal churches opposed to any ban on gays, but some of the largest sponsors are relatively conservative denominations that have previously supported the broad ban: notably the Roman Catholic Church, the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and Southern Baptist churches. The BSA, which celebrated its 100th anniversary in 2010, has long excluded both gays and atheists. Protests over the no-gays policy gained momentum in 2000, when the U.S. Supreme Court upheld the BSA's right to exclude gays. Scout units lost sponsorships by public schools and other entities that adhered to non-discrimination policies, and several local Scout councils made public their displeasure with the policy.