Out Umpire Billy Van Raaphorst Speaks Publically For First Time Since Ejecting Brent Bowers, Andy Roddick Advances, Meg Whitman Says If Elected Governor She Will Defend Proposition 8, Episcopal School In Texas Denies Admission To Daughter Of Married Lesbian Couple, Ottawa Gay Groups To Refuse Charity Donations By Police Services In Protest Over Outing HIV Positive Man

Billy Van Raaphorst, the out umpire and the target of an anti-gay attack by former Edmonton Capitals manager Brent Bowers arrived in Albertan capital Friday, ahead of a three game series the Edmonton Oilers, who own the Capitals, specifically invited him to work, speaking for the first time publically since Bowers was ejected during a game July 31st in an episode that served interestingly as both a reminder of rampant homophobia within the arena of athletics and a suggestion that the climate is changing, Van Raaphorst saying “today’s my first day speaking in front of any organization about myself, my sexuality, my family, my situation in professional baseball. I’m very proud of the way the Oilers have handled things, extremely proud. I wouldn’t be here if they hadn’t handled it the way they have. I want to thank them for that.” The 34 year old spent Friday morning as the keynote speaker before the Oilers staff, including head coach Tom Renney, and later spoke at City Hall to a group that included the Edmonton Police Service, Team Edmonton, the city’s LGBT sports organization, the Big Brothers and Big Sisters, and several politicians. He thanked his fellow umpires, who, threatening to boycott the Golden Baseball League after the league initially suspended Bowers for a paltry two games, brought attention to the incident that might otherwise have gone unnoticed. And for being a role model, Van Raaphorst said that “if there’s an opportunity that I can help somebody, I guess it’s my turn. I’m not the type of guy that’s going to be at the front of the parade and I’m not the type of guy that needs all the accolades and stuff like that. It’s not about me.”

Andy Roddick Friday, at the Cincinnati Masters tennis tournament during a match against Novak Djokovic which Roddick won 6-4, 7-5 to advance to play close friend Mardy Fish, who unseeded, beat Canadian Open winner Andy Murray in three sets 6-7, 6-1, 7-6.



California Republican gubernatorial candidate Meg Whitman said Friday that if elected she would defend Proposition 8 – the state gay marriage ban. “The issue right now is, as I understand is ‘Will Proposition 8 have the appropriate support to actually make an appeal to the circuit court of appeals?’” she said. “And I think the governor, the attorney general today has to defend the constitution and has to enable the judicial process to go along and has to enable an appeal to go through. So if I governor, I would give that ruling standing to be able to appeal to the circuit court.” The 9th Circuit Court of Appeals in San Francisco intends to hear the case in December after Chief Justice Judge Vaughn Walker ruled the voter amendment unconstitutional. Supreme Court appeals are planned by both pro-gay advocates and Proposition 8 proponents. If elected, Whitman would take office in January, so her involvement in the issue is a distinct possibility.

A Bedford, Texas lesbian couple’s daughter was denied admission to a private Episcopal school, St. Vincent’s Episcopal School because the school objects to the couple’s sexual orientation. In July, Jill Harrison, who married Tracey in Canada in 2006, wrote her name next to the word “mother on the admission forms, and crossed out the word “father”, writing “mother” and Tracey’s name. The school says it assumed Tracey was a man’s name, however this past Tuesday after the couple attended parent’s night, Olivia was refused admission. The school issued a statement, saying the decision was based on what officials believe is best for all students, as well as “in conformity with scripture and our own church’s doctrinal standards,” adding that “we regret the disappointment the mother feels. It is clear, however, that enrolling the child in a traditional Christian school, such as St. Vincent’s School, would not foster her own personal values at home. And it might undermine the moral instruction of our clergy and teachers in the minds of our school students and parents. Our prayers are with Olivia and her mother.”

Several Ottawa, Ontario gay community groups say they will refuse any and all monies raised by the city’s Police Services, protesting a decision by the department in May to publically identify a man via a photograph as HIV positive. 29 year old Steven Paul Boone was charged with two counts of aggravated sexual assault for failing to disclose his HIV status to another Ottawa area man who was subsequently infected after he and Boone had unprotected sex several times in late January and early February. However, most gay activist rightly argue that Boone was charged – not convicted – and was being held in custody, not posing any threat to the public, and that the city’s public health department should have followed protocol and handle the case. They also argue that Boone’s right to privacy was violated, and that the actions further criminalized HIV/AIDS, causing fear among gay men who may have foregone testing.