Gay Softball Organization Can Limit the Number of Heterosexual Players

Shouldn’t the converse be true as well then? A federal judge has found that a gay softball organization can limit the number of non-gay players, though the case continues to determine factual issues about the way the league applied its rules in this case. The softball league had a limit of two non-homosexuals, and three other man, who identified themselves as bisexual, one of whom is married, were questioned at a hearing before their team was stripped of its second place finish at a tournament in 2008.

For me, this isn’t about the legality, though, and the right of association for an organization. I am not questioning whether there can be such an organization in the first place. I’m assuming that the men in question were either bisexual or at least sympathetic to the organization’s mission. I doubt you had too many NRA bumper stickers pulling up to the tournament, and the group was able to associate with those who held similar views. For me, it’s this stance that sports is about competition above all, and yet apparently someone had to be outed to prove that they were gay enough to participate. I don’t care about the legality and what ultimately happens on the legal end of this case. If sports are supposed to be a bastion of fairness where we care about the competition, then we should be denouncing overly legalistic and restrictive groups on all sides. Disqualifying someone for only being bisexual or not being gay enough is no better than having views like Tim Hardaway.

[photo via Getty]