Indianapolis Recorder, Indianapolis, Marion County, 4 November 2005 — Page 4

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THE INDIANAPOLIS RECORDER

FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 4, 2005

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PARENTS

See TPCA in action\ November 11, 9 am—noon. We invite parents to visit us and observe classes where teachers put the Bible into practice every day—expanding minds and enriching hearts.

Early Childhood-8th Grade 7880 Lafayette Road, Indianapolis

Traders Point

Christian Academy finishing the puzzle for your child's education

Call 329-4426 For details, www.tpcs.org

NEWS BRIEFS ► Continued from Page 1 Hoover Road, on Nov. 11 beginning at 8:30 a.m. Registration begins at 7:45 a.m. Among the speakers will be Peter Bell, a nationally recognized consultant in the areas of affordable housing, residential finance and senior housing needs. For more information call Ruth Clay at (317) 803-6011 or e-mail her at [email protected]. Looking for foster parents Two groups are looking for foster parents. The Villages is offering information nights for

adults interested in becoming foster or adoptive parents. The next information session will be Nov. 8 at 6 p.m. at the Villages office at 652 N. Girls School Road, Suite 240. For more information, call 800-874-6880. Also seeking therapeutic foster parents is the Lutheran Child and Family Services (LCFS). LCFS will match foster parents with children in need of loving and structured home. LCFS offers training required for licensure. For more information contact Caroline Houppert at (317) 3595467, ext 300.

The 48th Annual

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2005/2006

Sponsored by Alpha Chi Omega Sorority, Inc. Delta Chi Delta Chapter Indiana Convention Center RCA Dome 500 Ballroom 100 S. Capitol Avenue, Indianapolis, IN Saturday, November 26, 2005 8:00 p.m. Ticket Prices: $25.00 For Ticket Information Contact: Annie Mae Taylor • (317) 925-3779 Debra Cooper • (317) 506-3031

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SWOOPES ► Continued from Page 1 a stance and choosing her happiness first. “Swoopes is at a point in her life when she’s tired of hiding and pretending,” said Michelle Voepel, a contributing writer to ESPN.com. “She knows who she is now and she’s not afraid of it. At this moment, I imagine many people envy that.” Jermaine O’Neal, power forward for the Indiana Pacers adds: “I’ve met Sheryl quite a few times and I know she’s a great person. Her decision to come out saying she’s gay is her decision. I don’t look at her any different than I looked at her before.” Within the inner circles of the WNBA, many already knew that Swoopes was in a committed, long-term relationship with a woman. Coaches, players, friends and media members remained mum on the subject respecting Swoopes’ privacy. “I knew that Sheryl was gay,” said Indiana Fever forward Tamika Catchings. “I felt that everyone lives their own life. As long as she takes care of business on the court it doesn’t matter what happens in her personal life.” But how would the world turn if a prominent, wellrespected male athlete announced during the prime of his career that he was gay? Would everyone applaud his courage or turn their backs in disgust? Though Swoopes opened the door slightly, the male athlete who announces he’s gay while still playing will tear the roof off. “We’ve been socialized to put male athletes on a pedestal in regards to their manliness, their toughness, their strength, their machismo,” Peter Roby, director of the Center for the Study of Sport in Society at Northeastern University said in the Fort Wayne Journal Gazette. “Because we’ve also been socialized to think that anything that references a less than macho image is negative or less than good, there’s this created phobia about homosexuals in a male locker room.” There have been male athletes to announce that they were gay. Former NFL defensive tackle Esera Tuaolo and MLB outfielder Billy Bean made headlines but both were retired and neither had a career that came close to mirroring Swoopes. O’Neal laughs when asked if a NBA player will ever tell his teammates that he’d prefer a man over a woman. “No comment,” he said before breaking out in laughter. “I think it’s wrong to say that it will never happen because anything and everything is possible but it’s a little more tougher for male pro athletes to come out. “I know it was tough for Sheryl to come out,” he added. “But males tend to be alittle more harder on males especially in pro leagues. But I would definitely say never say never.” The reaction to Swoopes coming out has been a positive one. “Whatever Sheryl chooses to do outside of the basketball court is completely her business,” said Pacer assistant coach Chuck Person who has also worked with Indiana Fever players. “I think everyone should let her lead her life.” It’s hard to imagine though the same reaction would follow if a star male athlete wrote a similar article in ESPN The Magazine. “I don’t see that happening anytime soon,” Swoopes said.

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