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Busy rugby career keeps former Navy commander busy

Former Renegades coach is high-ranking International Gay Rugby official

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Gus Ventura, gay news, Washington Blade
Gus Ventura has found ways to incorporate rugby throughout his busy life. (Photo courtesy Ventura)

When rugby players reach the end of their playing career, they either leave the sport, become coaches or referees. 

Gus Ventura was about eight years into his life as a rugby player when he tore his ACL for a second time. Knee injuries can be repaired, but the end of his playing career came with a direct order from his superior officer, an Admiral in the Navy.

ā€œHe said I always looked like I had been in a bar fight and it wasnā€™t a good look for a senior officer,ā€ Ventura says. ā€œAs a Naval Commander in charge of people, the role of coaching was a good fit for me to stay in the sport of rugby.ā€

Ventura grew up in Tulsa and played baseball as a youth along with soccer on his high school team. As part of the Navy ROTC program at University of South Carolina, sports were replaced by the programā€™s fitness regimen.

He began a 20-year stint in the Navy as a surface warfare officer that bounced him to locations all over the world. His first exposure to rugby happened when he was serving in Australia.

He was reassigned to Washington in 1992 and while he was playing soccer on the National Mall, he was approached by players from the Potomac Athletic Club rugby team. He was hooked after the first practice and stayed with the club for eight years.

ā€œI loved my teammates and playing with the club, but there was a lot of homophobic banter,ā€ Ventura says. ā€œI donā€™t think they realized how hurtful it was and I stayed in the closet for fear of rejection.ā€

In the late 1990s, Ventura responded to a Washington Blade ad about a new rugby team that was forming for gay players. The ad was placed by Mark Hertzog and the Washington Renegades would become the first menā€™s rugby club in the United States to actively recruit gay men and men of color.

ā€œA lot of people donā€™t know that Markā€™s original intent was to start a rugby fetish club. The people who showed up actually wanted to play so we began organizing practices,ā€ Ventura says. ā€œA couple of my Potomac Athletic Club teammates, who I did not know were gay, also showed up.ā€

After the ACL tear, Ventura became the first coach of the Renegades for three years before moving on to coach Catholic University for the next three years.

He was transferred by the Navy to California where he continued coaching with the San Diego Armada and helped start the Los Angeles Rebellion, both LGBT-based rugby teams.

After retiring from the Navy in 2008, Ventura returned to D.C. because he was accepted into the Ph.D program at George Washington University School of Engineering with a focus on emergency management.

Venturaā€™s work in the international rugby community started a few years before that when he began coaching the IGR World Barbarians in the 2006 Bingham Cup which is hosted biennially by International Gay Rugby (IGR).

IGR, which is based in London, is the umbrella organization for gay and inclusive rugby clubs around the world. The Bingham Cup held in Amsterdam in 2018 drew 2,200 players including local gay players.

ā€œThe IGR World Barbarians is made up of players who donā€™t have a team in their country. They come together to play every two years in the Bingham Cup,ā€ Ventura says.

The IGR has grown faster than expected over the last four years leading its organizers to establish regional representation contact points, electing Ventura as the North America East representative and then the first trustee for North America. 

ā€œThe sport of rugby builds a resilience in people and in teams which leads to a sense of connection,ā€ Ventura says. ā€œIf you are lucky enough to be a part of something people care about, that means they also care about you. We are advocating for a sense of belonging for LGBT athletes.ā€

Extending that thought process to USA Rugby and the United States Olympic Committee, Ventura presented before them a plan to develop programs in youth and high school rugby for LGBT players. It led to the first rugby national governing body to sign on with International Gay Rugby.

Coming up for Ventura will be coaching three IGR World Barbarians teams at the International Inclusive Cup on October 5 in Tokyo. The event takes place during the Rugby World Cup 2019 and it marks the first openly gay rugby ever to be held in Japan.

Still based in D.C., Ventura finds time to work on his research patent and is enjoying married life with his husband, Jordan. The pair have been together since 2009 and though Ventura had already proposed, they sped up their wedding over marriage equality concerns after the election of our current president.

For Ventura, the belonging, the sense of purpose, the rugby brotherhood ā€” they point to a place where people can be supported as individuals regardless of their body type, gender or identity.

ā€œIn rugby, it doesnā€™t matter what you weigh or how tall you are, there is a role for everyone, and everyone can be a contributing member,ā€ Ventura says. ā€œGay athleticism is coming of age and it is having a wonderful impact on our community.ā€

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Former UMD basketball player Abby Meyers discusses lesbians in sports, March Madness

Potomac native signed with the London Lions last August

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Abby Meyers (Photo courtesy of Abby Meyers)

Star basketball player Abby Meyers signed with the London Lions last August, but she called Maryland home before calling the shots in London.

Meyers, a lesbian shooting guard, grew up in Potomac and graduated from Walt Whitman High School in 2017. She played for Princeton in her undergraduate years and played for the University of Maryland during graduate school.

She began playing basketball in elementary school, and she was already showing an abundance of potential by the time she was in high school.

In her freshman year of high school, the schoolā€™s basketball coach sat down with Meyers and her family and showed them a list of universities with Division I basketball teams. Meyers circled the names of the schools that she was interested in attending. From there, the doors leading to a collegiate basketball career began to open. She began working towards her dream and ended up playing for Princeton.

ā€œIt was kind of like a mutual understanding between the two of us, me and basketball,ā€ Meyers told the Washington Blade. ā€œI took more individual lessons, and I just realized that the potential was sky high.ā€

She came back to her home state to attend the University of Maryland not only for its business program but also for its celebrated basketball team.

ā€œI grew up watching Alyssa Thomas, Shatori Walker-Kimbrough and so many other legends that passed through that program,ā€ Meyers said. ā€œSo for me, I knew that basketball-wise, it was the best decision I could make. ā€¦ They definitely had all of the qualities to make me the best player I could be.ā€

Before shipping off to London, Meyers briefly played in the WNBA for the Washington Mystics in the summer of 2023. In fact, the aforementioned UMD alum Shatori Walker-Kimbrough was one of her teammates.

She described her time with the WNBA and in London so far as a ā€œlearning experience.ā€ 

ā€œI got to relearn what it meant to be a rookie again,ā€ Meyers said. ā€œAll of a sudden you enter a new team, a new level and you’re at the bottom, and you just have to let your actions speak louder than your words.ā€

Meyers publicly came out around 2019, and since then she has been a role model for many other lesbian women in sports.

ā€œBy coming out I’m actually being my authentic self, but I was scared that people were going to judge me and look at me differently when in fact, I was met with open arms, love, and appreciation,ā€ Meyers said.

Meyers believes the journey one takes to coming out is an individual process that looks different for everyone.

ā€œAt the end of the day, it’s your own race; run it at your own pace,ā€ Meyers said.  ā€œNever be apologetic for who you are. When you have to start compromising yourself and your values for other people like though thatā€™s not the community you want to be a part of.ā€

She has not experienced much anti-LGBTQ stigma since coming out, but that does not mean that it does not exist in other sports communities. However, in this modern social climate, Meyers pointed out, people are much more accepting of gay women in sports.

Nina Hazra, a University of Maryland medical student, grew up playing basketball with Meyers. The two were on the same team in middle school, but they went to different high schools and would often play against each other. 

Hazra did not play much past high school, but she remained close friends with her former teammate and rival to this day. She went to most of the home games during Meyersā€™ stint at UMD.

Though Hazra does not identify with the LGBTQ community, she noticed a tension in the sports world that affects all women, regardless of sexuality. However, with todayā€™s shifting climate, it has become easier for female athletes to express their identities

ā€œWomen who express strong emotions in sports are often treated differently than men who do the exact same thing,ā€ Hazra said in an interview. ā€œI feel like as we’ve gotten older, there’s been a lot more celebration of womanhood in whatever form in sports, and I think that’s one of the places where you can then kind of go outside those societal norms.ā€

But Hazra still noticed the impact Meyers had on younger generations in sports who may be struggling with their identities.

ā€œIt doesn’t matter your sexuality, your gender identity, all that stuff. That doesn’t matter when you’re playing a sport,ā€ Hazra said. ā€œA lot of us didn’t have role models in those years growing up and just to get to see her being that for so many girls is so amazing.ā€

Elisa Pinzan, also a former Terrapin, is good friends with Meyers. 

Originally from Italy, Pinzan played for the University of South Florida for four years before entering the transfer portal and landing at UMD. She now plays for Keflavik IF in Iceland.

Pinzan and Meyers formed a strong bond while playing for the Terrapins together. 

ā€œShe was the first person I got close to; she is very open, smiley and friendly, and I felt comfortable around her from the first day,ā€ Pinzan described. ā€œI am glad to have met someone like Abby, with such a kind soul.ā€

Pinzan thought that fans should keep their eyes peeled for the Terrapins this upcoming March Madness season. 

ā€œThey are a very young team with energy, enthusiasm and grit on the floor, and I think they are a lot better than the record they have,ā€ Pinzan wrote about the Terrapins in an interview. ā€œDespite being young though, they are learning a lot every game and I am sure they will be able to transfer these lessons for the best time of the year coming up.ā€

Meyers agreed that there is a lot to look forward to this March Madness. She said that with Coach Brenda Freseā€™s game plans and strong assistant staff, the Terrapins have a strong chance of advancing throughout the competition.

According to Meyers, March Madness will be different for womenā€™s basketball this year, pointing out that itā€™s more popular right now than menā€™s games, as womenā€™s basketball is selling out arenas.

ā€œI only think it’s gonna get better and it’s going to grow even more,ā€ Meyers said. ā€œJust the marketing, the social media, the overall awareness of the women’s game. Fans are growing by the number.ā€

Meyers believes that female basketball players have to rely more on their skill than their athleticism, which she believes makes womenā€™s games just as ā€” if not more ā€” exciting than menā€™s games. She said that over the past few years, there has been a strong shift in womenā€™s viewership that has shrunk the gap between menā€™s and womenā€™s basketball, including from a technical standpoint, given that men and women play with the same level of equipment.

Regardless of where UMD ends up this March Madness, Meyers will be cheering the Terrapins on from across the pond ā€” especially the women.

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Banned trans golfer Hailey Davidson: ā€˜Hate and bigotry will never win’

NXXT mandates players must be ā€˜biological female at birthā€™

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Hailey Davidson on Good Morning Britain. (Good Morning Britain YouTube screenshot)

Transgender pro golfer Hailey Davidson is pushing back against a policy change announced Friday by the Florida-based mini-tour, NXXT. From now on, competitors must be ā€œa biological female at birthā€ in order to participate. 

ā€œEffective immediately, I have been removed (banned) from the next three NXXT tournaments that I had already signed up for and been approved to play,ā€ said Davidson in a post on Instagram. ā€œThey changed their policy mid season, after signing me up already and being 2nd in the Player of the Year race.ā€Ā 

The three-time winner from Scotland has played nine times on the tour this season.

According to a statement by the tourā€™s CEO, Stuart McKinnon, the change underscores the organizationā€™s commitment to ā€œmaintaining the integrity of womenā€™s professional golf and ensuring fair competition.ā€ NXXT Golf issued that statement on International Womenā€™s Day.

ā€œAs we navigate through the evolving landscape of sports, it is crucial to uphold the competitive integrity that is the cornerstone of womenā€™s sports,ā€ said McKinnon in the statement. ā€œOur revised policy is a reflection of our unwavering commitment to celebrating and protecting the achievements and opportunities of female athletes. Protected categories are a fundamental aspect of sports at all levels and it is essential for our Tour to uphold these categories for biological females, ensuring a level playing field.ā€

Davidson said the policy change in her social media post was discrimination, adding that the decision denigrates cisgender female athletes as well as trans athletes. 

ā€œYou know what really bugs me is that people think I win just by showing up,ā€ she wrote. ā€œThis is such a slap in the face to ALL female athletes being told that any male can transition and beat them regardless of the life of hard work those women put in.

ā€œYou think youā€™re attacking me, but youā€™re actually attacking and putting down ALL other female athletes.ā€

She concluded with a vow: ā€œYou can scream at me, threaten me, throw insults at me, and even ban me BUT I will ALWAYS get back up and keep fighting to the very end. Hate and bigotry will never win.ā€

Davidson also posted a message for the women she had planned to compete against: ā€œI hope those NXXT players who are now in the top five are still able to earn those Epson Tour exemptions they were promised and continue to be reminded of in the previous couple of tournaments.ā€ 

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Gay figure skater Colin Grafton shares his story and his dream

Boston native is contestant on British televisionā€™s ‘Dancing On Ice’

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Colin Grafton (Photo courtesy of Grafton's Instagram page)

For a second year, Boston native and professional figure skater Colin Grafton is carving up the ice on British televisionā€™s ā€œDancing On Ice,ā€ and now heā€™s doing it as his authentic self. 

ā€œI told my closest friends. I told the people around me and I eventually told my parents,ā€ Grafton, 32, recalled in an interview with PinkNews, in which he discussed coming out as gay. ā€œI was maybe 24 when all that happened. I know thereā€™s a lot of curiosity about my sexual orientation and my love life, but I never actually came out to the public,ā€ said ITV personality. 

ā€œI guess this is me announcing it to you guys.ā€

Grafton, who has been skating since he was 7, reflected on how watching Tara Lipinski win an Olympic gold medal at the 1998 Winter Games inspired him to pursue this career. But being a male figure skater was ā€œreally toughā€ in the 1990s and 2000s, he told PinkNewsUK.

ā€œI remember feeling so nervous at various points in my childhood,ā€ said Grafton. ā€Iā€™d be skating and the hockey players would come and bang on the side of the rink and shout words. That was something all male skaters had to deal with back then. It wasnā€™t easy but all of it made me stronger because I took it and focused everything on my sport.ā€

Graftonā€™s focus catapulted him to competing for Team USA, winning a bronze medal at the Junior U.S. championships in 2012, with his former partner Kylie Duarte. The memory of those who taunted him only fueled him to work harder. 

ā€œWhen somebody tells you, you canā€™t do something, or somebody makes fun of you, just prove them wrong.ā€

Grafton ended his competitive career in 2013 and transitioned to professional skating, leading several European tours, and even becoming a coach. Then came the COVID-19 pandemic.

ā€œI feel very fortunate about the fact that Iā€™ve been able to kind of dabble in so many different areas in the professional world, but tour life is quite hard, all the travel and being away for so long,ā€ he said. ā€œSo, when ā€˜Dancing on Iceā€™ came up, I jumped on it.ā€ That was in 2023. 

The program is broadcast Sunday nights on ITVā€™s Channel 3 from studios in Bovingdon, a village in Hertfordshire about an hour northwest of London. During that first season, Grafton made history being paired with ā€œRuPaul Drag Raceā€ star The Vivienne, the first drag performer on the show and the first time ā€œDancing On Iceā€ featured a same-sex team. They made it all the way to the finals, finishing in third place.

ā€œBeing a part of that representation, being a part of that team, it was just wonderful,ā€ he said. ā€œThe support we got from everyone was just fantastic. If Iā€™m honest, I didnā€™t really understand the impact that it would make in the end.ā€

And at the conclusion of last season, Grafton finally found time to read the many messages of encouragement from fans, as well as from viewers who wrote, ā€œSeeing us helped them and gave them the courage to either come out or be themselves,ā€ he said. ā€œIt was truly something.ā€

And now, as a regular on the showā€™s 16th season, Grafton has decided he wants everyone to know who he really is, and in doing so, show others they are not alone. 

ā€œIf Iā€™m honest, I never really felt the need to announce it before, but the reason I am saying this now, is because I want to show that there is representation in any way I canā€, the TV personality explains.

Along the way to self-acceptance, Grafton revealed he had a lot of ā€œsmall steps and small triumphsā€ leading him to finally feel comfortable being himself in the public eye. ā€œIt was on my own terms,ā€ he said, and feels ā€œblessedā€ to have found support among friends. 

ā€œItā€™s been a long journey but now I am proud of myself and Iā€™m proud of my sexual orientation and I want to let other people know that they should be proud of every part of themselves too,ā€ said Grafton, acknowledging he had concerns about coming out publicly. ā€œI was really nervous of doing that to myself. It was like, ā€˜OK, if I come out as gay then people are going to think Iā€™m this or that,ā€™ when in reality the human sexuality spectrum is so vast and itā€™s just one small part of the person you are.ā€

But appearing in primetime on such a popular TV show means that Grafton is the target of speculation about his personal life. He admits to having ā€œlived and breathed skatingā€ until finally getting in a relationship at age 24, around the same time he decided to come out to friends and family.

While that lasted two and a half years, Graftonā€™s frequent travel commitments and work on the ice left him no other chance for love. ā€œI just didnā€™t really have an opportunity,ā€ he said. ā€œYou might meet someone while youā€™re on a contract for six months and after that, youā€™re both off in different directions, so, I wasnā€™t really able to hold down a relationship because of that.ā€

But now that London is his home, Grafton told PinkNewsUK he feels ready to settle down. His perfect match? Someone local and appreciative of his business obligations. 

ā€œWe live really crazy fast-paced lives as skaters,ā€ he said. ā€œPersonally, I want to meet someone who is also fast-paced and able to keep up with that, but they donā€™t have to be a fellow skater. I just want someone who supports me and I can support them, too.ā€

ā€œAt the end of the day, weā€™re all just humans doing our thing on this planet and trying to find love.ā€

Until he does, Grafton said he is excited to keep skating on television.

ā€œI absolutely love ā€˜Dancing on Ice.ā€™ Every season that Iā€™m asked to do it, I feel like Iā€™m blessed and I feel very lucky to be able to keep doing the show. I would love to continue doing it while I can or while my body allows me to as well,ā€ he said. And when it doesnā€™t? Grafton imagines he might try his hand at acting. 

ā€œI think thatā€™s what life is all about,ā€ he said. ā€œLearning new things and pushing yourself to do other things.ā€

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