All over the net commentators don’t really know what to make out of the former WNBA star player Sheryl Swoopes’ announcement that she is engaged to a man. The writer in one article I came across in a social issues site that caters to lesbians uses the opportunity to prove to readers that we need to get away from labels (the title of her commentary called her a “lesbian”). Another article suggests that this is perfectly normal for someone who is “bisexual”.
But back in 2005 after coming out public about her relationship with former Comets assistant coach Alisa Scott, Swoops said that she wasn’t bisexual.
“Asked by the Advocate whether she considers herself lesbian or bisexual, Swoopes says, ‘I just consider myself a person. I don’t consider myself bisexual. The relationship I’m in right now, I hope, is the relationship I’ll be in for the rest of my life.”
Enter the confusion~
One publication whose mission statement makes clear that they cater to lesbians and bisexuals says that titles should not matter. Another writer says that she is in fact a bisexual and critics should not put her in a box. But I guarantee you that both people have no problem with both labeling people who do not have a favorable view of their lifestyle (bigots) and placing them in a box called “the extreme right”.
Titles don’t hide choices. A person that robs a house can call themselves a “Personal property relocator” all day, but they are still a crook. A man that rescues a baby from a burning building is still a hero, even though he tells people that he is nothing more than an ordinary person. No matter how adamant Swoopes may be in not labeling herself as a “lesbian” or “bisexual”, her actions suggest otherwise.
I just wonder how her son is going to adjust from having a mom and dad at home, to two mommies and now back to a mom and dad again.
Parsing Sheryl
by Duane on August 11th, 2011 at 7:11 amAll over the net commentators don’t really know what to make out of the former WNBA star player Sheryl Swoopes’ announcement that she is engaged to a man. The writer in one article I came across in a social issues site that caters to lesbians uses the opportunity to prove to readers that we need to get away from labels (the title of her commentary called her a “lesbian”). Another article suggests that this is perfectly normal for someone who is “bisexual”.
But back in 2005 after coming out public about her relationship with former Comets assistant coach Alisa Scott, Swoops said that she wasn’t bisexual.
“Asked by the Advocate whether she considers herself lesbian or bisexual, Swoopes says, ‘I just consider myself a person. I don’t consider myself bisexual. The relationship I’m in right now, I hope, is the relationship I’ll be in for the rest of my life.”
Enter the confusion~
One publication whose mission statement makes clear that they cater to lesbians and bisexuals says that titles should not matter. Another writer says that she is in fact a bisexual and critics should not put her in a box. But I guarantee you that both people have no problem with both labeling people who do not have a favorable view of their lifestyle (bigots) and placing them in a box called “the extreme right”.
Titles don’t hide choices. A person that robs a house can call themselves a “Personal property relocator” all day, but they are still a crook. A man that rescues a baby from a burning building is still a hero, even though he tells people that he is nothing more than an ordinary person. No matter how adamant Swoopes may be in not labeling herself as a “lesbian” or “bisexual”, her actions suggest otherwise.
I just wonder how her son is going to adjust from having a mom and dad at home, to two mommies and now back to a mom and dad again.