Just how gay is gay enough for gay softball?
The North American Gay Amateur Athletic Alliance (NAGAAA) is now facing a lawsuit following a decision from the 2008 Gay Softball World Series to strip the second-place team of their title because the team was apparently composed of not enough homosexual players. According to The New York Times, the five players in question were taken into a small conference room and interrogated about their sexual preferences.
Ultimately, three players were deemed at least "not gay enough," to play.
From The New York Times:
According to court records, one player declined to say whether he was gay or straight but acknowledged being married to a woman. Another answered yes to both gay and heterosexual definitions. A third asked if bisexual was acceptable and was told, "This is the Gay World Series, not the Bisexual World Series."
However, the three men who were deemed as cheaters, are suing, writes NESN. Steven Apilado, LaRon Charles and Jon Russ have taken to court, suing the NAGAAA for $75,000 in emotional damages, and a restoration of their title.
A United States District Court in Seattle is currently hearing the case.
According to USA Today, a federal judge ruled in early June that the NAGAAA can limit the number of heterosexual players on the GSWS teams, but also allowed for the ongoing lawsuit to continue.
This case has brought more attention to gay athletics, causing gay leagues nationwide to reevaluate their policies. The NY Times writes that many other homosexually oriented leagues like the National Gay Flag Football League will take a further look at their policies in order to attempt to make a clearer decision.
For the time being, many of these leagues simply institute an honor system, and try to maintain that a a limited percentage of the players can be straight.