A League of Our Own: LGBTQ+ Sports Leagues as Queer Spaces

Description/Abstract/Artist Statement

Visible queer spaces are vital to the LGBTQ+ community, providing a safe and inclusive environment for queer people to gather and express themselves. During the fall 2018 semester I conducted extensive research on the rise of LGBTQ+ sports leagues and the Mid-Atlantic Amateur Softball Association (MAASA), Norfolk’s first gay softball league that was established in 1985. The process relied heavily on archival research in Our Own Community Press, Norfolk’s gay newspaper which ran from 1976-1998, and an interview I conducted with Michael Holcombe, original Vice Commissioner of MAASA. I completed this research for the Queer Walking Tour of Norfolk, an ongoing academic project that preserves Tidewater’s queer history. In this presentation I will discuss my research process, the history of the league, and how LGBTQ+ sports leagues around the world have challenged homophobia and heteronormativity in major league sports.

Presenting Author Name/s

Lexie Nobrega

Faculty Advisor/Mentor

Cathleen Rhodes

Presentation Type

Oral Presentation

Disciplines

Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender Studies

Session Title

LGBTQA

Location

Learning Commons @ Perry Library Conference Room 1311

Start Date

2-2-2019 11:30 AM

End Date

2-2-2019 12:30 PM

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Feb 2nd, 11:30 AM Feb 2nd, 12:30 PM

A League of Our Own: LGBTQ+ Sports Leagues as Queer Spaces

Learning Commons @ Perry Library Conference Room 1311

Visible queer spaces are vital to the LGBTQ+ community, providing a safe and inclusive environment for queer people to gather and express themselves. During the fall 2018 semester I conducted extensive research on the rise of LGBTQ+ sports leagues and the Mid-Atlantic Amateur Softball Association (MAASA), Norfolk’s first gay softball league that was established in 1985. The process relied heavily on archival research in Our Own Community Press, Norfolk’s gay newspaper which ran from 1976-1998, and an interview I conducted with Michael Holcombe, original Vice Commissioner of MAASA. I completed this research for the Queer Walking Tour of Norfolk, an ongoing academic project that preserves Tidewater’s queer history. In this presentation I will discuss my research process, the history of the league, and how LGBTQ+ sports leagues around the world have challenged homophobia and heteronormativity in major league sports.