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A different kind of March madness: Rene Portland resigns

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scribegrrrl

by scribegrrrl

Rene Portland has left the locker room. The wildly successful Penn State basketball coach resigned Thursday in the wake of a lawsuit that claimed Portland had a "no-lesbian" policy during her 27-year reign over the Lady Lions.

Portland didn't give a reason for her resignation but apparently was not forced to resign. Well, if by "was not forced" you mean "was left no other choice because of the decades-long PR nightmare." I'm just guessing there.

Former Lady Lion Jennifer Harris painted a picture of Portland that's anything but regal:

In a December 2005 lawsuit, Harris accused Portland of "humiliating, berating and ostracizing" her, and claimed she was told that she needed to look "more feminine." The suit alleged Portland tried to force Harris, who says she is not gay, to leave the team.

Portland maintained Harris' departure was purely related to basketball issues and disagreed with the school's findings. ...

Last April, Portland was reprimanded following a university investigation and threatened with dismissal for any future violation of the school's discrimination policy. She also was fined $10,000 and ordered to take professional development "devoted to diversity and inclusiveness."

Other players, including Cindy Davies, have alleged that Portland treated them similarly. Davies quit the team in 1981 and has stated that she struggled with depression after Portland confronted her about her relationship with the team manager.

The Harris lawsuit was settled over a month ago. But discrimination against lesbian athletes certainly continues. Will "bully coaches" like Portland become a thing of the past as stories like Davies' and Harris' continue to come to light? ESPN's Mechelle Voepel says it well: "Ultimately, good coaches win their players' hearts without having to control their minds." And without, um, being homophobic monsters who openly establish policies against gay players. Good riddance, Rene.

Related articles on AfterEllen: "Lesbian Athletes Finally Get Their Own Deals"; "WNBA Star Sheryl Swoopes Comes Out."

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    • Submitted by
    scribegrrrl
    on March 23, 2007 - 10:23am.
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    ellenseidler's picture

    It's about time....

    Submitted by
    Ellen Seidler, Contributing Writer (8 posts)
    on March 23, 2007 - 12:45pm.
    Rene Portland's presence at PSU has been a black mark on the school's athletic program for some time.  It's time for women's college basketball to get past homophobia once and for all.  Portland's overdue departure is a good first step.
    Seattle7's picture

    Rene Portlands resignation

    Submitted by
    Seattle7 (12 posts)
    on March 23, 2007 - 3:52pm.

    Finally......

    Hearing about Rene Portland's resignation was just icing on the cake of an already exciting women's basketball tournement.  My friends and I regularly attend Big Ten  women's basketball games and we all support good sportsmanship  and I will actually root against teams or fans who show bad sportsmanship, but when Rene Portland was introduced during pre-game introductions and booed by the fans I couldn't help but sit there and smile and nod to my friends, she deserved to hear it.  A lot of people will say she's a great coach and has done so much good for womens BB and in her community but that doesn't make it ok for her act and behave the way she has done for many many years at Penn St  and the hurt feelings she has caused.  Like Mechelle Voepel at ESPN  said, it's time for Penn St  to hire a coach that's very different from Portlands  way of thinking and coaching. 

    humorlass's picture

    Shades of Ted Haggard

    Submitted by
    humorlass (20 posts)
    on March 23, 2007 - 6:31pm.
    O.K.  I'm going strictly on stereotypes and speculation here.  This woman looks like a certain kind of gay to me, despite her pearls.  Could it be she doth protest too much?  How many homophobes can we all name that turn out to be running away from their own inclinations?  I smell a self loathing closet case.
    Molly Bolt's picture

    I second the good riddance

    Submitted by
    Molly Bolt (173 posts)
    on March 23, 2007 - 6:40pm.
    I second the good riddance remark. I'm not a PSU fan, but I'm relieved she's gone from their program. Who needs - as humorlass said - a self-loathing closet case coaching their team?
    ritasue's picture

    Pokey Chatman

    Submitted by
    ritasue (28 posts)
    on March 23, 2007 - 11:16pm.

    I am all about this woman leaving and it's about time.

    On the other side of the coin, After Ellen should be discussing Pokey Chatman, a coach who apparently had a lesbian relationship with one of her players and resigned amid allegations.

    scribegrrrl's picture

    Pokey Chatman article

    Submitted by
    scribegrrrl, Senior Writer (5435 posts)
    on March 24, 2007 - 2:27pm.
    Read Ellen Seidler's article about Pokey Chatman here: http://www.afterellen.com/people/2007/3/pokeychatman
    karigirl's picture

    Rene Portland

    Submitted by
    karigirl (1 post)
    on March 24, 2007 - 9:49am.

    I am very excited that the wicked witch is dead!

    I vote for Pokey Chatman or Carolyn Peck to take over the Penn State Lady Lions

    fhchicker's picture

    thank god!

    Submitted by
    aly (3 posts)
    on March 25, 2007 - 7:27pm.

    i had attended her basketball camp program for 2 years, and she was basically insane. like screaming at everyone all the time, and honestly, none of the girls playing were what i would call "feminine". and i completely get what you mean humorlass, she's not exactly a pin-up girl herself, and she encouraged Harris to "look more feminine"-rediculous!! i'm happy she's gone.

    ~peace love luck~

    ~aly~


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