Best. Lesbian. Week. Ever. (July 13, 2007)

AND GENRE IS A LESBIAN MAGAZINE
An AfterEllen.com reader (thanks Megan!) tipped me off to a new LGBT sports magazine in town: Sports Out Loud, which includes "a slew of sports and sports-related articles: insights into the world of professional sports, news on local gay sporting events, profiles of athletes, health and nutrition news, information on the latest training and athletic gear. Plus, we’ll have on-going columns that will touch on the humorous side of sports, allow readers to gain information on the best way to train for specific sports and how best to treat injuries."

Editor Ted Rybka explains that the magazine is written by people who "belong to or are allies with the gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender community," but rather than use acronyms like LGBT, GLBT, or GLBTQ, "we are using the word gay to encompass everyone in the community."

I have another acronym for you, Ted: BS. As in, bait-and-switch. And ... well, you know.

All the columnists, editors and writers listed appear to be gay men, the three features on the site are all about gay men, and did we mention everyone in every photo on the site is male, save for the woman in the bathing suit on the cover who is clearly designed to trick lesbians into thinking it's actually a magazine for them, too? Even the Dallas softball team profiled is comprised solely of men. To quote Gob from Arrested Development, "C'mon!"

Oh, wait, I take it back, there is a female columnist listed on the site: Kimberly Gadette, who "gives us her perspective on sports fashion." Um, what? Yes, because what could a lesbian possibly have to say about actual sports?

Listen, guys, I don't care if you launch a gay men's sports magazine. Heck, I even applaud it! But if you can call this a magazine for "everyone in the community," then I guess Curve and Velvet Park can, too. I'm sure gay men will line up to buy them now.