Logo has a reality series called Shirts & Skins that we haven't run here because it's about a gay male basketball team in San Francisco.

But I thought the latest episode was worth posting because it features fantastic out WNBA star Sheryl Swoopes, who visits the gay San Francisco basketball team to give them some advice.

She stresses the importance of teamwork on the court, talks about her coming-out experience (including how some of the NBA players reacted), and — after a little too much wine — offers a very funny summary of how she and her partner got together.

Look for Sheryl to appear beginning about six minutes into the video.

You can watch the rest of the episodes here.

The other day I bumped into a friend of mine from high school whom I had not seen since she wrote the letters “K.I.T.” in my yearbook. After our awkward hug hello, the immediate question to follow was, “So what have you been up to?”

In the course of 10 minutes standing on a busy street corner, we summed up our lives, CliffsNotes style. She immediately tells me she is married with kids, and she is working at some law firm with three last names that I couldn’t possibly ever recall. The conversation then turns to me, and I have the always-awesome task of coming out — again. I tell my former classmate where I am working and that I am now living with my girlfriend of three years. I then wait for an awkward and befuddled face, and on cue, it arrives. After the momentary shock settles in, she becomes more intrigued than anything, and thus more conversation ensues:

“How’d you meet her?”

“I thought you might be gay in high school!"

“Did you like anyone in our grade?”

And then the dialogue I wasn’t expecting:

Former classmate: What kind of lesbian is your girlfriend?
Lesbian: Um, I’m sorry. What?
Former Classmate: You know, is she like an Ellen-type person, or more like a Portia de Rossi? Or is she like k.d. Lang or like that woman on Bravo with the gym?
Lesbian: Jackie Warner.
Former Classmate: Yes! Jackie Warner. See, you know!

While I could understand the curiosity surrounding her questions, I found it remarkable that she asked them. I mean, she told me she was married, and I didn’t launch into a litany of male celebrities: “So what’s your husband like? Is he a sloppy-sweatshirt-wearing kind of guy like Adam Sandler? Is he a baldy like Bruce Willis? Or does he have a full head like that McDreamy fellow?”

I guess as much as I was shocked by her candor, I couldn’t be offended by what she asked me because I admittedly have asked those sorts of questions of my own friends. How many times have you had to describe your ideal woman to someone using words like femme, butch, boi, androgynous, chapstick, lipstick or sporty?

Perhaps now, in place of those terms, it is easier just to use celebrity equivalents. So instead of saying something like, “I am attracted to femmes who are a little sporty,” you could say, “I’m looking for a Bette Porter with a splash of Dana." There you have a perfect visual and you know who you are getting. (And good for you, I might add.)

I know some of you may be getting mad at me and want to remind me that we are all individuals and very unique and shouldn’t succumb to any pigeonholes or stereotypes — and I totally agree with you. I understand that no one wants to be put in a box (they are cramped and often uncomfortable), but boxes can aid in describing the general style a person has, which is helpful in the art of attraction. You aren’t defined by this box; you are just painting a broad-spectrum image of yourself.

Given that some people (like my former classmate) wouldn’t know who Dana or Bette are, but would know who Ellen is, I was curious if any of you could describe yourself to someone using an out lesbian celebrity.

Let’s put it to the test. Which of these celesbians best describe you and your style? … continue reading

I know the WNBA season is a few weeks in and I’m late with this post, but it’s not my fault: I was working on an overview of the teams and players, predictions about which teams will be in the playoffs, etc., and then I saw this and completely lost my train of thought:

Damn. Sheryl Swoopes is one fine lesbian. Of course, she’s one fine basketball player, too. At 37, Swoopes is getting her game back after sitting out most of last season due to back surgery. And she’s doing it with a new team, the Seattle Storm, after 10 years with the Houston Comets.

Swoopes is not the only Storm player who’s hot both on and off the court, though. I mean, just look at this starting lineup:

Swin Cash (whose full first name Swintayla means “astounding woman”) also made a big move this year when she was traded to Seattle by the Detroit Shock. She’s already made a big impact on the team. This photo of her made a big impact on me:

Veteran Yolanda Griffith surprised everyone when she decided to join the Storm instead of retiring. Griffith wants another championship ring and she intends to get it in Seattle. And Sue Bird and Lauren Jackson , who played together in Russia during the off-season, just keep getting better. Bird has played with Cash, Swoopes and Griffith previously in the Olympics, so should easily adjust to their play. She’s expected to step up her offensive game under new coach Brian Agler. Jackson may be in the best shape of her life. (And it’s certainly a shape I can appreciate.) In fact, I wouldn’t be surprised if she has another MVP season this year. (I hope she finds a new manicurist soon, though.) … continue reading

The WNBA All-Star game is July 15, less than a month away. Online balloting is now open. But how will you vote? Will you support your home team if you live in a WNBA city, or will you stick with your favorite college players, no matter where they ended up?

I live in L.A., so I love the Sparks, even with a retired Chamique Holdsclaw (bummer) and a pregnant Lisa Leslie on the sidelines.

It’s the first time I’ve been in a city with a WNBA team — it's a lot more fun to be able to go to the games. It's a little harder to be loyal to a team when you can only watch the games on TV or online.

My advice: Base your choices on stats, or pick them like I always sometimes do: Which player is cute? Do I hold it against her that she sort of looks like that woman who rejected me at that bar? What do her biceps look like? Can I pick her even though I hate that team’s uniforms? What if I don’t like the food in that state? How do I weigh that against her percentages? Being a sports reporter is harder than people think.

Here are my picks — although sometimes I think I curse things by picking them, almost like the curse of the Sports Illustrated cover. … continue reading