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Bellevue says 'you're out,' gay softball coach claims
By
Clay Bailey
Wednesday, June 16, 2010
A local women's softball coach said her team was banned from a
Bellevue Baptist Church league after she acknowledged she is gay.
Jana J. Jacobson said church officials told her the "deviant"
lifestyle would prevent the team from competing in Bellevue's adult
women's softball league.
The coach said she was the only team member who attended meetings in
preparation for the season that began June 8, and the only member
questioned by Bellevue leadership. She wondered why her lifestyle
mattered since they were playing softball.
"Finally, in my frustration, I said that I am going to be clear. I am
gay, and I find all of this to be absurd and against the word of God as
I know it," Jacobson said of a meeting with Bellevue officials.
Jim Barnwell, Bellevue's director of communications, said Tuesday
afternoon the church has "no plans to comment on (Jacobson's story) at
this time."
Bellevue was provided an outline of Jacobson's account of meetings
with church officials. Barnwell also was asked whether the church's
stance regarding homosexuality was part of the decision, if its account
of the episode differed from Jacobson's and whether the player's
acknowledgment played a part in the team not playing in Bellevue's
league.
The church's decision does not appear to be illegal, said Richard
Fields, a long-time local civil rights lawyer: "I don't think it's ever
been challenged. This is the first time I've ever heard of anything like
this."
In May, Jacobson's team, composed of straight and gay players, many
of whom play one night a week in Bartlett, was looking for more games.
They discovered Bellevue was allowing teams not associated with the
Cordova church to join.
She registered, paid the entry fee and attended the preseason
organizational meeting. This included outlines of league rules: no
alcohol, smoking or cursing and no offensive terms on uniforms. She does
not recall there being any morality clause.
Andy Beal, the church's minister for sports outreach, later contacted
her seeking a followup meeting. Scheduling problems delayed the session
until the day before the start of the season, Jacobson said.
During the meeting, Jacobson said another rule of "no public displays
of affection" was added. Beal also told her they had received
information about her lifestyle.
Jacobson, who says she's "very athletic in appearance," didn't want
to lie, so she acknowledged she is gay.
"I continued with ... 'This is silly, we're simply here to play
ball,'" the coach recounted in an e-mail about the events.
According to Jacobson, Scotty Shows, the church's recreation minister
who also attended the second meeting, told her that because she was gay
the team could not play. She was told that the team's participation
would send a message to Bellevue members that the church condoned her
lifestyle.
Bruce Gourley, executive director of the Baptist History and Heritage
Society, said terms such as "deviant lifestyle" are common for
Baptists opposing homosexuality.
"The issue of homosexuality and how Southern Baptists handle that is a
huge issue with them. I haven't heard of a situation in a softball
league, but it doesn't surprise me," said Gourley, who, according to his
biography, holds a degree from the Southern Baptist Theological
Seminary and is online editor of Baptists Today.
He said odds are that there are homosexual members of Bellevue. They
are tolerated "as long as they are quiet about it."
"A softball league seems like a minor playing field to take a
stance," Gourley said, "but that is how seriously (Southern Baptists)
believe about this issue."
Jacobson said she is not looking for the church league to rescind the
decision, and wouldn't return anyway.
Fields was surprised at the church's stance.
"This is totally insane, and the gay community of Memphis should
protest it, as well as the straight community," he said. "None of us
should have to put up with that."
-- Clay Bailey: 529-2393