Friday, June 9, 2023

An Open Letter to the Toronto Blue Jays

You can send the Blue Jays your own feedback at fanfeedback@bluejays.com.

Hi Blue Jays! I'm a queer baseball fan who subscribed to MLBTV this year to be able to watch a larger variety of games, and I have enjoyed watching a whole bunch of Blue Jays games so far this season. I usually pick which game to watch on any given day in part based on my feelings about the pitchers involved. Now, usually - and preferably - those feelings are based on their actual pitching abilities. Unfortunately, now when I'm deciding whether to watch a Blue Jays game, you've put me in the position of thinking "Sure, I'd like to watch a Kevin Gausman or Chris Bassitt start, but does that mean I'm going to end up watching a reliever who thinks I'm evil and demonic?"

It's one thing, I suppose, to continue employing a player who amplifies hate speech and then - in his so-called apology! - doubles down on the fact that yes, according to his beliefs it is evil and demonic to support a segment of the fan base who belongs to a marginalized group. But it's quite another to center this person at a Pride event by having him catch the first pitch. Pride should center LGBTQIAP+ people. Pride should not be used as a mere vehicle for the PR rehabilitation of a straight cis man who has shown no hints of reconsidering his homophobia and transphobia. I genuinely hope that Anthony Bass does learn and grow in his beliefs, but there has been no evidence of that as yet.

I live in New Hampshire and have been looking forward to attending some Fisher Cats games this season - including their Pride Night in a few weeks - but now their affiliation with the Blue Jays is making me wonder whether that event will actually be a safe and welcoming place for me and my friends.

Thanks,

Katherine Welsh

Morning Coffee Link Roundup (6/9/23)

Well there has certainly been NEWS but it is FRIDAY so we are RESPECTING THE HAPPY LINKS. News tomorrow!

I am SO excited for this: Fellow Travelers: Matt Bomer and Jonathan Bailey Make Love Across Four Decades in Sweeping Showtime Limited Series — Watch First Trailer (TVLine)

Also excited for this new monthly column by Dahlia Adler! June 2023 Queer Romances (Smart Bitches, Trashy Books)

In Nashua, one group is trying to nurture residents’ curiosity to grow their own food (NHPR)

Hallmark Reveals 2023 Christmas in July Lineup, Including 2 New Movies (TV Insider)

This is so cute and I will definitely be buying it for kids in my life: Exclusive Cover Reveal: It’s Pride, Baby! by Allen R. Wells and Dia Valle (LGBTQ Reads)

!! ‘The Constant Gardener’ Limited TV Series In The Works (Deadline)

The Best Road Trip Nonfiction to Get You in the Mood for Summer (Book Riot)

This is so cool: Watching over the watchers (WaPo)

When You Wish Upon a Jewish Star (Bookishly Jewish)

The Country House Murder Mystery . . . in America (CrimeReads)

And some longer Friday reads:

Dylan Mulvaney Is Ready for Life After “Girlhood” (them)

The Most Anticipated LGBTQ YA Books of Summer 2023 (Paste)

The Stealth Campaign That’s Getting Your Kids Hooked on Chess (NYT)

Correct: These 12 Instagram Accounts Will Make You Want To Visit London Right Now (SSoP)

Fascinating if you're, uh, into this kind of thing: How Bryce Miller, the Mariners’ newest young pitcher, honed his arsenal (The Athletic)

Thursday, June 8, 2023

Wednesday, June 7, 2023

Morning Coffee Link Roundup (6/7/23)

Today is Wednesday, I guess!

This is so so scary: Glendale school district meeting about LGBTQ studies gets violent (LA Blade)

Trump Is Telling Us How He’ll Respond to Future Indictments (Slate)

Warning that a crowded GOP field helps Trump, Sununu says he's not running for president — but he'll back the nominee (NHPR)

I cannot believe (that's rhetorical; I can totally believe) we're at "he'll be fun to watch!" again. ‘A Guided Missile Aimed Rhetorically at Trump.’ Our Columnists and Writers Discuss Chris Christie. (NYT)

How Canadian wildfires are worsening U.S. air quality and what you can do to cope (NPR)

NTSB examines wreckage of plane intercepted after F-16 sonic boom (WaPo)

PGA’s ‘merger’ with LIV can’t be seen as anything other than a Saudi victory (The Guardian)

So glad she did this: Pelosi throws out first pitch during Nationals’ LGBTQ Pride event (Politico)

Rachel Maddow Expands Her NBCUniversal Podcast Empire With New Show: “Déjà News” (THR)

Astrud Gilberto, 83, Dies; Shot to Fame With ‘The Girl From Ipanema’ (NYT)

And some longer reads:

Damage to Russian-held hydroelectric plant floods south Ukraine battlefield (WaPo)

Can Africa Get Close to Vaccine Independence? Here’s What It Will Take. (NYT)

How the Pirates’ Mitch Keller transformed himself from one of MLB’s worst pitchers (The Athletic)

Why Is Everyone Watching TV With the Subtitles On? (The Atlantic)

The New Classics of Southern Crime Fiction (CrimeReads)

Saturday, June 3, 2023

Morning Coffee Link Roundup (6/3/23)

Today is Saturday, and my plan is to do a million errands so I can finally start my garden!

This is awful: ‘Wailing for help’: passengers and bystanders tell of India train crash horror (The Guardian)

Eyes emoji: Lake Maggiore boat accident: Questions remain over spy deaths (BBC)

Oath Keeper who breached Capitol as part of 'stack' formation is sentenced to 3 years in prison (NBC News)

Twitter Faces Potential Ban In Europe After Elon Musk’s Company Pulled Back From Disinformation Rules (Deadline)

The Bad Thing Henry Kissinger Did That You Don’t Even Know About (TNR)

Fort Bragg drops Confederate name to become Fort Liberty (WaPo)

Amazon must pay over $30 million over claims it invaded privacy with Ring and Alexa (NPR)

Churchill Downs to Cease Racing as It Investigates Deaths of Horses (NYT)

Ugh: Granite Staters should expect higher-than-normal temperatures this summer (NHPR)

I've been following him since he came out a few months ago and I'm so glad he seems to be doing well: White Sox minor leaguer Anderson Comás on coming out as gay: ‘Just felt like now is the right time’ (The Athletic)

And some longer reads:

Trump Lawyer’s Notes Could Be a Key in the Classified Documents Inquiry (NYT)

‘You don’t have another option’: Inside the Biden, McCarthy debt ceiling deal (WaPo)

Pakistan’s Powerful Military Faces New Resistance From Courts (NYT)

The A’s are the Rays, and Vice-Versa (Baseball Prospectus)

I am reading this book now and this piece is so fascinating! The Lesser-Known Novel of the 1950s That Presaged Queer Liberation (LitHub)

Friday, June 2, 2023

Morning Coffee Link Roundup (6/2/23) - Friday Happy Links!

Whew, we've made it to Friday! Let's take a break from the news for some happy links!

PSA: Free Doughnuts This Friday (The Takeout)

Nashua recognized for historic role in racially integrating baseball in the 1940s (NHPR)

Yay Amy! Exclusive: At Her Service by Amy Spalding Cover Reveal (frolic)

JUSTIFIED: CITY PRIMEVAL: Raylan Encounters a Chilling New Foe in New Trailer (GMMR)

Ahaha: 40 years ago, NPR had to apologize for airing 'Return of the Jedi' spoilers (NPR)

Eee: ‘Endeavour’: Shaun Evans & Roger Allam on ‘Terribly Emotional’ but ‘Very Right’ Series Finale (TV Insider)

Trader Joe’s Is a Frozen-Foods Fantasyland (Eater)

Fave Five: MG Fantasy with Nonbinary MCs (LGBTQ Reads)

‘Mad and offensive’ texts shed light on the role played by minstrels in medieval society (The Guardian)

Books and Murder: The Perfect Match (CrimeReads)

And some longer Friday reads:

How Queer-Owned Bookstores Are Celebrating Pride Month (Book Riot)

My friend KD is in this and I'm very proud!! Summer Books 2023 (NYT)

This is always fun: The 2023 Cooper’s Hill Cheese-Rolling Race (The Atlantic)

The Most Anticipated Crime Fiction of Summer 2023 (CrimeReads)

Maybe you need to spend your Friday morning just watching a bunch of homers. I get it. Every team's hardest-hit home run (MLB)

Thursday, June 1, 2023

Morning Coffee Link Roundup (6/1/23)

Today is Thursday and June 1st! Happy Pride!

House approves the Biden-McCarthy debt ceiling bill as default deadline looms (NPR)

Investigators have recording of Trump acknowledging he held onto sensitive document: Sources (ABC News)

Oklahoma Supreme Court rules two abortion laws unconstitutional (KOSU)

Seoul Awoke to a Dire Alarm: ‘Prepare to Evacuate.’ Whoops. (NYT)

Indigenous leaders warn that ‘hate is raining down on us’ as voice campaign ramps up (The Guardian)

Pansexual, intersex and transgender people worst represented in LGBTQ+ media, damning survey finds (PinkNews)

Latest bid to legalize marijuana in New Hampshire bogs down in House committee (NHPR)

As NH marks Black Birders Week, organizers aim to educate about lived experiences (NH Bulletin)

The A’s Are Bad (Complimentary) (Baseball Prospectus)

Happy Pride! This company is definitely not a fair-weather ally who just wants your money! (WaPo)

And some longer reads:

Iran plans to escalate attacks against U.S. troops in Syria, documents show (WaPo)

What’s Behind Rising Tensions in Kosovo? (NYT)

Is a 1960 treaty between Pakistan and India killing the mighty Ravi River? (NPR)

Bowden’s MLB power rankings entering June and early trade deadline takes on all 30 teams (The Athletic)

8 Romantic Queer YA Books to Add to Your Reading Shelf Right Away! (Book Riot)