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The stark contrast between the 2024 Paris Olympics and major US sports leagues – Andscape

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As the world watched the 2024 Paris Olympics, we witnessed history being made—not only in the records broken and medals won, but in the diversity that graced the global stage. From the moment singer Celine Dion braved her critical health condition to open the ceremony, all of us knew these Games were going to be something to behold. We watched in awe as sprinter Sha’Carri Richardson proved that she was not only back, but higher. We held our breath as Simone Biles flipped, leapt, and soared to her eleventh medal, becoming the most decorated gymnast in history. We couldn’t help but arise and jump as Stephen Curry fired a 3-pointer over center Victor Wembanyama of France to secure the gold medal for the U.S. men’s basketball team.

This 12 months’s Olympics saw the most medals for LGBTQIA+ athletes, and the most for girls in the United States. As an LGBTQIA+ athlete and former NFL player, I used to be proud and hopeful. The progress I saw was nothing wanting inspiring, an example of what sports can and needs to be: a spot where all and sundry, no matter gender, sexual orientation, or background, can compete at the highest level and be celebrated for who they’re.

But as the Olympic flame faded and the world returned to its day by day rhythms, I used to be faced with a stark and depressing reality. The NFL season is quickly approaching, and once more, we’re reminded that the game I really like with all my heart doesn’t have a single male athlete, not in the NFL, nor in any of the major male-dominated sports leagues in the United States.

The contrast is unattainable to disregard. How is it that on the international stage, where athletes from every corner of the world gather, we see such a wealthy mosaic of representations, while in our own backyards the silence is deafening? The truth is that the problem runs much deeper than the courage or willingness of athletes to live their truth. It stems from a culture shaped by misogyny, anti-gay prejudice and patriarchy, forces that begin to affect sports culture and athletes at a young age. While not all sports leagues are affected, the toxic environment in lots of male-dominated sports creates barriers for LGBTQIA+ athletes. As a nation, we lose the majority of LGBTQIA+ athletes long before they reach the skilled level, often in youthwhere this harmful dynamic pushes them out of the game.

To see true representation at the highest levels of sport, we’d like to start out by addressing these issues at the grassroots level. We have to make all sports, especially youth sports, more inclusive. That means difficult and changing the toxic facets of sports culture that marginalize young athletes based on their gender identity or sexual orientation. It is a national responsibility to make sure that every child, no matter who they’re, feels secure and welcome in sports from the very starting.

In 2015, I used to be drafted into the NFL, a dream realized after years of labor and dedication. However, after public outingIt wasn’t until 2019 that I really began to fight — not only for a position on my team, but for acceptance in a league that always struggles with inclusivity. I do know what it means to navigate the complexities of being each an NFL player and a member of the LGBTQIA+ community. The fear of rejection, the pressure to adapt, and the constant threat of discrimination or the fear of coming out and losing your dream of playing in the NFL could be crippling. It’s a burden that too many athletes still carry, and it should not be tolerated. The time for change is long overdue.

Billy Bean, MLB Inclusion Ambassador, moderates a panel discussion during the 2015 Diversity & Inclusion in Sports Symposium at Citi Field in Queens, New York, September 29, 2015.

Alex Trautwig/MLB via Getty Images

As I reflect on these issues, I’m also reminded of the recent lack of a towering figure in the fight for LGBTQIA+ inclusion in sports, Billy Bean. A baseball legend and MLB Senior Vice President of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion, Bean was greater than just an excellent athlete, he was a beacon of hope and change for a lot of, including me.

Bean’s work off the field transformed men’s sports. His dedication to making a more inclusive environment in MLB is a legacy that may proceed to encourage athletes and advocates. I can confidently say that his efforts have made it easier for LGBTQIA+ athletes like me to face tall in our truth. I hope to seek out myself in the NFL a fraction of what Billy was to MLB.

Beans he died at the age of 60 acute myeloid leukemia, but his impact will probably be felt for generations. You will probably be missed but never forgotten. Rest in peace, Billy.

The NFL and other major men’s sports leagues have a chance — an obligation — to create an environment where athletes feel secure and supported to be themselves. It’s not nearly making statements or posting on social media; it’s about taking real, tangible actions that exhibit a commitment to diversity, equity and inclusion. It’s about ensuring that the next generation of athletes don’t need to select between their love of the game and their ability to live openly and authentically. The NFL has committed to a partnership with GLAAD, and for the past three seasons we’ve seen them host Super Bowl week. Despite this, there was zero energetic player attendance in the league annually, and the event often clashes with other NFL celebrations, like NFL Honors, making player participation nearly unattainable. Progress is being made, but we now have to be critical and consistent in a league with unlimited resources. We can say, “Good job, do better.”

We have seen what is feasible on the world stage. Now it’s time for the NFL and other major U.S. sports leagues to rise to the occasion. The progress we witnessed at the Olympics shouldn’t be the exception, but the norm.

To all athletes who’re still waiting for the right time, moment, and setting to step into the highlight: You will not be alone. Countless people stand with you, support you, and will proceed to fight for a world where you possibly can be yourself on and off the field.

To all the young athletes who feel insecure, isolated, or like they don’t slot in: Know that you simply will not be alone. The world of sports is changing for the higher, and so many individuals see you, value you, and work tirelessly to be certain that you possibly can thrive as you might be. Hold on to your passion, hold on to your dreams, and know that you simply are loved and supported. Your presence in sports is required, and together we’re constructing a future where every athlete, including you, can play with pride and joy.

The journey is way from over, but together we are able to make sure that every athlete in all places experiences inclusion, authenticity and pride in the next chapter.

This article was originally published on : andscape.com
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Fans get first shock look at Anthony Edwards’ alleged daughter with ex Lil Baby and claim no DNA testing needed

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The world got to satisfy the latest child of 23-year-old NBA player Anthony “Ant-Man” Edwards.

Ayesha “Little Miss Golden” Howard, 38, debuted her newborn baby in a social media post on November 14. The girl’s name is Aubri’ Summers. It is unclear whether Summers is the kid’s middle name or surname, but whether it is the latter, it might raise questions as to why she isn’t named after her mother or alleged father.

“You’re officially a month old. Today means 30 beautiful sleepless nights and the remaining of your life,” Howard wrote in her Instagram caption.

Here’s every little thing that you must know in regards to the women who claimed NBA star Anthony Davis was the daddy of their children. (Photo: Tom Weller/VOIGT/GettyImages)

On October 15, the day after the infant was born, Edwards asked a Georgia court to find out whether he was the daddy of Howard’s daughter.

Edwards originally filed for paternity in September, before Aubri was born. The following month, he returned to court and requested that DNA testing be performed at a neutral and licensed laboratory.

“If genetic testing establishes that petitioner is the father, petitioner seeks an order declaring paternity of the minor child,” reads legal documents filed by the Minnesota Timberwolves guard.

On October 22, seven days after Edwards asked for more legal clarity on the difficulty of paternity, Howard shared pregnant photos on her Instagram page. She didn’t reveal the kid’s father at that point.

After Howard posted photos of Aubri online, other social media users reacted to the photos of the infant wrapped in a blanket. Many comments suggested that Edwards was definitely the dad.

“He’s got his daddy’s whole face, Oh my God!” one person wrote Neighborhood Conversations Instagram comment section. A second person joked: “She looks just like her daddy.”

Someone else commented: “Whew! His genes are very strong. A DNA test was never needed.” A like-minded commenter added: “Cancel the DNA test.”

Additionally, people mentioned the 15-year age difference between Howard and Edwards. For example, the comment was: “She (is) 38 years old and has a 23-year-old lover.”

Another fan wrote: “I– I just turned 23 and in a 12 months I gave birth to 3-4 children, all with different moms. I do know you (are) wealthy, but rattling it, calm down. They’ll break you real quick, kid.

Edwards is currently dating his Starting 5 documentary co-star Shannon Jackson. Their daughter Aislynn was born on March 2, 2024.

On October 26, Jackson attended a Timberwolves home game against Aislynn. While sitting on the court, the web personality wore a diamond necklace with the word “Ant” written on it.

These Instagram photos of Shannon and Aislynn got here five days after Howard’s pregnancy photos appeared on Instagram.

Jackson also gave birth to Krue’s son from her previous relationship with Chicago rapper Keith “Chief Keef” Cozart.

Howard can also be linked to the hip-hop star. The self-proclaimed brand ambassador shares a son with Atlanta rapper Dominique “Lil Baby” Jones.

Jason was born on September 9, 2015. In 2020, news broke about legal dispute between Howard and Lil Baby over child support.

At one point, she called the “My Dawg” hitmaker. “pathetic” for under giving her $2,000 a month to assist care for Jason.

There’s one other factor with the twisted branches of the family tree that features Howard, Lil Baby and Ant-Man.

The Grammy Award winner and Olympic gold medal-winning basketball player grew up in Atlanta’s Oakland City neighborhood.

Baby appeared in Ant-Man’s AE5 basketball camp. Edwards also confirmed that they celebrated together in Las Vegas when the skilled fighter signed his contract five-year contract extension for $260 million with the Timberwolves in 2023.

In addition to being the daddy of Jackson’s daughter and possibly the daddy of Howard’s daughter, Edwards allegedly has a son with a lady referred to as Ally D.

The boy’s name might be Amir. He was reportedly born three months before Jackson and Edwards’ daughter, Aislyn.

“Our son is 8 months old… The children were not born at the same time, several months apart. One little girl in September, then our son (in) October, and then she just had a daughter,” Ally D stated in July.

Rumors also suggest that a lady named Daja gave birth to Ant-Man’s first daughter, Aris, in September 2023. Additionally, OnlyFans model Paige Jordan said the two-time NBA All-Star paid her $100,000 for an abortion.

After Jordan published an alleged text exchange between her and Edwards showing him attempting to force her to have an abortion, he addressed the difficulty in a message posted to X.

“I made comments in the heat of the moment that are not mine and that are not consistent with what I believe in and who I want to be as a man,” Edwards wrote on Twitter.

The first overall pick within the 2020 NBA Draft continued: “All women should be supported and empowered to make their own decisions about their bodies and what is best for them.”

Edwards has not spoken publicly in regards to the ongoing paternity situation with Howard. Little Miss Golden also didn’t confirm who the daddy of month-old Aubri is.

However, Howard threatened to sue the doctor’s office for allegedly leaking details about her pregnancy. She recently wrote on her Instagram Story: “I am also extending the jail term related to the violation.”


This article was originally published on : atlantablackstar.com
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A short and absurd (but true) list of things I’d rather do than get slapped by Mike Tyson

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thegrio.com, mike tyson, jake paul, netflix, texas, boxing

Mike Tyson, 58-year-old former heavyweight boxing champion, is able to fight Jake Paul, 27, web personality turned boxer, on November 15, 2024, at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas. If you are even remotely concerned with sports, you are probably aware of this. Heck, even in the event you’re only mildly concerned with popular culture, you could be aware of this, because Mike Tyson was an absolute staple of 90s popular culture and has been in and out of the general public consciousness for a spread of reasons over the past few a long time, good and bad. I mean, it’s Mike Tyson. He is at the highest of Rushmore People Named Michael together with Michael Jackson, Michael Jordan and Michael Harriot.

It’s…Mike. Iron Mike Tyson. This is the guy about whom Will Smith created a song (as a member of the hip-hop duo DJ Jazzy Jeff and The Fresh Prince) titled “I Think I Can Beat Mike Tyson.” There was a video game version of “Punch-Out!!” called “Mike Tyson’s Punch-Out!!” — Mike Tyson had a video game!!!!

Mike Tyson was such a ferocious and powerful fighter that he often knocked people out in the primary round. Then in 1997 he bit Evander Holyfield on the ear. I say: I like Mike Tyson, but I don’t desire to smoke with Mike Tyson. Jake Paul desires to have all of the smoke with Mike Tyson, hence their upcoming fight. And throughout the weigh-in before the fight, he stepped on Mike Tyson’s toe, causing Mike Tyson to beat the dog out of him. Look, Jake Paul took it the way in which he must have. He needed to act unmoved. He needed to pretend that not only did it not hurt, nevertheless it barely had any impact.

I’m not Jake Paul.

I don’t desire him to ever get punched by Mike Tyson. I do not even wish to be Mike Tyson. I would really like to satisfy Mike Tyson, shake his hand and say nice things to him. To illustrate how serious I’m about never wanting Mike to slap me, here’s a ridiculous but true list of things I’d rather do than get slapped by Mike Tyson.

1. Bathe within the Nickelodeon slime that was thrown at people during “Double Dare”

2. Eat a bucket of wasabi-dipped cauliflower

4. Pointlessly and annoyingly, call 1,000 people by the tip of 2024 and ask in the event that they would really like to alter their long-distance carrier, like I did once I was a student within the Nineteen Nineties.

5. Write down every subtle difference between the 1977 version of the Roots miniseries and the 2016 version.


Panama Jackson theGrio.com

This article was originally published on : thegrio.com
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Mike Tyson’s shocking reaction to an awkward interview after it almost turned worst

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Former heavyweight champion Mike Tyson does promotion for his upcoming fight with Jake Paul with comedian Funny Marco and fans are worried that he was upset. (Photos: @miketyson / Instagram; @funnymarco / Instagram)

Internet sensation Funny Marco is rising within the comedy world at a rapid pace, regardless that fans and guests of the Kansas City native are never quite sure whether he’s serious or joking.

His “Open thoughts” on YouTube incorporates thousands and thousands of views of interviews with celebrities who sit next to him as he asks them silly questions designed to annoy them, often leading to a storm. From Nicki Minaj to Kevin Hart, from Chris Brown to DaBaby, the comedian and talk show host has a knack for getting under people’s skin and making viewers laugh in the method.

Former heavyweight champion Mike Tyson is promoting his upcoming fight with Jake Paul against comedian Funny Marco, and fans are worried he was nervous. (Photos: @miketyson / Instagram; @funnymarco / Instagram)
Former heavyweight champion Mike Tyson is promoting his upcoming fight with Jake Paul against comedian Funny Marco, and fans are frightened he was nervous. (Photos: @miketyson / Instagram; @funnymarco / Instagram)

That’s why Netflix invited him to host a special promotion for the upcoming Mike Tyson vs. Jake Paul fight, which can be broadcast continue to exist the streaming service tonight at 8 p.m.

The just over a minute long interstitial was uploaded to the Still Watching Netflix YouTube channel on Wednesday, November 13. He placed 31-year-old Marco and Tyson sitting on a couch and talking to one another.

The interviewer holds the microphone in his lap as Pride of Brownsville lounges, wearing black and with a fluorescent green logo that reads “LF*Go…Energy in a Pouch.”

“So, for a million dollars, would you like to take the punch or go to sleep?” Marco asks the previous heavyweight champion.

“I don’t know. I have no idea,” Tyson says calmly.

A couple of moments pass and Marco looks around nervously and says, “Mmm… I’m a little scared.”

He then asks Tyson in regards to the pigeon Paul gave him while the 2 sat face-to-face during an interview with rapper-turned-podcaster Cam’Ron.

– Will you explain in regards to the pigeons? Marco asked.

“What do you want to know about them?” – Tyson replied.

“When he sent you the pigeons, was it a good gift?”

Without hesitation, Tyson replied, “It was a beautiful gift, but the pigeon was probably infected with a disease.”

The next query was about what Tyson wanted to do first after winning the fight, and the previous World Boxing Association champion replied that he was eating “ice cream.”

When the short interview was over, Marco asked, “Can I hug you after the fight?”

Not too enthusiastic about it, Tyson said, “Maybe. I will pass it on.” Marco then joked that he was a great fighter himself and said, “If you need some tips from me, I’m 11 and 0 or I’ve lost two fights. … Is there something you want to ask me?”

Tyson suddenly said, “No. Nice to meet you” and held out his hand to shake hers. After a few shakes, he says, “Be careful.”

The handshake lasted for a moment after which Tyson said, “Please let go of my hand.”

Nervously, Marco says, “Okay,” but doesn’t seem to realize the conversation is over. Tyson then says, “Please stand up,” to which Marco responds, “OK,” and stands up.

When the morning TV with juices common clip from the interview, many followers joined in on the joke, laughing at how Tyson appeared to beat him at the top.

“Stop playing with this man before you end up beaten and bruised,” one person wrote. Another person said: “Old Tyson would knock his glasses off.”

A 3rd comment read: “You cannot play with everyone. He’s the one person I would not play this game with.”

“I’ve never seen anyone get up so quickly,” another person joked.

One comment read: “You can’t do it right away you killer bro, dangerous job.”

Most viewers didn’t realize that this was Funny Marco’s usual interview format.

One person added: “It’s all staged.”

This funny skit was also promoted on Funny Marco and Netflix Instagram accounts.

Although Tyson is terrible within the ring, he has shown over time that he has a funny side, often playing tough with comedians.

The boxer shocked people when he told his story in Great White style. a Broadway show”Undisputed Truth” was a success not just for its raw honesty, but additionally for its unexpected comedic moment as Tyson shared wild, unfiltered stories from his life.

He then gained a brand new audience by hosting his own podcast, Hotboxin’ with Mike Tyson, where he is thought for making guests and listeners laugh together with his blunt observations and unpredictable comments, often turning heavy topics into emotional moments. laughter.

Tyson even had an animated series on Cartoon Network called “Mike Tyson Mysteries” that ran for 4 seasons, softening his image and finding ways to get laughs from viewers as he and his pigeons jumped into various Scooby Doo-like capers.

One of the places you’ll be able to see Tyson is on “The Joe Rogan Experience.”

As the fighter shared funny anecdotes, viewers could see him as each relatable and funny. Despite his tough guy image, Tyson’s humorousness allowed fans to connect with him in recent ways, showcasing his unexpected wit and charm.

Maybe that is why so many persons are rooting for him to beat Paul.


This article was originally published on : atlantablackstar.com
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