GLAAD Announces Position To Combat Homophobia in Sports

Another homo jocko who enjoys the website outsports.com alerted me to this news release from the Gay and Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation which announces the creation of a "Associate Director of National News / Sports Desk – New York, N.Y." position.

Description
GLAAD’s Associate Director of National News/Sports Desk is responsible for helping to execute the organization’s work in the national news/sports media to ensure fair and accurate representations of LGBT people and issues in mainstream national newspapers, magazines, television, radio and new media. This position will be located in our New York office.

Job Responsibilities
· Maintain and grow newly created Sports Desk within GLAAD’s National News Program.
· Identify, research and document trends and developments within sports news and hard news industries.
· Support Director of National News in building and maintaining relationships with national sports news and hard news professionals including print, broadcast and online reporters, editors and producers.
· Build relationships with key experts on homophobia in sports.
· Assist Director of National News in creating a National Commission on the Elimination of Homophobia in Sports.
· Provide rapid response media support to organizations and individuals fighting against homophobia in sports and general anti-gay bigotry.
· Provide administrative support to National News team through fielding national media requests, maintaining databases, organizing materials and other tasks as assigned.
· Provide research support on deadline for breaking stories (news contacts, past stories, transcripts, video clips).
· Assist Director of National News with drafts news pops, alerts and press releases.
· Brainstorm strategic national story pitches and placements-- news & sports.
· Assist Director of National News coordinating intern and volunteer support (especially in magazine and radio monitoring).
· Strategize with Director of National News to maximize our visibility at conferences as a resource to journalists.
· Assist with various resource kits: sports, faith, family, etc....
· Help develop high-level national spokesperson trainings.
· Plan, write, edit and proof written materials including releases, alerts, e-mails and letters to media professionals.
· Monitor assigned national sports news and hard news media outlets on a daily basis and compile coverage of GLAAD’s work and issues pertaining to the LGBT community.

As a gay sports fan myself (tennis, mostly) I applaud GLAAD for recognizing that homophobia in sports is an important portion of its central mission to combat homophobia in the media.