Most of the record number of students who lined up at McDonough Gymnasium earlier this year to collect their men’s basketball season ticket packages hardly noticed the cover. Recent complaints, however, have revealed a sign in the background of the cover that some have construed as homophobic.
Last Friday, Athletic Director Bernard Muir wrote a note to all of those ticket holders apologizing for an offensive photograph on the cover of their student ticket packages.
“It has been brought to my attention that the photograph, which was taken during the Georgetown/Duke game last year, includes an individual holding a sign that contains language that could be perceived as a homophobic message,” Muir wrote. “For this, I sincerely apologize.”
The Georgetown/Duke game is the most anticipated game of each season they meet, and last year’s students provided a charged atmosphere for Georgetown’s upset in the MCI Arena (now the Verizon Center).
The cover shows a student wildly waving a giant Georgetown flag before a mixed crowd of students, alumni and other fans decked out in blue and gray. The picture includes one fan in the background of the photo waving a hot pink sign that reads, “RIDICULOUSLY GAY JJ” aimed at Duke star J.J. Redick.
“It was brought to people’s attention after the fact,” Sports Information Director Mike Carey said. “All the packages had already gone out to season ticket holders.”
Bill McCoy, coordinator of the Lesbian Gay Bisexual Transsexual or Questioning (LGBTQ) community at Georgetown, has been instrumental in the issue since it was brought to his attention on Nov. 8. He was pleased with the apology.
“It is important to commend Athletics and Bernard Muir with being the first to take such a step in addressing this issue so publicly,” McCoy said.
Muir’s note also apologizes for the presence of the sign at the game. It explains that at the time, Athletic Department officials approached the owner of the sign, who insisted that the sign was not intended to offend or be derogatory.
“Even so, appearances can have unintended implications and we should have selected a different image for use on the cover of our season ticket package,” Muir said.
Shamisa Zvoma (MSB’08), former president of GU Pride, said she was not surprised by the incident at the game.
“Unfortunately, athletics is an area where homophobia is widespread,” she said. “Though I am not surprised that the sign was at the game, the fact that the Athletics department has acknowledged its mistake is somewhat encouraging.”
Muir hopes that this will be the last such issue.
“We expect supporters to demonstrate good sportsmanship and to behave in an appropriate manner during athletic events. Please know that in the future we will take great care in furthering these important goals.”
ha ha…. this is funny :D
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basketball