Thank you so much for being here! I am a full-time independent journalist and paid subscriptions to this newsletter allow me to continue to do work like this, as well as support the community that we are building here, which includes events like the book club and our (very active) paid subscriber Discord server.

This month’s Out of Your League Book Club read is HALF COURT SHOT by Kimani Mae, and we’ll be meeting on Sunday, July 26, at 1 PM ET/10 AM PT. That event is also open to VIP All-Access and Biggest Fan tier paid subscribers.

Register here!

This week, I had a story run at The Flytrap, a feminist media collective. It was a story I spent two years pitching and I was thrilled it finally found a home. What can the BDSM community teach the sports world about consent, boundaries, and aftercare? Read it here, it’s a gift link.

Also, for the full conversation with Leigh Coward, author of HURTS SO GOOD: THE SCIENCE AND CULTURE OF PAIN ON PURPOSE, you can watch the OOYL Book Club discussion with them (also featuring ultramarathoner Meg Leach, featured in the story!).

It’s been a weird week for queer sports news. Below, some short commentary on some newsworthy items and links to others that I think are worthwhile.

ESPN profiled mediocre basketball player and rage-baiter extraordinaire, Sophie Cunningham, and there was a lot to dislike about the profile. Even the framing—“Love her or hate her, Sophie Cunningham won’t be ignored”—is laughable, as if the largest sports publication in the country didn’t intentionally make an editorial decision to platform her with a splashy feature. I’ve been ignoring her just fine, ESPN!

To me, though, the most problematic part involves the complete lack of reporting chops on display.