Imagine a lesbian running toward home base with the ball being thrown to home plate. You catch the ball and try to tag her out, only to trip over your own feet and push her down to the ground.

Yes, to my team’s delight she is out, but to my own dismay her teammates are out for blood.

This is what happened during my first gay co-ed softball tournament in Nashville. Barely able to tell you all of my teammates names, and I have a team wanting revenge on me for acting like Ms. Tennessee at the Miss Universe pageant. This is not one of my career highlights; it’s a rather frightening experience. However, the situation did cause me to reflect more about Nashville and how to meet people.

I was fortunate enough to play on both gay softball leagues. Nashville has two gay leagues, you ask? How can this be true? Are there enough gay people to actually have two gay leagues?

Apparently, Nashville had a gay league sanctioned by the North American Gay Amateur Athletic Alliance. As is true to gay stereotypes, drama ensued, and the leagues split. Why did the split occur? I do not know or care. What saddens me is how can we as a community stand by this?

Isn’t it bad enough we let others make fun of us? How can we stand up to them if we bicker and fight among ourselves? As the old saying goes “United We Stand, Divided We Fall." I have to say our community is falling, and we won’t have a lesbian to break the fall this time.

If you are thinking about joining the upcoming softball leagues and are new to the area, let me offer this advice. Check out both leagues first before you join. 

The people in both leagues are great, but think about the social aspect too if that is important to you. After the past few months, the only league to host socials has been the Metro Nashville Softball league.  They are also hosting an upcoming casino night at Lucky’s Garage on Sun., Jan. 13, from 4-6 p.m. 

In addition to the social aspect of the Metro Nashville Softball league, three strong friendships were forged. In the past three months since the league’s season ended, my friends and I have faced cancer, job loss and newfound love.

I hope and pray these friendships will endure the test of time.