A Dream Queen

All the buzz about the Jason Collins Sports Illustrated article, which details how and why the journeyman NBA center decided to come out, can't hold a sequin to this article by Sean Mulroy. He's a USC swimmer, who has been out and proud since he first stood on the Trojan pool deck his freshman year. [Ah, the irony of the Trojan team name.]  Frankly, compared to SI's not-very-blockbuster story, which details the first time any NBA or other big time professional athlete has come out in front of God and everyone, Sean's story is way more interesting.

          Before big meets, he designs a special Speedo for the occasion. And one of his latest creations caused such a stir that the officials banned it from the natatorium or wherever they're holding meets these days. Parents thought he was espousing the drug culture or "perpetuating an inappropriate message in a public setting" -- whatever the hell that means. Okay, maybe writing "Sharon Needles: Welcome to Party City" across the front of the suit was a bit over the top, but how much can anyone read on the crotch of a Speedo, anyway? [See below.]

Sean Mulroy [Stylin' USC swimmer]

Sharon Needles [Google Images]

                              Willi Ninja [Paris is Burning]        Ru Paul [Ru Paul's Drag Race]

For those of you who don't keep up with the latest in reality TV, Sean's custom-designed swimsuit for the Pac 12 Championships -- since banned -- featured the aforementioned Sharon Needles with her face lurking about Sean's package on the front of the suit, with a "cheek to cheek," [in a manner of speaking] pose on the back. Up above is a screenshot that says it all. 

           I'm sure you can imagine why the full frontal view of Sean's Speedo, as it were, was not chosen to share. Sharon, if you didn't know, is the outre drag queen [hmm, that may be redundant] who was the winner of the fourth season of Ru Paul's Drag Race competition. 

           Ru Paul, by the by, happens to be godparent to my friend Nancy's grandson. So I'm only a degree or so away from his bright and colorful female celebrity self. Not to mention that I am one of the few white suburban women of a certain age who has danced with the late Willi Ninja, the quintessential New York voguer. He was a better dancer than I, in case you were wondering. 

          Sean insists that his Just Spank Me Speedo wasn't promoting drug use -- au contraire. He is simply a huge fan of "drag queen fabulosity." And that phrase alone makes him more interesting than SI's first poster boy for gay athletes, Jason Collins, a perfectly nice young man it seems, but one who clearly lacks Sean's athletic style and creativity.