11/21/24
August 28, 2005
No balls? 2 strikes.: In the notoriously homophobic world of sports, can Baseball Prospectus writer Chris Kahrl survive as a sportswriter now that he has come out about the sex change that made Chris a Christina??
Baseball geeks can be anything from a roofer to, well, a transsexual.
posted by LostInDaJungle to baseball at 04:05 PM - 19 comments
I am sitting here shaking my head and smiling. I do not should how I gonna react to this. Heck, yes I do! I think i may have read some on this person's writings. Sounds like "he/she" has been and still is a good writer. So All I can do is to wish "christina" well as she continues her career. I'll more than likely forget about it and continue to read "her" stuff. I am not going say that this is a sin or anyting like that. That will be determined at a later date by somebody alot more powerful than me. So if Christina writes an interesting article, I'll read it. I have learned as long time ago that you are never surprized by what an "author" is like in thier 'reaL' life. So I hope this doesnt turn into a moral mud slinging match...
posted by daddisamm at 04:41 PM on August 28, 2005
As I write this, I look over to my bookshelf and my collection of Baseball Prospectus books (1998-present). Chris? Christina? I don't care. Just tell me who the next pitching prospect like Felix Hernandez is going to be! LIDJ: No problem with the FPP. A proper link, an interesting (previously undiscussed) topic, a short summary and a good quote; that's how I like them.
posted by grum@work at 06:06 PM on August 28, 2005
Great post. Thanks. I gotta agree with her on the Spivey/Ohka trade. That was a total fleecing.
posted by rocketman at 07:43 PM on August 28, 2005
Hooray for nonreactions!
posted by lil_brown_bat at 08:31 PM on August 28, 2005
Love the "Chris Codiroli years" bit. I suffered through those, as did every other A's fan, but had never heard that expression before. Perfect term for that sad era when the most exciting thing the A's could deliver was Shooty Babbit blowing a bubble while rounding third base. And about the sex-change thing... I must respond with an enthusiastic "ho hum." Just keep the stats coming.
posted by Bixby23 at 10:11 PM on August 28, 2005
Great post, LIDJ. In '01, after I'd graduated college but still hadn't gotten serious about finding a job, I went with a friend of mine, who was a psychology grad student, to a Q&A session with a pre-op transgendered panel. One of the panelists was a police officer who had recently won the "Police Officer of the Year" award for our state. Shortly thereafter, he came out to his squadron and began operating his professional life as a female cop. Given his track record and professional abilities, he was surprised to find that the vast majority of his colleagues were supportive and accepting. Bear in mind this is a police officer. In Oklahoma. You think you've got two strikes against you in sportswriting... The best part was that, after the transition, he changed his name from Paul to Paula. He left with the closing remark that, if he ever wrote a memoir, the title would be "What a difference an A makes". That still makes me smile.
posted by Ufez Jones at 11:30 PM on August 28, 2005
I HAVE NO PROBLEM WITH ANYONE DOING WHAT CHRIS...ER CHRISTINA DID IN CHANGING SEX. MY QUESTION IS THIS. WHY WHEN PEOPLE DO THIS, DO THEY FEEL THEY NEED OUTSIDE EXCEPTENCE? WHY IS IT SO DAMN IMPORTANT THAT THE PUBLIC MUST KNOW? WHY WOULD HE/SHE EVEN HAVE TO ADD TO A "SPORTS" STORY WITH THIS TYPE OF VERY PERSONAL INFORMATION? NOT HAVING WALKED A MILE IN THOSE SHOES, I CAN ONLY ASSUME THAT THIS IS A PERSON WHOM STILL IS CONFUSED, OR AT LEAST INSECURE. IF YOU DO IT, FINE. I JUST DON'T NEED TO KNOW ABOUT IT. AND IF ANYTHING, IT DETRACTS FROM THE STORIES THAT HE/SHE WILL WRITE, BECAUSE NOW I WILL BE THINKING ABOUT THAT ANGLE EVERYTIME I AM READING, RATHER THAN FOCUSING ON THE STORY LINE.
posted by LIONSROAR at 04:29 PM on August 29, 2005
How open-minded of you...
posted by curlyelk at 05:20 PM on August 29, 2005
PERHAPS THERE IS SOMETHING WRONG WITH YOUR CAPS LOCK THAT IS KEEPING YOU FROM GRASPING THE FACT THAT THE TRANSSEXUAL DIDN'T WRITE THE STORY. ahem. From the linked article:Giving “Christina” her first ink wasn’t something Kahrl took at all lightly. “I’ve never written publicly about my transition,” she says. “From my perspective, I don’t think of it really as a story. For me it’s about as interesting as a player’s sex life: I’m sure they have one. I hope they’re all enjoying themselves, that they’re all consenting adults. But I don’t care about it. In [the Salon piece], I also was writing about football and not baseball. So I wasn’t looking to make a story here. That [putting ‘Christina’ in print] is about as bold as I get.”
You might want to read the article before commenting next time.
posted by lilnemo at 05:38 PM on August 29, 2005
lilnemo, maybe I misunderstood the source of LIONSROAR's ire, but as I read it I'd thought he was referring specifically to that point about the writer changing the by-line from "Chris" to "Christina." Still, there are only two ways for even that to be distracting to a reader of Kahrl's material. If the reader had known Kahrl's original gender somehow (i.e., that Chris originally stood for "Christopher" or whatever), then the sudden appearance of "Christina" would, I agree, be distracting, at least until the reader encountered the article posted above or else convinced himself that, no other explanation seeming probable, the writer's wife or fraternal twin sister had taken over Christopher's job. Given the relative anonymity of most sportswriters, though, it seems unlikely that a reader would have known for a fact that Kahrl was originally male. Conversely, if the reader had no knowledge of the writer's original gender, then the only other way this could be distracting for the reader is if he's just another sexist prick uncomforatble with reading articles and baseball stats not prepared by a man. On the other hand, if LIONSROAR was referring to the article in its entirety and not the mere change in by-line, then I agree that he should have read the article more carefully. For shame... LIONSROAR, regardless of what you were referring to, I think your all-caps posting, criminal misuse of "whom" (should reference an object, not a subject), and blatant misspelling of "acceptance" are at least as distracting as the "Christina" factor. Edit thyself.
posted by Bixby23 at 08:50 PM on August 29, 2005
My first thought about this was, Why is this even news?. If a person wants to change their gender, fine. Lionsroar does bring up a good point,although very badly, as to why there seems to be a real "need'' to get this type of "process" out in the open. It is as though something has to be proven about changing genders... I'll say what I said earlier. If "chris" writes someting interesting about baseball, I'll read it. In fact, I know that I may already have reas some of his/her work. There really isnt anything more to say about this....
posted by daddisamm at 12:28 AM on August 30, 2005
I am glad that a good story gets publicized because we usually here only about the bad ones. For instance, my employer isn't so enlightened about this sort of thing.
posted by bperk at 07:57 AM on August 30, 2005
From bperk's link: Schroer entered the job application and interview process as David Schroer, and dressed as a male. She did not inform officials of her plans to change her gender until after she was offered the job, the lawsuit says. After being offered the job, Schroer said she invited her newly designated supervisor, CRS official Charlotte Preece, to lunch to discuss final details of her job. It was at that time that Schroer informed Preece that she planned to begin work two weeks later as Diane Schroer. Well, lessee ... you were a guy when you came in here ... and now you're a woman ... and you didn't think that might have been worth mentioning at some point during the interview. And you're sure there's nothing else that might change drastically in your mind in the next few weeks or months that would make it a complete waste of time for me to take the time to train you and go through the expense of putting you on our payroll. Ummm, nope, don't think I want you working for me either. Next!
posted by wfrazerjr at 10:45 AM on August 30, 2005
By the way, I don't care at all about Christina's switch. As long as the writing is good, so what?
posted by wfrazerjr at 10:52 AM on August 30, 2005
I am glad that a good story gets publicized because we usually here only about the bad ones. For instance, my employer isn't so enlightened about this sort of thing. posted by bperk at 7:57 AM CST on August 30 This is a totaly different situation then Christina's. There seems to be some hidden agenda's in this situation.
posted by daddisamm at 11:25 AM on August 30, 2005
I should point out that the last free article I read on the Baseball Prospectus site (their mailbag response) had a section that was written by "Chris Kahrl". So maybe the "Christina" by-line was sort of "testing the waters" to see what happens (reader reaction) when he's completed his transformation.
posted by grum@work at 12:50 PM on August 30, 2005
A question thats more "procedure" in nature. From what I have read, the Actual "transformation" takes a long time. The medical procedures to complete the physical transformation cant happend over night. Anyway I cant believe I just wrote what I wrote; on a sports board no less! I just made some home-made Tapioca pudding--I think I will go have some! enough of this topic! ;-0
posted by daddisamm at 01:52 PM on August 30, 2005
Seeems as though i touched a nerve. Let me clarify something, because those who read my posting obviously didn't "listen" to the point I was trying to make. I have no problem with a persons persuit of identity, and/or sexuality. I am simply tired of the politically correct trend in society, that says the minority need to have the majority claim acceptence of their pursuit. If the writer had spent years coming to this decision, which i will assume he did, then I would think that he would feel secure, thus he would be able to share his joy with those who make a real difference, his inner circle of family and friends. I did not know chris's gender prior to the article, but now, not only do I know that, but I know something that is not reletive to my enjoyment or distaste for whatever he writes. Read my lips!!! I DON'T NEED TO KNOW!!! KEEP IT TO YOURSELF. Please! Allow me the privelage of reading without the distraction of thinking, oh this is the guy who became a girl, isn't it? If I want to read about transexuals, I will certainly be able to find someone who writes about it. Possibly Bixby23 can tell me where to look. The way you are offended by misuse of CAPS LOCK and words makes you appear very "anal", if you get my drift.
posted by LIONSROAR at 07:41 AM on August 31, 2005
First FPP, hope I didn't screw anything up.