I have plenty of male friends who stopped playing hockey because they hated macho jock culture. This episode of Freaks and Geeks sums it all up in under 3 minutes!

For way too long now, boys and men have endured and suffered scare-mongering and gay-bashing by the goons. Thankfully, things are changing…

It will take the continued strength, conviction and courage of gay sports figures and their advocates, like the late Brendan Burke and his father Toronto Maple Leafs’ GM Brian Burke, to fight the homophobia in our sport.

It will also take lesbians! (Yeah lesbians!)

By being visible and outspoken, lesbian athletes can help all those penalized by homophobia or marginalized in sport.

GO GO homos, pansies, freaks, geeks and “music”/”arty” types!!!

In my fantasyhockeyland, players (like say, some of the lesbians and bisexuals in the CWHL!) would partner with NHL players to draft and implement an education and awareness campaign against homophobia in hockey. Or form a gay-straight alliance to create a workshop about how team success requires an acceptance of, and respect for, difference!

Even if homosexuality and homophobia diverges in men’s and women’s sports, isn’t it time those of us (ahem) trained in the gay-er dramas of sport, and educated in the delicate matters of homosexuality and homophobia in hockey, shared our wisdom, experience and expertise?!

Which reminds me, I’m past due in posting the first installment of my new semi-regular series of “gay sports advice” posts called Ladies Lockerroom. Does this entry count? Stay posted.

Thanks to JFB (posing here with baby Maurice in Iceland), Hockey Dyke has now been on top of the world.

If I can figure out how to set up Paypal, you too can own your own Hockey Dyke original Tee. Send me your orders – and pics! xo HD

In solidarity with my fellow dykes who marched Sunday to their own beat in the Toronto Take Back The Dyke parade, I’d like to share this personal tit bit of gossip with you.

My first-ever lezzie fantasy was an S&M scene (mighty soft-core by most standards). It took place in a hockey lockerroom. We were in a semi-state of gear-undress. I was 12 at the time of conceiving it.

You? What was your first lockerroom misdemeanour? Email me at hockedykeincanada@gmail.com.

If you need inspiration, a mind jog, or hand jive, check this erotic book of short stories about sporty dykes I just found trolling the interweb.

Happy Pride!

***THIS WEEK*** I’ll introduce my new weekly advice/column for sport dykes and an interview with Angela James, the toughest woman in hockey. Last week James became the first female player (along with Cammie Granato) inaugurated into the Hockey Hall of Fame.

It’s not always easy being a “hockey wife.” Here Skate Moore gives us insight into the obsessive nature of hardcore hockey types.

A recent NYTimes.com article about hockey tries to frame stick preference in terms of politics.

Me. I’m not like most hockey players. I don’t have a stick fetish. Or obsess over my stick size, length, curve, nub or prep. In fact, I can go weeks without re-taping my stick prior to games and I’m not territorial about lending mine out to a fellow player in need. Even if I don’t fuss much over the ritual, superstitions and behaviours associated with sticks and stick culture, I do enjoy wielding one. I have my preferences too: I like a light, stiff woody – with some length to it.

Maybe you have a strange stick fetish?