Speaking of things that aren't happening: a new book from the Association of Tennis Professionals won't be outing an gay male tennis pros. Why? Well, that depends on who you ask.

According to a Greg Hernandez penned article over at AfterElton, the reason either stems from a tight-ass closet door (pun undoubtedly intended) or because there simply aren't any gay male tennis pros to be outed.

Pete Holtermann, a communications manager for ATP's American branch says:

...[H]e “can't think of any situation” where a player on tour is known to be gay to the other players, but is not publicly out. Still, Holtermann doesn't believe fans would have much of an issue with an out male player. “Tennis fans have shown they embrace players for who they are,” he says. “Being such an international sport, there are a multitude of nationalities and cultures represented on the ATP circuit, and tennis fans have proven to be very open to all of them. I would fully expect the same to be the case with regards to a player's sexual preference.”

Of course, it's so hard to tell with male tennis pros. They're always running around in those short shorts and flitting their wrists. For all we know, they could all be cocksuckers.

We've already received a number of emails and comments on our post on Martina Navartilova's work with PETA to protest Oregon State University and Oregon Health & Science University's investigation into so-called "gay" or "male-oriented" sheep.

Some readers contend that PETA's twisting the facts to suit their mission, insisting that the program's aimed more at helping sheep breeders ween out the "homo" rams for breeding purposes. A reader named Seamus cites an Associated Press article:

The study began in 1995, when researchers at the federal Sheep Experiment Station in Dubois, Idaho, noticed that some rams refused to mate with female sheep. Of these animals, some showed no interest in males or females, and a few preferred other rams.

A refusal to breed can spell disaster in the sheep production industry.

Stormshak said a key goal is to find a biological test to determine ovine sexual orientation, so breeders can make informed purchases of stud rams.

Another reader led us to this blog posting from September on the subject. If you head on over, you'll find researcher Dr. Charles Roselli's explanation that the program's not nefarious at all. Rather, it's hoping to shed light on more complex physio-sexual mysteries:

Moreover, sexual behavior and sexual partner preference play a fundamental role in reproduction and psychosexual development. There are serious medical conditions that are the result of variations in sexual development, such as congenital adrenal hyperplasia and androgen insensitivity syndrome. These conditions may lead to problems of sexual function, social and psychosexual adjustment, mental health, quality of life and social participation. Understanding variations in psychosexual development that may affect these individuals requires reference to studies in non-human species that show marked but complex effects of androgens on sex differentiation of the brain and on behavior. A greater understanding of the biological underpinnings of partner preference may greatly assist in providing affected individuals with the medical services and support that they may desire.

Sure, reader contentions that PETA's exaggerating the issue may hold some water, it still seems that no matter how much good comes from Roselli's research, some more sinister folk may use the information for evil.

It's really up to you, reader, to draw your own conclusions...

(Shout-out to PageOneQ for this swell picture of a "gay" sheep.)

We've just received a press release informing us that Lezzie tennis star Martina Navaratilova's (pictured, looking quite fetching) protesting a tax-funded research program in Oregon aimed at turning so-called "male-oriented" (read: fag) rams straight.

Apparently, scientists at Oregon State University and Oregon Health & Science University are on a two-year track through which they hope to locate, modify, and eventually destroy "gay hormones" in the furry creatures. In response, Navaratilova's written the presidents of both universities:

How can it be that, in the year 2006, a major university would host such homophobic and cruel experiments? ... I respectfully ask that you pull the plug on this appalling and misguided research. Surely you can find a way to redirect the millions of public tax dollars that are being wasted on these experiments to a more fruitful venture—perhaps by funding a gay and lesbian community center to foster dialogue and acceptance for people of all sexual preferences?

Regardless, it's gross. While we're not so keen on animal testing, we're far more disturbed by science's obsession with getting to the bottom of the gay mystery. Sure, it would be interesting to know why people are gay (which would finally put an end to the storied essentialist v. constructionist debate), but any essentialist finding - that is, evidence that critters people are born gay - would no doubt be used for some sort of horrific gay holocaust. And not just of the poor sheepies...

We've pasted the entire release and Navratilova's letter after the jump, including the address and fax number of Oregon State University's President, Ed Ray.

As with our coverage of Garden Guy, Inc. and their homo-hating ways, we urge you to use the information in any way you see fit.

(Update: The PETA rep who sent us the press release wants us to mention that Navratilova wrote the letter on their behalf. So: Navratilova wrote the letter on PETA's behalf.)

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Another HIV mystery solved: Needs essential human protein. [Medical News Today]

Jerusalem Gays Taking Cops to Court For Permit. [365 Gay]

Navratilova ends career on a high note: wins Grand Slam. [The Advocate]

Pamela Strother stepping down as head of National Gay and Lesbian Journalist Association. [NGLJA.org]

NY Attorney General Candidate Sean Patrick Maloney has faith. [The New York Blade]

Nigerian Activists Fear New Bill Will Further Discrimination. [The Tide News]

Out tennis star Martina Navratilova will be retiring (for the second time) after the U.S. Open this year, and was pleased to win the Rogers Cup, her last doubles tournament in Canada, yesterday. She was the defending champ, and won handily 6-1 6-2 with her partner Nadia Petrova.

Now she is looking forward to the U.S. Open, where we hope she goes out with style. It would be awesome if she came back and had to retire for a third time.

Navratilova wins 177th doubles title with Petrova at Rogers Cup [CBC]

• Civil rights leader and Wal-Mart "image maker" Andrew Young steps down from his post after saying the retail giant should displace mom-and-pop stores, as it's been Jewish, Arab and Korean local store owners who've been "ripping off" urban customers for years. [NYT]

• Soon-to-retire Martina Navratilova writes in to People magazine this week to urge Lance Bass to use his celebrity to become a pioneer for gay rights. In his own People coming out story, Lance has said he doesn't only want to be connected to gay issues. [Pink News]

• In Toronto, news comes via the 16th annual International AIDS Conference that new HIV infection rates in Canada, the U.S. Europe, and Australia have been rising 1.9 percent each year. [TodayOnline.com]

• In Israel, porn mogul and star Michael Lucas is set to arrive to entertain the troops. You know, the straight women. [Something Jewish]

• In Chicago, a pastor in the Evangelical Lutheran Church may be ousted from the church after revealing he's been in a relationship with a man for two years. The church allows gays to serve in the church, so long as they remain celibate. [Chi-Tri]

• Eva Longoria's publicist rushes to deny reports the Desperate Housewives star claimed she wanted a full-on gay experience and that she flirts with other men to make boyfriend Tony Parker jealous.

• That Channing Tatum's Step Up grossed $20 million in its opening weekend has Hollywood mouths agape — and some worried that studios will be looking to nobodies for box office paydays. [TMZ]

• Laguna Beach's Boom Boom Room – scheduled to close over Labor Day – gets a one year life extension. [OC Register]

• Your First Amendment rights are being restored, thanks to a federal judge ruling the White House's wiretapping-without-warrant policies are unconstitutional and must be ended immediately. [NYT]

• When Martina Navratilova retires for the second time in September after the U.S. Open, the tennis great will be honored with induction into the U.S. Open Court of Champions. [Southern Voice]

• Since its inception two months ago, a law banning discrimination based on sexual orientation in Washington State has really only raised question about the policy, rather than uproar about gays and lesbians being protected. [Advocate]

• To celebrate the release of Christina Aguilera's new album Back To Basics, Marc Jacobs gave the songstress a shopping bag full of his fall collection. As a thank you, Christina offered the designer a "campy young gentleman" — and they proceeded to dance the night away to "I Wanna Dance With Somebody." [NYDN]

• Fall fashion weighs more than the models displaying it. [Gawker]

Even though the Czech Republic legalized gay civil unions in March, Czech tennis star Martina Navratilova has still slapped Czech President Vaclav Klaus on the wrist, saying, “I cannot be satisfied by him, because he does not consider homosexuals to be 100 per cent human beings." [insert bad, lesbian joke here]

We grew up watching Martina play tennis on our grandma's cable, and always liked her because she was so bad-ass, or as Grandma used to say, "a little funny." Something that is more than a little funny is Martina's glamour shot, which we have for you after the jump.

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