Gay Central Valley is happy to once again help sponsor The Fresno Skittles, a local LGBTQ (and allies) softball team . The skittles play other teams locally at the Regional Sports Complex , located 1707 West Jensen, on Jensen just past West Avenue. Games are an hour in length, played weekly on Wednesdays.

Their current schedule is as follows:
(all in field 4)

Wednesday, March 10, 2010: 6:00 PM
Wednesday, March 17, 2010: 8:00 PM
Wednesday, March 24, 2010: 9:00 PM
Wednesday, March 31, 2010: 6:00 PM
Wednesday, April 07, 2010: 8:00 PM
Wednesday, April 14, 2010: 7:00 PM
Wednesday, April 21, 2010: 7:00 PM
Wednesday, April 28, 2010: 7:00 PM
Wednesday, May 05, 2010: 6:00 PM

We encourage all to come to the games to show support for this local LGBTQ (and allies) team.

Spring is around the corner and the smell of leather is in the air. No, I don’t mean from chaps or whips…. but softball gloves. (sorry to disappoint) You can also hear the pounding of cleats in the dirt. Ahhh, spring time! As many of you know there is a local LGBT-Straight Ally softball team, the Fresno Skittles. They play on Wednesday nights at the sports complex located at Jensen & West. Their first game is March 3rd at 7:00 pm, please go out and cheer them on!

 
I am now proud to announce the creation of their sister team, the Visalia Skittles. We are set to begin our first season in a few weeks. We will play on Friday nights at Plaza Park. Our first game will be March 19th, we hope to see and hear you out there cheering us on as well!
 
Both teams serve two purposes within our community. They provide a safe outlet and recreation source for sports minded enthusiasts. Plus, they get out there and mingle with mainstream society for some great exposure and interaction. It’s also a good opportunity and perfectly legal, to kick a little heterosexual ass! (in a nice way, of course)
 
We hope to have a fundraiser exhibition game soon to benefit Gay Fresno & Gay Visalia, divisions of Gay Central Valley, who sponsor both teams. Stay tuned for more details in the near future.
 
In closing, whatever town you live in or near, get out there and root for your local team. If you have questions or would like to know more about the Fresno team you can contact Liz at Escalante30@sbcglobal.net or Brooke at Brooke@GayVisalia.com for the Visalia team. If you want to expand our rainbow to your town, contact us and get something going! See you on the field, GO SKITTLES!

Join Gay Central Valley @The Fresno Express on Wednesday, March 17th for our St Patrick's Day Fundraiser. $3 Cover benefits Gay Central Valley and it's website divisions...Beer Pong Competition...Leprechaun Bartender...$4 Tokyo Tea...Doors Open @9pm...Come join the fun...

MORE Entertainment, Specials, Raffle item listing COMING SOON!

Gay Central Valley, which runs GayFresno.com, GayVisalia.com and GayHanford.com needs your help. Our workload has increased since becoming an official nonprofit, and our wonderful volunteers need an extra computer. We have found a computer but we find ourselves in need of a used or new LCD Computer Monitor, at least 14" or larger. If you or anyone you know has such a monitor they no longer need and would like to donate it to Gay Central Valley, please contact Jason Scott at (559) 325-4429 or Chris Jarvis through the ABOUT US page on www.gayfresno.com

Donations are fully tax deductible.

That intense heavy silence like at a wedding when the vows are being read was evident on Valentine's day at the County Court's office. The onlookers leaned in and attuned themselves to the tone and emotional truth as each person declared their love for the other. County officials and policemen bowed their heads respectfully. Some onlookers wiped away tears. The journey of this couples relationships had obviously begun. Their love was real but no marriage licenses was issued by the county clerk, Victor Salazar. Mr. Salazar explained, “Due to the passage of Prop 8, I am not allowed to issue you a marriage license.”

            One couple approached the counter and introduced their betrothed and declared their love before being turned away without a marriage license.

            “What if I marry this woman," Jason Garrigus said, seemingly grabbing a woman from the crowd. “Would you issue a wedding license to us to be married?”

            “Yes, we would,” Mr. Salazar said.

            “Well, I don't love her. I love this man and I want to be married to this man,” Garrigus said.

            Mr. Salazar later said, “When I took this office I took an oath. I  am duty-bound to uphold the constitution...Even if I were to marry someone, it would not be valid.”

            The couples went up one after another like soldiers charging a fortress but in war, you can see the enemy, here it is not visible. It was the law, a concept floating around that has stonewalled the LGBT community from joining in legal matrimony. This proposition keeps one group in and one group out.

            Outside, lesbian, gay, transgender and supporters of same-sex marriage stood hugging and crying and laughing and  regaining their energy and emotion as they supported each other and regrouped in their efforts.

            Garrigus and his fiancée, David Zandt stood surrounded by television cameras and reporters. “It's important that we do this!” Garrigus proclaimed. “Marriage is a symbol to everyone of what we already feel together.”

            Kate Baldridge saw the big picture as she stood beside her legally recognized domestic partner, Elizabeth Chase.  “It hurts,” Baldridge said. “It's obviously painful. It doesn't feel good to walk up and be turned away. It is another thing that has to be done.” The County of Fresno and the state of California have to know that the LGBT community will not fade away or accept a second-class status. Baldridge and Chase had to pay an extra $23.00 for a domestic partner license in comparison to straight couples who file for domestic partnership. This fee funds research on LGBT domestic violence abuse. They begrudgingly paid but they are not satisfied. Domestic partners are not privileged with some 1200 federal rights that married couples are. Baldridge and Chase will play the system to beat the system. They'll be going to Iowa this summer to marry. They know the state of California will honor their marriage. “We want the legitimacy and the recognition to say 'this is my spouse or wife,' ”Baldridge said.

            This 'legitimacy' is not a self-indulgent desire to be loved and accepted by all. This legitimacy is about the law. With this legitimacy comes all the privilege of ownership, inheritance and protection under the law. With this legitimacy, a gay, lesbian or transgender couple can marry and build an estate that their spouse is legally bound to.

            Jason Scott from Marriage Equality USA explained the “The word 'marriage' has legitmacy and 'partnership' doesn't. Partnership means many different things. At a company level, employers from out-of-state companies have the option to offer benefits to partners. They have to give those benefits to spouses.”

            The LGBT's and all the supporters of same-sex marriage in Fresno and in California are not going away. They are only reloading, aligning and preparing because they will return to the ballot box and this time they plan to tear down that wall.