A gay rights
advocacy group has accused Penn State women's basketball
coach, Rene Portland, of forcing a player to transfer
earlier this year out of bias against lesbians. The
National Center for Lesbian Rights asked Penn State
president Graham Spanier on Tuesday for a meeting to
discuss Portland's policies and the transfer of former
player Jennifer Harris.
Karen Doering, Harris's attorney, said that for
decades Portland has harassed players she believes are
lesbians, told other players not to associate with
them, and described other programs as pro-gay to recruits.
"Jen loved Penn State, loved playing for Penn State, and
again, had no problems on the court or with Coach
Portland except for with regard to the hounding about,
'Are you a lesbian, and maybe you should dress
differently so others don't think you're a lesbian,"' said
Doering, regional counsel for the lesbian rights center.
Portland said she was unaware of the request and
declined to comment on either Harris's transfer to
James Madison University or the accusations of antigay
bias. "I'll just wait until the school brings the facts to
me, and we'll go from there," she said by telephone Tuesday.
Portland has a
578-204 record in 25 seasons at Penn State. She has won
five Big Ten championships and made an NCAA Final Four
appearance in 2000.
Penn State
spokesman Bill Mahon said the school had found no evidence
that Harris ever complained to the university or any campus
groups about her treatment by the coach. "This is a
surprise that a half-year later suddenly a lawyer's
contacting the university making such a claim," he said.
Doering said Portland has maintained a
"no-alcohol, no-drugs, no-lesbians" policy for
decades, citing a 1986 interview in the Chicago
Sun-Times in which the coach said she talked with
recruits and their parents about lesbians. "I will not
have it in my program," she was quoted as saying. "I bring
it up, and the kids are so relieved, and the parents
are so relieved."
Doering's letter to Spanier said a meeting could
avoid "what undoubtedly will be painful, costly, and
protracted litigation."
Harris, a guard, started 22 games and averaged
10 points per game as a sophomore last season for the
19-11 Lady Lions. As a transfer to James Madison, she
must sit out one season at the Virginia school. (AP)