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TAMPA BAY | A former Suncoast Softball League secretary who shared anti-LGBTQ posts on social media resigned late April 21, two days after leadership voted he could retain the position.
SSL is Tampa Bay’s largest LGBTQ sports organization. It formed in 1993 to foster “a friendly, competitive and emotionally safe environment for LGBT people in the Tampa Bay area to participate in the sport of softball.”
Multiple SSL players advised Watermark that former Secretary Lonnie Ledford, who is gay, was not upholding the organization’s mission. While he won an outstanding service award from SSL in 2012 and served in the role from 2019-2022, he was also publicly sharing content from his personal social media page disparaging the transgender community, those who oppose anti-LGBTQ legislation, other minorities and more.
View some of those posts here, which Watermark cautions contain explicit language and anti-LGBTQ content.
Concerned players included Steve Forchielli, who joined the league in 2017 and became a coach the following year. He resigned in protest April 19 after the league’s meeting between the executive council and team representatives, in which a motion to remove Ledford for his position was made by a player and failed.
“The league is supposed to be a safe place for everyone in the LGBTQ community and the ‘T’ is in there for a reason,” Forchielli explains. “Having someone in a position of power with these kinds of views, who was so openly vocal and proud of them, is not appropriate. That’s why I made sure I was the representative at that meeting so that my voice could be heard.”
Michael Richardson, another longtime SSL player and coach, also called for Ledford’s removal. He had begun organizing a protest for the league’s decision to retain him set for April 24. He did not attend the meeting, however, as he was previously suspended for making derogatory remarks about straight women in LGBTQ spaces on his own social media page.
Richardson has apologized for his post and called his suspension hypocritical, but noted that his concern about Ledford wasn’t personal. Two SSL members who were transgender have died by suicide in recent years, he stressed, adding that “I just care about this league and I want it to do better.”
Forchielli wanted the same. “After the vote was official, I immediately went up to the commissioner and resigned my position as coach of the team,” he says. “I was done. I didn’t want to be associated with not only leadership that didn’t take any action but also a group of our peers, as team leaders, who felt that this was okay. I feel really strongly about that.”
Commissioner Thomas Skiles, who multiple players advised was made aware of Ledford’s posts at the beginning of his term, did not respond to Watermark’s multiple requests for comment regarding the vote. He previously said in a statement that “one of the most wonderful things about Suncoast Softball League is that we are comprised of a group of truly unique individuals from all walks of life. We all have our opinions, thoughts and beliefs.”
Watermark contacted multiple SSL sponsors following the league’s decision not to remove Ledford, including City Side Lounge, Cocktail, Punky’s Bar and Grill, Southern Nights Tampa and St Pete Pride.
As of press time, Watermark received no response from City Side or Southern Nights. Cocktail arranged a time to speak and Punky’s advised the restaurant and bar “is and will always be a safe, open, friendly and accepting establishment, supporting inclusion for all people and discouraging divisiveness.”
St Pete Pride, however, advised SSL leadership April 21 that it would no longer serve as a sponsor.
“Unfortunately, in light of the recent news surrounding Suncoast Softball League Secretary Lonnie Ledford sharing anti-LGBTQ content and the league’s decision not to remove him, St Pete Pride can no longer sponsor the league,” they shared in a letter. “While we support the players on the Rampage E & D teams through team sponsorship, our mission is to strengthen St. Petersburg’s legacy of inclusion and diversity, providing a safe space for the education, self-exploration, and celebration of our LGBTQIA+ community and allies.
“As staunch supporters of our trans community St Pete Pride can no longer be associated with your league,” the organization concluded. “St Pete Pride proudly stands with the trans community and believes that trans individuals belong in all spaces, that trans identities are valid and that trans rights are human rights.”
Ledford resigned via an email to SSL players that evening, correspondence which Watermark obtained.
“Today, just two days after the EC-TC approved my tenure to continue serving as your Secretary, I am being asked to relinquish my post,” he wrote. “After 48 hours of furious, personal attacks, largely on Facebook and threats of bodily harm to me, my family and pets, I have no choice but to take the Internet lynch mob at their word.
“Perhaps one day, my abrupt departure will stir debate over the fairness of forcing out a highly qualified Executive Council member over his personal views,” he continued. “Although my strongly held beliefs may differ from yours, and I know that they do for some, I have always made room in my heart to accept everyone – despite our differences. I have never let my personal feelings interfere with the business of the league.”
The email’s full text can be read below:
Dear EC-TC and members of the Suncoast Softball League,
Many of you know that there are people in this world whose only purpose in life is to start fires for the sole purpose of watching something burn to the ground, leaving nothing but ash and despair. In spite of these types of people, you must carry on without them, re-building the structure, in this case, the brand of the Suncoast Softball League. I have every confidence that you all will find a way. Regrettably, it will be without me.
The only emotion I wish to convey is gratitude. It has been a pleasure and an honor serving as league Secretary for the last three years. You initially appointed me to the position in 2019 when no one wanted to serve. It is my hope you believe that I performed my duties with humility and a bit of grace.
Today, just two days after the EC-TC approved my tenure to continue serving as your Secretary, I am being asked to relinquish my post. After 48 hours of furious, personal attacks, largely on Facebook and threats of bodily harm to me, my family and pets, I have no choice but to take the Internet lynch mob at their word.
Perhaps one day, my abrupt departure will stir debate over the fairness of forcing out a highly qualified Executive Council member over his personal views. Although my strongly held beliefs may differ from yours, and I know that they do for some, I have always made room in my heart to accept everyone – despite our differences. I have never let my personal feelings interfere with the business of the league.
Maybe a future EC-TC will question whether this episode has undercut the well-groomed image of SSL as a place of ideas and diversity of thought. Will you continue to surrender to political correctness enforced through a nasty, public shaming on social media?
I would have loved to have engaged in a debate over what happens when freedoms collide. In America, we have freedom of speech, which I will defend to the end. Instead, I am the target of a vicious character attack by liberal gay activists who have forced me out of the league for which I helped lead these last three years.
I pray that one day soon, you will find a way to understand that equality is necessary for meaningful speech. And you need free speech to fight for equality. Figuring out how to stand for both at the same time is the challenge.
Sincerely,
Lonnie Ledford
SSL Secretary 2019 – 2022
Watermark reached out to SSL leadership regarding Ledford’s resignation and will update this article should they respond. Multiple players provided the below statement, which the executive council shared in a Facebook group for league members on April 21.
Good Evening Members,
Your Executive Council has traditionally deferred important decisions affecting the League to our Legislative body, the Team Council. They weigh in on the decision-making process and to make sure the decision-making process is not consolidated solely within the Executive Council. The call to remove Lonnie Ledford, as the Secretary for the League, was no exception. In the time spent since the situation came to our attention, the Executive Council remained silent as we worked through the abundance of information presented to us from various sources. The lack of comment may have seemed like inaction on our part, and we apologize for that appearance.
The volunteers that make up your Executive Council strive to make our organization a safe and welcoming place for all our LGBTQ+ members and our allies. We would like to apologize to not only our Trans league members but also to the Trans community and allies who may have been hurt by the appearance of our lack of transparency and expediency.
Your Executive Council is currently working with the other committees of our League to improve on our governance policies within our organization to help ensure your leadership live up to not only our league’s mission statement but also to hold true to values of our members that make up our league.
Thank you
Your Executive Council
St Pete Pride confirmed to Watermark that they will not sponsor the league going forward. Forchielli also shared that he will not return and will play in a neighboring league in Orlando.
“While the bigot’s resignation is a good start… we have a long way to go,” he says. “To the trans community, I’m sorry. I’m sorry it took this much to have this bigot RESIGN when we failed to have him removed.
“I’m sorry this was even an issue. I’m sorry the league wasn’t strong enough to recognize a problem and remove it,” he continues. “I am an ally. I support you. The Suncoast Softball League claims to be a safe place, and it failed you. As someone who opposes hate and bigotry, this should’ve been a simple issue to address. Unfortunately we have cowards leading the Tampa league.”
Richardson feels the same.
“I’m saddened. I’m saddened that it came to this,” he says. “I’m saddened by the damage our leadership allowed to happen. I’m extremely angry and disappointed with our league leadership.”
He’s called on each member of the executive council to resign, condemning Ledford’s resignation letter and the council’s statement to the league for not taking more accountability.
“We all owe an apology to the trans community,” he says. “We failed to fix this at least three times. Even in 2022, and within our own community they are still being targeted and marginalized. We must do better!”
Forchielli is still appreciative of the hard work that board members, coaches, teams and other volunteers he’s met have put into the league during his tenure. “It’s just unfortunate that one bad apple is going to really sour the whole bunch for who knows how long until the league can get its reputation back,” he says.
Every member of the league’s current leadership is eligible to continue serving on the executive council during SSL’s 2022-23 season, nominations for which close April 24. The election begins April 26 with results expected May 2. Current players can nominate below.
