We “tolerate” mosquitoes. But we should accept people.
February 26, 2014 10:45 AM Subscribe
"What you’re about to see are hundreds of men across two sports not merely tolerating a gay player because he’s a peer in their league, but actually accepting him because he’s their friend." Former NFL linebacker, current sports analyst, and long-time equal rights proponent Scott Fujita writes about 'Michael Sam, Jason Collins paving the way for a better workplace, world'.
I'm getting an "access denied" error on the main link. Anyone else?
posted by that's candlepin at 10:57 AM on February 26, 2014
posted by that's candlepin at 10:57 AM on February 26, 2014
But now, some of these kids can look to men like Michael and Jason and say, “You know what? I’m not alone. There are others like me.” That’s one huge part of the national narrative that I think is missing right now.
It is interesting that the "sexuality barrier" isn't being broken by Jackie Robinson superstars, but by utility players (Sam may develop into something more, but he's not there yet.) I think that actually helps w/r/t identification.
posted by ChurchHatesTucker at 11:03 AM on February 26, 2014
It is interesting that the "sexuality barrier" isn't being broken by Jackie Robinson superstars, but by utility players (Sam may develop into something more, but he's not there yet.) I think that actually helps w/r/t identification.
posted by ChurchHatesTucker at 11:03 AM on February 26, 2014
Michael and Jason have brought hundreds of men one step closer to having a gay friend for perhaps the first time in their lives.
Amen.
posted by roomthreeseventeen at 11:05 AM on February 26, 2014
Amen.
posted by roomthreeseventeen at 11:05 AM on February 26, 2014
Michael and Jason have brought hundreds of men one step closer to having an OUT gay friend for perhaps the first time in their lives.
Not to belabor a point, but there are so many people out there who don't know that their friends and family members are gay because coming out to them isn't something the friends/family members are comfortable with.
posted by xingcat at 11:18 AM on February 26, 2014 [4 favorites]
Not to belabor a point, but there are so many people out there who don't know that their friends and family members are gay because coming out to them isn't something the friends/family members are comfortable with.
posted by xingcat at 11:18 AM on February 26, 2014 [4 favorites]
It is interesting that the "sexuality barrier" isn't being broken by Jackie Robinson superstars
Well, Magic Johnson is straight, but it's worth remembering he did come back and play in the NBA while HIV-positive. While some players were less than accepting, Magic ended up being widely embraced. The fact that he was one of the league's greatest and most beloved players ever had a lot to do with it, but it was a great moment of tolerance and acceptance.
posted by drjimmy11 at 11:54 AM on February 26, 2014
Well, Magic Johnson is straight, but it's worth remembering he did come back and play in the NBA while HIV-positive. While some players were less than accepting, Magic ended up being widely embraced. The fact that he was one of the league's greatest and most beloved players ever had a lot to do with it, but it was a great moment of tolerance and acceptance.
posted by drjimmy11 at 11:54 AM on February 26, 2014
Well, Magic Johnson is straight, but it's worth remembering he did come back and play in the NBA while HIV-positive.
True, and that did do a lot for HIV+ acceptance, but he was vociferously heterosexual, so it doesn't really come into play here.
posted by ChurchHatesTucker at 12:02 PM on February 26, 2014 [3 favorites]
True, and that did do a lot for HIV+ acceptance, but he was vociferously heterosexual, so it doesn't really come into play here.
posted by ChurchHatesTucker at 12:02 PM on February 26, 2014 [3 favorites]
It is interesting that the "sexuality barrier" isn't being broken by Jackie Robinson superstars, but by utility players
I think it's kind of an apples and oranges thing. By definition, whoever broke baseball's color barrier was going to do it with the endorsement of a team and Branch Rickey wasn't going to go looking for a black utility player. Coming out doesn't require the backing of a team so explicitly.
posted by hoyland at 12:41 PM on February 26, 2014
I think it's kind of an apples and oranges thing. By definition, whoever broke baseball's color barrier was going to do it with the endorsement of a team and Branch Rickey wasn't going to go looking for a black utility player. Coming out doesn't require the backing of a team so explicitly.
posted by hoyland at 12:41 PM on February 26, 2014
True, and that did do a lot for HIV+ acceptance, but he was vociferously heterosexual, so it doesn't really come into play here.
I don't know, it seems an appropriate analogy to me. What is at issue here is ignorance. People used to be ignorant about who could get HIV. The assumption used to be that HIV was exclusive to homosexuals. That Magic Johnson came back and was embraced meant that a lot of people were educated about the nature of HIV.
Now, many people and players are going to be exposed to a lot of homosexuals, but they're going to find out due to this new exposure, shockingly enough, that there's not that much different about homosexual players from heterosexual ones.
posted by SollosQ at 2:44 PM on February 26, 2014
I don't know, it seems an appropriate analogy to me. What is at issue here is ignorance. People used to be ignorant about who could get HIV. The assumption used to be that HIV was exclusive to homosexuals. That Magic Johnson came back and was embraced meant that a lot of people were educated about the nature of HIV.
Now, many people and players are going to be exposed to a lot of homosexuals, but they're going to find out due to this new exposure, shockingly enough, that there's not that much different about homosexual players from heterosexual ones.
posted by SollosQ at 2:44 PM on February 26, 2014
It is interesting that the "sexuality barrier" isn't being broken by Jackie Robinson superstars, but by utility players
I think it's kind of an apples and oranges thing. By definition, whoever broke baseball's color barrier was going to do it with the endorsement of a team and Branch Rickey wasn't going to go looking for a black utility player. Coming out doesn't require the backing of a team so explicitly.
Also, there isn't a parallel Gay Football League with an established talent pool that a progressive NFL owner can pluck a known quantity from, as was done with Robinson.
posted by Etrigan at 3:27 PM on February 26, 2014 [1 favorite]
I think it's kind of an apples and oranges thing. By definition, whoever broke baseball's color barrier was going to do it with the endorsement of a team and Branch Rickey wasn't going to go looking for a black utility player. Coming out doesn't require the backing of a team so explicitly.
Also, there isn't a parallel Gay Football League with an established talent pool that a progressive NFL owner can pluck a known quantity from, as was done with Robinson.
posted by Etrigan at 3:27 PM on February 26, 2014 [1 favorite]
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posted by tylerkaraszewski at 10:47 AM on February 26, 2014 [10 favorites]