Sports Byline USA Insight

Gay Athlete, Does It Really Matter?

Let me start by saying, “I have no agenda” when it comes homosexuality.  I tend to be politically conservative, but liberal when it comes to accepting people as they are.  Judging and labeling people bothers and angers me.  I’m married and my life has been a wonderful collaboration of friends of all colors, religions, backgrounds, political beliefs and sexual preferences.  I judge people on their quality, not their personal habits or persuasions.  Good people are my friends, bad ones aren’t.  I feel compelled to say this because of the emotional nature of discussing the acceptance of gay people in sports and in our lives in general.  Sports tends to bring out the deepest emotions and aggressions, witnessed by name calling by fans, bad language and fights in the stands, idiots coming out of the stands to fight athletes or game officials, and fans throwing stuff at athletes.  And, they do that without homosexuality even factored in.

Former NBA player John Amaechi’s “coming out of the closet” and revealing that he is gay should be no shocker.  So far six athletes, in the four major sports, have revealed that they’re gay.  All did so after their playing days were over.  However, only a complete fool and socially ignorant person would think there aren’t other gay athletes currently playing in the NBA, NFL, Major League Baseball, and any other sport you can think of.  Contrary to some people’s impression, being gay doesn’t mean you don’t have the skill, strength, determination or ability to play sports professionally and at the highest level.  Ability, not a person’s private activities and preferences should be the determining factor on whether fans accept, cheer or boo a player.

I’ve found over my many years in sports that fans show their prejudices and ignorance because of their insecurity, lack of self-esteem and lack of education on a subject.  For many years it was, and still is to some degree today, the belief that women aren’t equal to men.  They didn’t deserve the same pay for doing the same job, and in sports they didn’t deserve the same purse for playing the same sport.  In tennis, the only major event that hasn’t seen the light is Wimbledon.  All the other majors pay the women’s winner the same as the men’s.  The point is, the time has come for fans to accept athletes for what they do in their sport, not their personal preferences.

I find it curious, and a double standard, that some fans don’t feel a gay athlete should be on a team, and in a recent Sports Byline Fan Poll overwhelmingly voted that they wouldn’t support or cheer a gay player.  The hypocrisy of that feeling and action is both disappointing and shameful.  Why then do fans support and cheer athletes who are straight, but cheat on their wives, beat women, fail to pay child support, illegally carry a gun, get arrested several times, drive while drunk, and commit a litany of other anti-social and legally unacceptable conduct?  Being gay and playing sports doesn’t threaten us, go against acceptable social conduct or put our lives in danger from drinking and driving, or carrying a firearm.  I sure the hell would prefer a gay athlete to a law breaking, socially ignorant straight athlete anytime.   

Another point.  Those who are against gay athletes playing team sports usually argue that the close contact with fellow players, showering and the physical nature of sports like basketball and football makes it uncomfortable to have a gay player on the team.  Given that we know there are already other gay players on teams now, and there have been no incidences of improper conduct or contact, what’s the problem?  It seems that the only problem is the fear and ignorance of straight people.  This homophobic prejudice is no different the racial prejudice Jackie Robinson and other black and Hispanic players had to face in trying to play professional sports.  The admission of blacks to sports has made whatever game they play better, more exciting, and more inclusive of the overall make-up of America’s population.

Billie Jean King is a friend, and a business partner.  She’s a champion and a pioneer in women’s rights and equality for women athletes.  The fact that she’s gay isn’t important.  What she or any person does in the privacy of her personal life is not my business or yours.  What we all should remember about Billy Jean, Martina Navratilova, and other gay athletes is how they played the game and publicly how they presented themselves and acted.  Judging them any other way would be hypocritical and unfair. 

I’m Ron Barr.

Ron Barr is an Emmy award winning writer and the host of the nationally and internationally syndicated sports talk show, Sports Byline USA.

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