A profile of gay athletes you've probably never have heard of. That is, until now.
How many current professional athletes are gay? An intriguing question, which for many reasons we'll probably never find answers.…
"A sinister cabal of superior writers."
Article comments
— go to most recent comments26 - chantal stone
re.#22....Mary says: "Sometimes it takes years - generations - lifetimes - for things to come to rest in the middle."
True, but what about all of the gay men and women who have been hiding, and staying quiet, and not being true to themselves for God knows how long already? How much longer should they have to wait until they are given the same equal rights and recognition without the fear of being ostracized, as everyone else. Another 10 years? 25? another 100 years?
It's not like homosexuality is new or anything. It's been around since before we ever stood upright, thousands of years ago. Why should anyone have to stand in line, waiting for equality?
(this comment would fit on any of the other gay marriage threads too)
Jet...yw, can't wait to read the next article. By the way, you really should email me, I found something that might interest you, but it's like way way off topic here.
27 - Jet in Columbus
Chantal it's in the works, I just got done editing it, and they're going over it as we speak. Boy is Andy Marsh in for a shock when he finds out I turned him into an interviewer based on his comment #20!!!!!
I put my heart and soul into it, so I'm ready for certain conservatives to stomp all over it, or it'll probably be ignored until it goes away. The harder I work on an article the more it's ignored... Alas
Thank god I've got a shrink appointment wednesday. Right afterward I have to have both eyes operated on, and they only give me a 50-50 chance so I'm getting my licks in while I can.
Thanks love
Jet
28 - Jet in Columbus
Admit it, you just click on here to look at the pictures don't you?
29 - chantal stone
it does make scrolling down a lot more entertaining!
30 - Jet in Columbus
don't forget to click on the Paris link!
31 - chantal stone
Johan Kenkhuis is more my style.....that super, uber-muscle type doesn't really do anything for me. lol
32 - Jet in Columbus
Nooooooo way-Ian Roberts baby Ian Roberts!!!!
33 - chantal stone
mmmm Ian Roberts...now youre talking ;)
34 - Jet in Columbus
Good god I sound line one of those girls on the b5 strings, have I really sunk that low... Still I can't pass that photo without a whimper...
Ha ha
35 - chantal stone
ok Jet...stay on topic....focus, babe, focus!
36 - Jet in Columbus
He IS the subject... You silly!
37 - chantal stone
very well then, carry on...and EMAIL me, dammnit!
click my url to get the address
38 - Jet in Columbus
I gotta do an injection and eat something, catcha later, thanks for the smiles :-)
39 - savvyplanners
Hey Jet!
Did I read about eye surgery? Good luck with that, guy.
I know I'll be waiting for your next piece!
Be well!
40 - Jet in Columbus
Thanks Savvy, to both eyes on Wednesday afternoon.
I'll that you good wishes with me.
41 - Andy Marsh
Well Jet, when I read it, I'll let you know if that's how I'd have answered...
42 - Jet in Columbus
No no Andy, I'd never put words in your mouth. I used your questions and I answered them. I'm still trying to figure out what's going on with it.
Thanks for the inspiration
43 - Jet in Columbus
Okay Andy here's your link and I hope you like it...Gay Pride: A Few Answers For A Friend To Some Honest Questions
44 - Jet in Columbus
Chantal, I promist I'll get to you tomorrow, I've got to take care of something tonight.
Thanks
45 - sharon needles NY
Not mentioned are a few more US Diving Olympians, such as Patrick Jeffrey and David Pichler, both who fought against Louganis' allegedly homophobic coach, Ron o'Brien.
Also, there's figure-skaters like Rudy Galindo, John Curry,& Brian Orser.
Recent names like Sheryl Swoopes, and a Canadian Olympic swimmer whose name escapes me. He's been involved with the Gay Games, or OutGames.
46 - Jet in Columbus
Sharon #45 you let the cat out of the bag-that's David Pichler upside down at the top of the page, I was going to challenge everyone to name him and you already did before I could!
The other guys and some lesbian ball players I was going to save for the sequel because of how long this article is.
Thanks for your contribution to the discussion!
Jet
47 - Mary K. Williams
Chatal and Jet -
Jet - I know - I hope it doesn't take that long either.
Chantal - I'm not advocating people to put up with crap or keep quiet. I was just noting the struggles of the 'unseen' (women, racial minorities, gays, even children) seem to take a long, long time.
48 - Jet in Columbus
Mary in a solemn tone I say thanks...
49 - sal m
This is a good retrospective of an interesting issue.
However, your conclusion is faulty, as you wrote;
"It's refreshing to see that in other parts of the world the only thing that matters is how you do your job, perform your task, or excel in your sport.
If only that were the case in the sports world here in the United States, but sadly it's not."
Deriding the United States is off-base and demonstrably untrue. Martina and Billie Jean have always been considered icons and have always held a special place in the sports world, especially in America.
They have also become very rich women thanks to the support from the American public.
As a matter of fact Billie Jean's girlfriend tried to drag her through an ugly lawsuit, and the general public was completely supporting of Billie Jean through this ordeal. The American press didn't put Billie Jean through this, a greedy and vindictive ex-girlfriend did.
Also, you include the story of a British soccer player who killed himself because of a smear campaign launched by "bigots." There is still a huge problem in England with regards to racist - and generally intolerant - hooligans who openly deride black soccer players. There is no such problem in America, as black players in all sports are millionaires thanks to the American public.
In the tragic case of Ed Gallagher, where is the United States at fault? It seems from your account that Gallagher committed suicide because he was so conflicted over his sexual orientation. Is he the only man anywhere in the world to have this problem? Or have men and women in other countries done the same?
You seem to be confusing the prejudices of groups of people - and in the insular world of the lockerroom - with an cultural prejudice against gay athletes that is ingrained in American culture.
Is there ignorance with regards to gays? Of course there is, just like there is racial and ethnic ignorance with regards to all groups. To single out any one country as being more guilty of this is misguided and incorrect.
You mention that the gay Australian rugby star is a huge hit in his native land. That may be so, but check out this list of horrid gay bashing crimes that have occured in Australia before you make it sound like all is perfect elsewhere
google search on gay bashing
50 - Silas Kain
Being a gay sports icon in the United States, however, is not something many can do. The Football industry, in and of itself, is completely homophobic in nature. Yet, if the truth were available, I honestly believe that at least 40% of professional and semi-pro football players have bisexual tendencies.
51 - chantal stone
Mary....I was afraid that my comment #26 would come off as combative, and it wasn't meant to be. I'm just saying that I know these things take time, but my point it they shouldn't take THIS long. It doesn't make sense that we force minority groups in this day and age wait so long for equality. It says an awful lot about how far humankind yet to go before we are fully evolved.
52 - Jet in Columbus
Thanks for contributing Sal M, but if I'd included all that the article'd take forever to read so I hit the high points.
Maybe in the sequel
53 - Mary K. Williams
Mary....I was afraid that my comment #26 would come off as combative
Ohh, so I can take off these gloves now? : )~
Yeah, I sort of sensed that, I just wanted to be sure we at the same place.
I think things will still take a while -
but you're so very right - it shouldn't be that way.
54 - sal m
my point isn't that you should have included any of what i wrote.
if you hadn't come to the bafflingly incorrect conclusion there wouldn't be a need to include the info i provided.
the point is that you came to a pretty damning conclusion that isn't supported by the evidence that you presented.
55 - Jet in Columbus
Mary #53
If only...
56 - Jet in Columbus
Sal #54 In your opinion... In your opinion. Are you going to persist in damning me or are we going to leave it at that?
I said I had a lot to learn, and I do.
57 - Mary K. Williams
Jet, I don't think Sal was damning you. I think his observance is that you came to a conclusion that wasn't supported by the rest of your post.
(I'm not saying I agree - just saying that's what he's trying to say)
I think you both make some good points.
cool?
58 - Jet in Columbus
Cool, I just have a lot on my mind. By the way I added a couple of chapters to my Brokeback Mountain string.
Thanks for moderating...
59 - Eric
Thanks for the heads up about this page Jet. I was not aware that there was so much info out there about athletes and thier struggles with thier sexuality. Its going to make for some very interesting reading over the next few weeks.
60 - Jet in Columbus
Your've very welcome Eric. I saw your contribution on my personal page and appreciated it. I'm going in for eye surgery on both eyes so you may not hear for me for while, but I'll be back. Looks like you had fun in Paris?
61 - Jet in Columbus
By the way Eric, I've been fighting with my own site and finally got the pictures to publish on that article. If you liked it there's a few more here you might be interested in too.
Thanks
62 - Rebecca
I agree with Jet's conclusion, because while athletes like Billie Jean King & Marina Navratilova are icons, they lost endorsements (in the case of King), or didn't recieve them (Navratilova), when their sexual preference came to light.
The public affection that Martina recieves today only came about in recent years. At the height of her tennis glory, a majority of people use to openly boo Martina and root for "America's Tennis Sweethart," Chris Evert (then) Lloyd
63 - Jet in Columbus
It's not just us Rebecca, when was the last time you saw an interacial couple in a commercial?
Thanks for contributing...
64 - Nicholas Stix
"From early on in high school sports, most athletic adolescent boys tend to seek out the weak in gym class to pick on and give verbal and physical abuse. To them anyone who didn’t play sports were sissies and fags to be beaten up in school parking lots in front of their friends. So it was no wonder that openly gay pro athletes are rarely heard of, or from."
Nonsense. When I was a kid, I knew plenty of bullies but only one who was an athlete, Vinnie Buscemi, and he was thrown off the high school football team because he couldn't get his weight down to 200 lbs. (Vinnie was 6' and 270. A few years later he killed a guy, but got only one year in jail, because his old man had been police commissioner. Vinnie slugged a guy, the guy fell down, hit his head on the pavement, and died.)
After learning of Mark Bingham’s story (the gay rugby player who helped bring down Flight 93 before it hit the U.S. Capitol), I wondered what other sports pros, out of the approximately 4,000 active in the U.S., had the guts to face the inevitable judgment and fan hatred by coming out.
I was appalled to discover most had to wait until after their careers were over. There’s no doubt in my mind that in all corners of professional athletics from boxing to football, the ranks are full of gays. You’ve just never heard of them. This also includes the ranks of coaches, owners, or general managers.
That's wishful thinking on your part. There are so many gay pro athletes around, that you had to fish out some guy who played college ball for two years thirty years ago?
You cited two former NFL players who admitted to being homosexual. (The late Jerry Smith doesn't count, since we have only Dave Kopay's word that Smith was gay.)
Another problem with your essay is its hyperbole and contradictions. At one point, you insist that the homophobia in sports is so intense that it could drive a man to attempt suicide; later, you insist that no such homophobia exists, claiming the gay rugby player who came out suffered no nasty consequences.
Your mutually contradictory claims cannot both be true. I don't think you're at all concenred with the truth, but rather that at any given moment, you simply say what you think will best serve your agenda.
We've heard about any number of big-name lesbian or bisexual women athletes but virtually no big-name men athletes. (There's one likely candidate, but you didn't even mention him!) That's because homosexuality and bisexuality are much more common among female athletes than among their men counterparts. Why that should be the case I don't know, but it's been well-known for some time. If you must write on a subject, you need to do a lot more research, and write more honestly.
65 - Jet in Columbus
We went to two different highschools in two different eras, the contradictory players are from two different countries.
You've got so many contradictory statements in your own comment it's hard to figure out what you're trying to say.
you poor thing.
66 - Eric
Your post has definitely inspired a lot of my readers as well as myself. I had no idea how many people were gay athletes, and totally closeted about it. The idea of a gay athlete seemed more like an abstract idea then a real thing. Ever since I started writing about this, I have received more comments and emails on this subject than I have on anything else that I have ever posted! You helped me to figure out that I am not alone out there with my problems and my insecurities. Just by posting this I was able to find an entire support group of like minded people out there, and it feels awesome! Thanks
67 - Jet in Columbus
You're very welcome Eric. I got ahold of the tech department over at Bloggers and got the photos fixed, but I lost your comment in the process. I'm glad you followed me over here
Jet.
68 - Jet in Columbus
Eric, did you link them to this article or the one on bloggers as I had to delete the bloggers and repost it again after we straightened out the photo fiasco?
Are all those guys on your blog really commenting about this article or did you write one of your own?
69 - Jet in Columbus
Nicholas #64 Exactly what made you thing the only purpose of this article was to bitch about highschool bullies?
70 - Jet in Columbus
Oh wow! I just noticed that I'm the blogcritic of the day! Cool and Thanks!
71 - Jet in Columbus
Speaking of Gay Athletes we have this from Reuters-SUPERMAN REFUSES TO COME OUT OF CLOSET!!!
LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - After weeks of Internet buzzing that the new Superman movie portrays the Man of Steel as gay, the director of the film issued a strong denial on Friday and said it was the most heterosexual character he has filmed.
Superman "is probably the most heterosexual character in any movie I've ever made," said Bryan Singer, director of "Superman Returns," a new movie about the crime-fighting superhero that opens June 28. "I don't think he's ever been gay."
In recent months, the movie's ability to lure its target audience has been questioned by Internet buzz probing the superhero's sexuality.
Young men are the movie's target audience and the film needs to attract millions of them to earn a profit and relaunch the "Superman" film franchise.
A major gay magazine, The Advocate, ran a cover story with the headline: "How Gay is Superman," and the Los Angeles Times weighed in with its own story on whether being gay might hinder or help the movie's box office receipts.
After all, gay romance "Brokeback Mountain" won awards and raked in $178 million worldwide.
So he wears a leotard and flies around in a red cape. Big deal, Singer said, noting Spider-Man wears tights. The X-Men do too, and they aren't gay. Singer ought to know, he directed 2000's "X-Men" movie and 2003's "X2: X-Men United."
Singer said his version of the Man of Steel, who is played by Brandon Routh, is a "very romantic icon" -- handsome, virtuous and vulnerable.
In the movie, Superman comes back to Earth after a five- year absence. Early on, audiences learn the love of his life, hard-charging reporter Lois Lane, has moved on from her infatuation with him. She has a new boyfriend and a child.
Yet when he re-enters her life, Lois still has that sexy gleam in her eye, and he can't wait to fly her to the moon.
"We were all scratching our heads," said Paul Levitz, president and publisher of Superman owner DC Comics. "He's not a gay character."
72 - SteveS
so he's not gay, he's a home wrecker.
73 - Nicholas Stix
Re #71: Gay activists start a hoax circulating, then when the targets of the hoax deny that it is true, activists and media supporters charge, "SUPERMAN REFUSES TO COME OUT OF CLOSET!!!"
For several years now, gay activists have started hoaxes in circulation that very manly sports greats such as Mike Piazza and Sandy Koufax are gay, in order to give the gay movmment prestige. Now, they're doing it to fictional characters, too.
74 - Nicholas Stix
#65. Jet in Columbus: We went to two different highschools in two different eras, the contradictory players are from two different countries.
You've got so many contradictory statements in your own comment it's hard to figure out what you're trying to say.
you poor thing.
If I had so many contradictory statements in my comment, surely you could show at least one. You didn't, because you couldn't. I caught you out in your contradictions, and you responded by projecting them onto me.
Someone who writes and thinks as poorly as you do has no business being patronizing to anyone.
75 - Jet in Columbus
Steve #72-And he's a cute one at that!