Sexuality In Sport

[Pin-seeker]

I don't know why anyone needs to make a big song & dance about their sexuality.
Attention seeking if IMO

 

[Hacker Khan]

However if you do have hang ups about sharing the changing room with us gays here's a couple of thoughts.

Firstly, you've almost certainly already done so, whether you realise it or not. And, perhaps worryingly for you, there have been several times in my gym where I have known for a fact there were more gays than straights in the changing room.....

Oh my god, I might have caught gay!!!

To be honest if any gay man came on to me I'd take it as a huge compliment.

 

[Slab]

I don't know why anyone needs to make a big song & dance about their sexuality.
Attention seeking if IMO

Is this statement even politically correct? Are you suggesting some link to the theater or the arts

 

[Aztecs27]

Whenever I finish a workout and go into the changing rooms my usual priorities are....

* retrieve toiletries from locker
* remove sweat-soaked training gear
* go in shower
* leave shower, towel dry
* get remainder of belongs from locker
* get dressed
* dry hair
* leave

I haven't yet felt the urge to come on to any strangers in there....

However if you do have hang ups about sharing the changing room with us gays here's a couple of thoughts.

Firstly, you've almost certainly already done so, whether you realise it or not. And, perhaps worryingly for you, there have been several times in my gym where I have known for a fact there were more gays than straights in the changing room.....

Tart!

But in all seriousness - thank you for your candid 1st hand response, seems like a lot of people make assumptions that all gay chaps can't help themselves at the very sight of another man. The fact this is still news in this day and age is pathetic, but it is what it is...I can understand why he came out and hope that he's accepted. There are A LOT of close-minded, bigoted people in the world, and a good chunk of these are in the US unfortunately (I happened across one such douchebag yesterday) which leads me to believe he may have a rocky road in front of him, but hopefully he can still follow his dream and become a success in the NFL.

 

[Aztecs27]

I don't know why anyone needs to make a big song & dance about their sexuality.
Attention seeking if IMO

It's not about attention-seeking or making a song and dance about it, it's about being able to live a normal life without being accosted.

Had he not come out, made it to the NFL, became a big star and was caught out on one of his days off with his boyfriend/husband by a papp/fan, there would be a huge uproar. He's trying to avoid that.

His alternative is to live a life of secrecy or give up on following his dream, which NO ONE should have to do.

 

[SwingsitlikeHogan]

Stonewall reckons between 1 in 15 and 1 in 20 blokes are 'gay' (not sure how the define that). I know plenty of gay guys but none in my club. And I don't stand in the shower or changing room worrying whether this naked bloke or that naked bloke who comes is gay - and oddly enough I don't ask

But like @socketrocket - I am totally comfortable with gay relationships - but I have to admit that I do struggle a bit to reconcile the idea of sexual acts between gay blokes with my upbringing. I am sure it is a generational thing and my kids probably won't be in the slightest bit discomforted by it. And so maybe it is going to be 20yrs before top level sportsmen and women being gay is completely accepted by the majority without prejudice.

 

[Birchy]

Oh my god, I might have caught gay!!!

To be honest if any gay man came on to me I'd take it as a huge compliment.

Oh my word nooooooooooooooooo, I agree with Hacker Khan

To be honest I would shake his............................................

































Hand :thup:


P.S Yes I know its very unlikely

 

[bladeplayer]

Why should sportsmen/women have to confirm their sexuality?
How does it make it better for the sport?

In fact why do people In general have to tell all in sundry their business?

I think a lot of boils down to the way the majority of people broadcast their daily routines all over the web via social media etc and others who think it's perfectly fine to pass comment and or judgment on others.

Private life should remain exactly that.

What a great answer :thup:

Mind your own business in life , live and let live once it is within the constraints of the law is consensual & you are not harming others ..

 

[smange]

Great article by Graeme le Saux telling how he was treated by certain fellow players, which he names, after he was wrongly accused of being gay.


http://reflectionsasia.wordpress.co...-saux-how-gay-slurs-almost-wrecked-my-career/

Anyone who thinks it will be any different these days is sadly wrong, football and I dare say all male dominated sports will always have a problem with homophobia and as the article proves its not just from the terracing and stands that the prejudices come.

 

[User20205]

What a great answer :thup:

Mind your own business in life , live and let live once it is within the constraints of the law is consensual & you are not harming others ..

Maybe in a perfect world...but this isn't. Until now very few male team sports athletes have been able to come out. Why is this ? Does it affect their marketability or their standing in the team.

Normally I would say its non of anyone's business, however in these type of environments these Guys are trailblazers. It is important to break down the last bastions where homophobia exists, and this public act is part of doing this.


Re socket & hogan, I appreciate what you say, it is a generational thing, and maybe it's something else. Please don't think I'm having a go, because I'm not, but do you think your 'faith' is a barrier to acceptance ? (I think I recall you both being men of faith)

I'm genuinely interested in the answer

 

[Tashyboy]

Tough one.

Sharing the same playing field, even in a contact sport, no problem.

Sharing a changing room with someone who doesn't find you sexually attractive is one thing but sharing it with someone who develops an erection as you walk past from the showers... sorry, but my stomach flips at the thought.

Strange thing is though hobbit, one of the lads I work with at the pit who is one of me Bessie pals is openly gay and mixed race to boot (Jamacian father) he is as normal ? As me, gets showered with the rest of the guys and has no problems 99.9% of the time.
some lads do give him some stick as part of banter! and others quite frankly are not interested one bit.

he probably gets more stick being a sky sports man utd fan. Which is fully justified. Having worked with him for 7 years and touched on the subject hundreds of times re his sexuality he maintains that he does not find every naked man attractive in the same sense you see women in the pub etc, and would not give them a second glance. Furthermore, when you know 650 men at work, some of them are complete as soles (pardon the pun), so even if it were gifted on a plate he would not be interested.

he also maintains that there are several men who he knows are gay/ bi sexual but will not out them because it is not his call and the stigma still associated with coming out. Plus the fact that most of them are married.

as has been mentioned some people are a bit shallow when it comes to gayness, but at least you know where you stand with them and they are honest about it. It is the back stabbers that are nice to his face but slag him off behind his back that grip my bottom. (Pardon the pun ).

The bottom line for me is I am happily married and as straight as Chesterfield church, and as long as they don't come in my bubble, (there I go again), we can and should all get along fine.

 

[SwingsitlikeHogan]

Re socket & hogan, I appreciate what you say, it is a generational thing, and maybe it's something else. Please don't think I'm having a go, because I'm not, but do you think your 'faith' is a barrier to acceptance ? (I think I recall you both being men of faith)

I'm genuinely interested in the answer

And it is a very good question to put to me.

For me I don't think it is (maybe it's just a physical thing - not sure) - but that said I had significant reservations about same sex marriage. In fact I nearly wrote 'marriage' but that would indicate that I still have problems with it. And in one respect I do as I see marriage as a religious institution that the state has no business claiming for their own and redefining for social policy ends.

I completely happy that a gay couple should have the same rights and privileges under law as any couple, and I reconcile that a gay couple can now get married through my acceptance of the fact that the existence of one thing does not necessarily exclude the other.

So if ever I find myself getting concerned about it (though in truth I can't say that I do) - from a belief perspective I simply allow myself to differentiate in my mind between a marriage of homosexuals and marriage of heterosexuals. I accept to myself that I can't change this now that marriage is re-defined - so i must find a way of parking it so that I don't cart the concern around with me. And the concern goes away.

Does that make sense?

 

[Foxholer]

Gay?

So what!

It's the Straight folk, and their inability to accept 'different', that are the 'problem'!

 

[cleanstrike]

Gay?

So what!

It's the Straight folk, and their inability to accept 'different', that are the 'problem'!

No! The problem is that these people seem to be compelled to announce their sexuality to the world via the media. You don't get straight people broadcasting to the nation at the top of their voice that they prefer members of the opposite sex so why is it that gay people feel the need to tell everyone about their sexual preferences. I've narrowed it down to two possibilities; either they are seeking publicity or it's some strange form of perverse exhibitionism.

 

[FairwayDodger]

Does that make sense?

Nope

 

[FairwayDodger]

You don't get straight people broadcasting to the nation at the top of their voice that they prefer members of the opposite sex

Probably the most hilarious comment ever on the forum!

:thup:

 

[Aztecs27]

No! The problem is that these people seem to be compelled to announce their sexuality to the world via the media. You don't get straight people broadcasting to the nation at the top of their voice that they prefer members of the opposite sex so why is it that gay people feel the need to tell everyone about their sexual preferences. I've narrowed it down to two possibilities; either they are seeking publicity or it's some strange form of perverse exhibitionism.

What a ridiculous post.. If people treated homosexuality the same way they treated hetrosexuality, there wouldn't be a need to announce such things, but because people can't deal with other people being different (particuarly famous people) without the media spiralling out of control, then they have to speak up before they get "found out" and it becomes a tabloid headline with people sending hate mail/death threats and treating these people differently because they're gay.

 

[Hacker Khan]

No! The problem is that these people seem to be compelled to announce their sexuality to the world via the media. You don't get straight people broadcasting to the nation at the top of their voice that they prefer members of the opposite sex so why is it that gay people feel the need to tell everyone about their sexual preferences. I've narrowed it down to two possibilities; either they are seeking publicity or it's some strange form of perverse exhibitionism.

Meanwhile, back in the dark ages.....

 

[Aztecs27]

Meanwhile, back in the dark ages.....

:thup:

 

[Hacker Khan]

Oh my word nooooooooooooooooo, I agree with Hacker Khan

Who'd have thought it, we have finally come together over our secret desire to be chatted up down a gay bar.