LGBT Issues in Sports
I thought the following two articles did a nice job of talking about the state of LGBT acceptance in sports today through the examples of Scott Fujita (NFL linebacker who is not gay) and Robbie Rogers (MLS soccer player who is gay). Sports present an incredible opportunity for gays (especially men, given the male dominance in sports) to gain a large-scale platform in a relatively non-threatening/non-political way. I think the example of Jackie Robinson for civil rights and Billie Jean King for gender equality should be instructive for the gay rights movement. A visible and openly gay athlete could reach an audience that many political movements have limited access to.
http://www.nytimes.com/2010/02/03/sports/football/03fujita.html?_r=0
http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/soccer/news/20130215/robbie-rogers-coming-out-gay-retire/
I thought the following two articles did a nice job of talking about the state of LGBT acceptance in sports today through the examples of Scott Fujita (NFL linebacker who is not gay) and Robbie Rogers (MLS soccer player who is gay). Sports present an incredible opportunity for gays (especially men, given the male dominance in sports) to gain a large-scale platform in a relatively non-threatening/non-political way. I think the example of Jackie Robinson for civil rights and Billie Jean King for gender equality should be instructive for the gay rights movement. A visible and openly gay athlete could reach an audience that many political movements have limited access to.
http://www.nytimes.com/2010/02/03/sports/football/03fujita.html?_r=0
http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/soccer/news/20130215/robbie-rogers-coming-out-gay-retire/
I would like to bring everyone's attention to Jason Collins. Jason is an NBA player and is the first active player on a major sports team to come out as gay. This is wonderful and good for him but we are completely ignoring all of our out and proud female athletes who have not gotten this much media coverage for their sexuality. I understand that it is a little more shocking within the realm of gay male sports but buy giving him this title we are ignoring our gay female athletes.
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