Just came across this story online. German professional footballers to come out!
http://news.ft.com/cms/s/6d81078e-6e5e-11d...00779e2340.html
Yet another step forward for sports and for gay awareness. Australian football super star Ian Roberts came out a few years ago while at the top of his game and contiued to play for years after. He was the highest paid and most adored player in Australian football but says his most proud accomplishment was coming out. Just goes to show how the U.S, which was once the leader and shining example of human rights and tolerance is now swimming against the flow of virtually every other Western country in the world. Let's see, by my count, as far as human rights go, that leaves us lagging behind the former Nazi, fascist State of Germany, the former apartheid State of South Africa, the former Inquisition State of Spain, the former Communist State of the Czech Republic and behind the State of England, with which we fought a war for freedom and tolerance! Maybe someday we will have an American society where male professional team sport athletes will feel comfortable coming out.
Holding his breath in Tampa...
[ December 17, 2005, 04:16 PM: Message edited by: UM.REBELandTAMPA.BUCfan ]
I found the above link on an English website. If anyone hears anything more about this or hears about the big outing let me know and post to this thread.
Maybe when and if this happens it will encourage professional male athletes in other countries (or other planets like America) to consider making the leap.
Still holding my breath in Tampa...
Turning blue!!! frown
Maybe when and if this happens it will encourage professional male athletes in other countries (or other planets like America) to consider making the leap.
Still holding my breath in Tampa...
Turning blue!!! frown
First, there's not much to this story. It starts out:
I was amused by this quote, though. It refers to the Cubs' \"Out at the Ballgame\" and follows up with:
QUOTE
Three homosexual German professional footballers have agreed to come out of the closet, but only if campaigners can find eight more gay players to come out with them. One of the three is very prominent indeed, while the other two play in Germany’s lower divisions.
The rest is just commentary on the state of the world, gays in sports, and such. There's nothing in the article to indicate where the writer got the info above, nothing to even hint that it's anything more than rumor.I was amused by this quote, though. It refers to the Cubs' \"Out at the Ballgame\" and follows up with:
QUOTE
Other teams in North America’s most civilised cities – San Francisco, Toronto, Philadelphia, Boston, Pittsburgh – have followed in pursuit of the pink dollar.
That's right, the two big cities in Pennsylvania are "civilised."
As I stated earlier, this article was written by an Englishman. His take on American cities etc. may be different than ours. I mean what self respecting American would refer to Philly as a civilized city?
I would like to first point out that this article did not come from a gay rag or a sleazy English tabloid. It comes from The Financial Times, a respected mainstream publication in England similar to The Wallstreet Journal.
I wouldn't dismiss this article outright. Having lived in Germany for a few years I don't see it as unlikely as I would if I considered it strictly from an American point of view. Europeans are generally years ahead of us on issues of sexuality. I could see an American Pro male athlete coming out here in ten years and that's just about how far Europe is ahead of us on issues of sexuality.
I do believe, as has been suggested on Outsports and in the media countless times, a scenario where a number of athletes came out at the same time might be more likely.
Regardless if it happens or not, hopefully it will, it is a flicker of hope. More than anything I've heard in American male team sports lately.
[ December 17, 2005, 05:46 PM: Message edited by: UM.REBELandTAMPA.BUCfan ]
I would like to first point out that this article did not come from a gay rag or a sleazy English tabloid. It comes from The Financial Times, a respected mainstream publication in England similar to The Wallstreet Journal.
I wouldn't dismiss this article outright. Having lived in Germany for a few years I don't see it as unlikely as I would if I considered it strictly from an American point of view. Europeans are generally years ahead of us on issues of sexuality. I could see an American Pro male athlete coming out here in ten years and that's just about how far Europe is ahead of us on issues of sexuality.
I do believe, as has been suggested on Outsports and in the media countless times, a scenario where a number of athletes came out at the same time might be more likely.
Regardless if it happens or not, hopefully it will, it is a flicker of hope. More than anything I've heard in American male team sports lately.
[ December 17, 2005, 05:46 PM: Message edited by: UM.REBELandTAMPA.BUCfan ]
As much as the source, I think there is another aspect of the story that may lend it credibility.
The alleged gay players, though three in number are seeking another eight. That would make the "magic number" of eleven. Just what a soccer team needs.
In the US I would read that as an indicator that it is a hoax perpetrated by a group of inebriated fans, or even players. But maybe not.
The alleged gay players, though three in number are seeking another eight. That would make the "magic number" of eleven. Just what a soccer team needs.
In the US I would read that as an indicator that it is a hoax perpetrated by a group of inebriated fans, or even players. But maybe not.
Three months ago I moved from the States to Englandfor a new academic post at a highly rated sports University (Bath). The question I have wanted to answer since arriving is how things vary in the gay dept?
Certainly England is more accepting in terms of institutional support -- as of Dec 15 gays and lesbians have all the benes as heteros ( anew civil-partnership act). However, I've yet to meet an openly gay athlete at my uni. There are some big name athletes that everybody knows are gay, but it seems that when it comes to the English, the thing to do is 'not make much of an issue about it' i.e. Dont Ask, Don't Tell.
Converesely, the use of the word fag and poof are simply NOT as prolific here as they are in American teamsports, when one rugby team found out that another had used such words as part of a singing ritual, they were infuriated - yet I had an easier time finding openly gay athletes in the States than here (perhaps I'm not well-connected enough yet).
In some ways I feel that England is almost post-gay. There is much less communal celebration here, many heteros do say 'my partner' and I've yet to have anybody bat an eye when they find out I'm gay. Worse (kidding) the gay bars are packed with heteros and are even (gasp) much more gender-integrated. The town's rugby club frequently comes by, and only one has been a dick thus far. Tiz a strange country I tell you.
I've told Jim that I'll find me some openly gay athletes here and write about the experential difference between the States and England for Outsports, but that article will just have to wait until I find some out athletes to write about.
What I can say, is that of all the institutions I've coached at, this is the first one in which people just don't give a shit that I'm gay. So much so that they don't even ask questions about it. There is none of that, 'oh wow, when did you know? Can you take me shopping?' stuff. It's mostly, 'cool, bring your partner to our pre-race dinner then.' I'm not sure I like being normal!Perhaps I'll move back to the States; say, Crawford, Texas?
Certainly England is more accepting in terms of institutional support -- as of Dec 15 gays and lesbians have all the benes as heteros ( anew civil-partnership act). However, I've yet to meet an openly gay athlete at my uni. There are some big name athletes that everybody knows are gay, but it seems that when it comes to the English, the thing to do is 'not make much of an issue about it' i.e. Dont Ask, Don't Tell.
Converesely, the use of the word fag and poof are simply NOT as prolific here as they are in American teamsports, when one rugby team found out that another had used such words as part of a singing ritual, they were infuriated - yet I had an easier time finding openly gay athletes in the States than here (perhaps I'm not well-connected enough yet).
In some ways I feel that England is almost post-gay. There is much less communal celebration here, many heteros do say 'my partner' and I've yet to have anybody bat an eye when they find out I'm gay. Worse (kidding) the gay bars are packed with heteros and are even (gasp) much more gender-integrated. The town's rugby club frequently comes by, and only one has been a dick thus far. Tiz a strange country I tell you.
I've told Jim that I'll find me some openly gay athletes here and write about the experential difference between the States and England for Outsports, but that article will just have to wait until I find some out athletes to write about.
What I can say, is that of all the institutions I've coached at, this is the first one in which people just don't give a shit that I'm gay. So much so that they don't even ask questions about it. There is none of that, 'oh wow, when did you know? Can you take me shopping?' stuff. It's mostly, 'cool, bring your partner to our pre-race dinner then.' I'm not sure I like being normal!Perhaps I'll move back to the States; say, Crawford, Texas?
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