It's been 10 years since Julian Rubenstein wrote an article about the failure of professional sports leagues to adequately address homosexuality. The article was titled, so appropriately, "Suffer in Silence." It seems this was a topic of discussion for a "Sports and Gender" class at Bowling Green University recently, as a couple students there have started blogs and posted their thoughts on the article and the class. Here are a couple snippets:
It's been 10 years since Julian Rubenstein wrote an article about the failure of professional sports leagues to adequately address homosexuality. The article was titled, so appropriately, "Suffer in Silence." It seems this was a topic of discussion for a "Sports and Gender" class at Bowling Green University recently, as a couple students there have started blogs and posted their thoughts on the article and the class. Here are a couple snippets:
From TJ Hon, who talks about homosexuality and sports in a couple posts:
Just as Jackie Robinson was great for breaking the color barrier, a significant gay athlete would be great for breaking the fear of homophobia. While strides are being made in racial and gender issues, let us not forget that there needs to be strides made in the area of sexual preference. If sports can tackle the obvious problem of homophobia, perhaps it would trigger a societal shift in the way we perceive homosexuals as a whole.
Nick M (cleaned up for typos):
I look at sport today and I just don’t see Americans cheering for a knowingly gay professional athlete. It just isn’t accepted in our society. … Rubenstein stated that “Men’s pro sport is so far from a dialogue on the topic it may actually be setting the modern standard for homophobia.” I agree with this statement completely there is no place for gays in men pro sports so those that are gay are forced to live a double life and not be able to openly express themselves.
