The apology. We get it all the time from people who believe homosexuality is "wrong" or who just don't want to be around it.
Public figure: "I don't agree with being gay. I think it's wrong. I don't want that on my team."
Public: "Why would you say something so demeaning and damaging?"
Public figure's publicist (whispers): "Hurry up and issue an apology."
Public figure: "My apology."
The latest to walk down this road isn't an athlete but rather self-anointed Presidential candidate Ben Carson, who said I chose to be gay because men have sex with men in prison:
"Because a lot of people who go into prison go into prison straight — and when they come out, they're gay," Carson said. "So, did something happen while they were in there? Ask yourself that question."
Carson issued a totally meaningless apologize that didn't begin to address the fact that he still believes I chose to be gay. We've seen these apologies over and over again from the sports world. Carson is just the latest.
These fake apologies are annoying. You have guys like Tim Hardaway who really made good on his apology. Then you have others who just tell the public what they feel they need to tell the public.
This doesn't pertain to casual slip-ups like an athlete uttering a gay slur. People do make honest mistakes. Sure, if you're calling someone a gay slur there is some deeply ingrained homophobia in the back of your head. But this is really focused on those people who expound on their homophobia and stance against equality, then apologize for having been exposed.
If someone really wants to learn about LGBT issues and grow, I invite them to sit down with my friends and me for a meal. I'll cook. And I'm a good cook.
