The whole “gay guys don’t like sports” thing is pretty tired. I don’t find it offensive in any way, it’s just tired. We’ve seen it literally for decades, played out in the mainstream media, and over-played-out in the LGBTQ media. Many gay guys looooooove to point out how little they know about sports or like sports. Again, not offensive, just old.
So it’s nice to see a film play with all of that in a fun way while using it to undermine other stereotypes about sports and men in our community.
Enter “Sports!” a new short film directed by gay social media influencer Kyle Krieger.
The short takes place mostly on a basketball court, where Zach (played perfectly by Zach Graves) has brought his “thirsty, nosey roommate” Eduardo to shoot some hoops with straight bro Cody. Zach and Eduardo are both gay, each representing various colors of interest and manner on the many rainbows that make up our community.
The basketball is, for the first half of the film, little more than the milieu for Eduardo to act really, really, really stereotypically gay, while Zach and Cody are off dribbling and shooting. At one point Cody can’t help but laugh at Eduardo’s antics.
Yet the second half takes a turn, giving the Heisman to gay-sports stereotypes for a couple nice moments as Cody shows that, no, straight athletes don’t give a crap if you’re gay. But every once in a while, it’s not hard for them to figure it out.
It’s cute. It’s fun. And ultimately the short sends a couple great messages about gay men being besties with other gay men who aren’t like them… and the acceptance they can both find on a basketball court.
