In addition to the Boy Scouts, the National Football League may be the only major organization with a male membership that seems to think that there are no gay people in its ranks, even thought it should be obvious by now to even the dimmest bulb that gay people are present in every area of work and life and the only difference is whether the climate allows them to be open or not. But just as the Boy Scouts are beginning to take tentative steps towards acceptance of gays, so is the NFL. In fact, things are moving quite rapidly over there, with players from both the Baltimore Ravens and the San Francisco 49ers, the teams playing in today’s Super Bowl game, calling for equal treatment of gays.
Baltimore Ravens player Terrell Suggs says that he thinks that and his teammates would welcome a gay player in their midst. His teammate Brendon Ayanbadejo has gone even further, being an outspoken advocate for same-sex marriage and vowing to use the media platform offered by being in today’s Super Bowl game to push for LGBT rights. Other former players are saying that they knew of gay players on their teams and had no problem with them.
The one prominent exception to this welcome trend is San Francisco’s Chris Culliver who said in a radio interview that he did not want gay players on his team. In a telling sign of the times, he was swiftly countered by his own teammate Donte Whitner and even his own team management issued a statement saying, “The San Francisco 49ers reject the comments that were made yesterday, and have addressed the matter with Chris. There is no place for discrimination within our organization at any level. We have and always will proudly support the LGBT community.” Under that barrage, Culliver apologized for his remarks, pledging to “to learn and grow from this experience.”
Yes, the times they are a’changing all right.
The Daily Show comments on these developments.
(This clip was aired on January 29, 2013. To get suggestions on how to view clips of The Daily Show and The Colbert Report outside the US, please see this earlier post.)
Meanwhile in Australia, home of the no less manly game of Australian Rules football:
AFL (Australian Football League) players recently joined a Gay Pride march, the AFL has agreed to run anti homophobic ads on stadium screens during final games, the AFL is currently working on an anti-homophobia official policy and there are proposals for a Gay Pride game (regular fixtured game) this year.
Am I the only one who finds it ironic that the homophobic remarks came from someone who plays for San Francisco?
Why would the NFL even care what someone says about what they like or dislike. Can your employer now dictate how you feel or whether you can follow your religious beliefs? This world is definitely changing but pretty soon I will be condidered a criminal because my gun holds more that 10 rounds…give me flippin break!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
That’s good to hear.
But “no less manly”? From what I hear, it is one of the most bruising games there is.
Re dano @ #3
If one’s big mouth affects the employer’s bottom line, Mr. dano better believe that said employer will react accordingly.
Yep, that old snowball, she’s a rolling good now. In 10 years they’ll be claiming it was the Real True Christians who were in the forefront of the fight for gay rights.
One can only hope.
For those of you who appreciate schadenfreude, Culliver got burned repeatedly in tonight’s game.
This is older, but worth a read for those that missed it. It is a letter supporting gay marriage written by Chris Kluwe. It was in response to a Maryland State Delegate that took exception to Ayanbadejo’s support of gay marraige.
Really, no one will care if the guy can play. He wins games, they’ll want him on the team. It is amazing how quickly people can rationalize something, even if they are avowed bigots, if it is to their direct benefit.
One of the jokes about it that is the only rules it has are in its name.