When the Chicago Bulls’ Joakim Noah last week hurled a gay slur toward a fan in Miami, he became the third sports star in less than two months to do so.
His words are a sign of a bigger problem within the male sports world ”“ and American culture ”“ which needs to be addressed.
Noah’s remarks came after a heckling fan irritated the basketball player. Noah apologized immediately after the game and the NBA fined him $50,000.
In early April, Los Angeles Lakers star Kobe Bryant unleashed a tirade at a referee filled with several words that gay people may find offensive. The NBA fined Bryant $100,000. The referee’s crime? He called a foul on Bryant, which led to Bryant’s outburst.
In early May, Atlanta Braves pitching coach Roger McDowell hurled gay epithets at several fans in San Francisco during a game. McDowell also made gestures that were inappropriate as children sat near.
These behaviors are more than moments of angered weakness. They are symbols of society’s thoughts and feelings toward homosexuality. They represent a bigotry and senseless hatred that should not be tolerated.
These actions signify that homosexuality still frightens people in a way it shouldn’t, and major league sports should use McDowell’s, Bryant’s and Noah’s actions as a catalyst to fight the problem.
The NBA has produced a PSA featuring players Grant Hill and Jared Dudley.
“Using ”˜gay’ to mean ”˜dumb’ or ”˜stupid’ ”¦ Not cool,” Hill says in the commercial, which is running during playoff games.
“It is offensive to gay people,” Dudley adds.
More needs to be done, however.
A PSA is a start, but complete education of homosexuality needs to occur if society is ever going to accept gay people as equal and eliminate such bigotry.
Male professional sports seem to have the most problems with gay athletes. A few former professional male athletes have announced they were gay, but that was after their playing days ended.
According to an article on CNN.com, former NBA player John Amaechi announced he was gay after his five-year career ended. Soon after his announcement, Amaechi said he still remembered the striking harshness of NBA star Tim Hardaway’s proclamation of homophobia on a sports radio show.
“First of all, I wouldn’t want him on my team,” Hardaway told a radio host in 2007, the article reports. “You know, I hate gay people, so I let it be known. I don’t like gay people, and I don’t like to be around gay people. I am homophobic. I don’t like it. It shouldn’t be in the world or in the United States.”
Hardaway’s response was callous, and if a person lashed out against a religion or an ethnicity with the same veracity, that person would face tremendous societal backlash.
When people use racial epithets, or disparage a race or religion others are quick to let them know those words are not acceptable, but people are not so quick to step in when “gay” is used in the same way. This should not be tolerated.
Sports figures must understand ”“ whether they like it or not ”“ they are public figures and role models. They should carefully consider their actions and instead of using their words to spew hate, they should instead use those words to espouse tolerance and acceptance.
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Questions? Comments? Contact Managing Editor Kristen Schulze Muszynski by calling 282-1535, Ext. 322, or via e-mail at kristenm@journaltribune.com.
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