lgb athletes (Page 2)

People are bullied for being over wieght. My sister was tormented her whole life. Yet there are many sucsessful, likable, and inspirational people in the public eye that are overweight. Heck, just look at Oprah and all the things she does.... yet over weight kids get picked on every day still.

Kids are just evil. Kids pick on other kids for all reasons imaginable.... I'm not saying it is OK.

Asalzwed - 2012-08-27 12:03 AM

powerman - 2012-08-26 10:13 PM

jgaither - 2012-08-26 8:57 PM

Just to be clear, you're comparing to CHOOSING to pierce your face 100 times and implant horns to being born homosexual (not by choice), and then wondering about the expectations of being treated like everyone else.  Maybe we should treat black people differently, or maybe we should treat those born with cleft pallets differently.  I understand the comparison you're trying to make, but homosexuality isn't "trying to be different".  Frankly it isn't even "different" in the larger scheme of things.

True... but I am talking about a mind set. And for the record, I am not at all talking about a "choice" in any way shape or form.

It isn't different, say if I had diabetes... in great shape, ate well, diabetic... that went everywhere expecting others to accept and cater to that... no donuts at the office, ask the waiter why they don't have an adequate menu... That I went out of my way to let everyone know and accept me based on that condition unique to me... no... don't read into that... I'm not saying LGBT is a "condition"...

In general life there are those that are naturally confrontational, and those that are not. They just go about their business. I do have several friends that are LGBT, and it is not an issue. Heck, in day to day life I don't even think about it. They just go about their business, which happens to be getting married soon. It isn't a big deal, and they don't make it one.

I understand what you are saying. I'm kind of one of those "under the radar LGBTs" In general i prefer to just be who i am and not make a big deal about whom i choose to be with and let people get to know me for all that i am, not just my sexual preference. However, i do find it to be an issue that professional athletes (mostly but not exclusively male) don't feel comfortable coming out.

Why?  I'm not judging, I'm asking, and I'm curious as to why it's an issue to you since you obviously don't make an issue of your own sexuality.

Asalzwed - 2012-08-27 12:15 AM

Left Brain - 2012-08-27 12:05 AM

Asalzwed - 2012-08-27 12:03 AM

powerman - 2012-08-26 10:13 PM

jgaither - 2012-08-26 8:57 PM

Just to be clear, you're comparing to CHOOSING to pierce your face 100 times and implant horns to being born homosexual (not by choice), and then wondering about the expectations of being treated like everyone else.  Maybe we should treat black people differently, or maybe we should treat those born with cleft pallets differently.  I understand the comparison you're trying to make, but homosexuality isn't "trying to be different".  Frankly it isn't even "different" in the larger scheme of things.

True... but I am talking about a mind set. And for the record, I am not at all talking about a "choice" in any way shape or form.

It isn't different, say if I had diabetes... in great shape, ate well, diabetic... that went everywhere expecting others to accept and cater to that... no donuts at the office, ask the waiter why they don't have an adequate menu... That I went out of my way to let everyone know and accept me based on that condition unique to me... no... don't read into that... I'm not saying LGBT is a "condition"...

In general life there are those that are naturally confrontational, and those that are not. They just go about their business. I do have several friends that are LGBT, and it is not an issue. Heck, in day to day life I don't even think about it. They just go about their business, which happens to be getting married soon. It isn't a big deal, and they don't make it one.

I understand what you are saying. I'm kind of one of those "under the radar LGBTs" In general i prefer to just be who i am and not make a big deal about whom i choose to be with and let people get to know me for all that i am, not just my sexual preference. However, i do find it to be an issue that professional athletes (mostly but not exclusively male) don't feel comfortable coming out.

Why?  I'm not judging, I'm asking, and I'm curious as to why it's an issue to you since you obviously don't make an issue of your own sexuality.

Well the number one issue, I think, is that these athletes shouldn't feel like they can't come out and be who they are for fear of losing sponsorship deals, their job, their friends and maybe their family.

I bet that changes with the next generation.  I can only give my opinion based on what I see with my own children and their friends.  Based on that.......nobody will care 20 years from now.  I know, that seems like a long time, but it was, apparently, a long bridge to cross.  

I don't have a comment on that.....I was not very accepting in my youth, but I learned. All I can do is say I was wrong and not pass it on.  This latest generation already gets it.  Watch and see.

Asalzwed - 2012-08-26 11:03 PM

powerman - 2012-08-26 10:13 PM

jgaither - 2012-08-26 8:57 PM

Just to be clear, you're comparing to CHOOSING to pierce your face 100 times and implant horns to being born homosexual (not by choice), and then wondering about the expectations of being treated like everyone else.  Maybe we should treat black people differently, or maybe we should treat those born with cleft pallets differently.  I understand the comparison you're trying to make, but homosexuality isn't "trying to be different".  Frankly it isn't even "different" in the larger scheme of things.

True... but I am talking about a mind set. And for the record, I am not at all talking about a "choice" in any way shape or form.

It isn't different, say if I had diabetes... in great shape, ate well, diabetic... that went everywhere expecting others to accept and cater to that... no donuts at the office, ask the waiter why they don't have an adequate menu... That I went out of my way to let everyone know and accept me based on that condition unique to me... no... don't read into that... I'm not saying LGBT is a "condition"...

In general life there are those that are naturally confrontational, and those that are not. They just go about their business. I do have several friends that are LGBT, and it is not an issue. Heck, in day to day life I don't even think about it. They just go about their business, which happens to be getting married soon. It isn't a big deal, and they don't make it one.

I understand what you are saying. I'm kind of one of those "under the radar LGBTs" In general i prefer to just be who i am and not make a big deal about whom i choose to be with and let people get to know me for all that i am, not just my sexual preference. However, i do find it to be an issue that professional athletes (mostly but not exclusively male) don't feel comfortable coming out (for a number of reasons, I'm sure.)

That's cool... you know, I'm probably just looking at this under a micro scope. As with any other thing human there is probably a whole range of things that take care of themselves day in day out. That just because one person may be "confrontational" does not make a whole issue so. Regardless I'm sure it will be the same as other stuff and awearness is the first step towards acceptance.

it may not be an issue for YOU, but it can be for them.  they live with it every day.  the right to marry is only in certain states, and most of those only recently.  being a straight white male, you just don't really understand.  i'm not gay and can't even begin to wrap my mind around what they go through, but i am a woman in a very male industry and deal with these prejudices all the time.  i have had people ask for the "real" engineer to call next time because the young female couldn't possibly be one.  i imagine it's not much different than being overlooked as an athelete because a gay man couldn't possibly be a great one...i don't wake up every day feeling like a persecuted woman, but there are certainly days that i leave work wishing i could just give up.  i'm not confrontational about it, but i do have to live with it.

Yeah, we don't understand anything.

Does being attacked, spit on, having my home and vehicles vandalized, and called every name under the sun because of the uniform I was wearing count? 

I'm sorry I'm a white male....can we move on now?

Probably not, because you chose your profession. Not the issue in this thread.

Left Brain - 2012-08-27 12:22 AM

Asalzwed - 2012-08-27 12:15 AM

Left Brain - 2012-08-27 12:05 AM

Asalzwed - 2012-08-27 12:03 AM

powerman - 2012-08-26 10:13 PM

jgaither - 2012-08-26 8:57 PM

Just to be clear, you're comparing to CHOOSING to pierce your face 100 times and implant horns to being born homosexual (not by choice), and then wondering about the expectations of being treated like everyone else.  Maybe we should treat black people differently, or maybe we should treat those born with cleft pallets differently.  I understand the comparison you're trying to make, but homosexuality isn't "trying to be different".  Frankly it isn't even "different" in the larger scheme of things.

True... but I am talking about a mind set. And for the record, I am not at all talking about a "choice" in any way shape or form.

It isn't different, say if I had diabetes... in great shape, ate well, diabetic... that went everywhere expecting others to accept and cater to that... no donuts at the office, ask the waiter why they don't have an adequate menu... That I went out of my way to let everyone know and accept me based on that condition unique to me... no... don't read into that... I'm not saying LGBT is a "condition"...

In general life there are those that are naturally confrontational, and those that are not. They just go about their business. I do have several friends that are LGBT, and it is not an issue. Heck, in day to day life I don't even think about it. They just go about their business, which happens to be getting married soon. It isn't a big deal, and they don't make it one.

I understand what you are saying. I'm kind of one of those "under the radar LGBTs" In general i prefer to just be who i am and not make a big deal about whom i choose to be with and let people get to know me for all that i am, not just my sexual preference. However, i do find it to be an issue that professional athletes (mostly but not exclusively male) don't feel comfortable coming out.

Why?  I'm not judging, I'm asking, and I'm curious as to why it's an issue to you since you obviously don't make an issue of your own sexuality.

Well the number one issue, I think, is that these athletes shouldn't feel like they can't come out and be who they are for fear of losing sponsorship deals, their job, their friends and maybe their family.

I bet that changes with the next generation.  I can only give my opinion based on what I see with my own children and their friends.  Based on that.......nobody will care 20 years from now.  I know, that seems like a long time, but it was, apparently, a long bridge to cross.  

I don't have a comment on that.....I was not very accepting in my youth, but I learned. All I can do is say I was wrong and not pass it on.  This latest generation already gets it.  Watch and see.

I am hoping that is the case.

Coming back to the OP, change doesn't just happen. It's something that we need to work for and I guess that is kind of what I was commenting on. That some of us that are more passive need to step up in order to help move the change along so that nobody will care in 20 years. 

It is patently ridiculous to assume that white males have never been the object of bias, predjudice, or ridicule for something about themselvs that they have no control over. 

When they have been the subject of something say for their religion and they came out about it they were considered role models correct? I think that is all the OP was talking about was positive role models in sports and somehow we went from that to arguing if white males have been discriminated against. Wow people are silly.

x2 - quite interesting how some people just have to make every thread about them.

But it is the same thing... in the real world, there are those that don't mind, those that do. Those that do something about it, those that accept it and move on. Those that inspire, those that attract the wrong attention... not every person reacts the exact same to every situation.

If you are a human being, and have been around other human beings, then you have been subjected to prejudice. Yet some people think that their injustice trumps everyone else's... yet not every one that has suffered the same injustice thinks that way.

I have curly hair, but when I went to school, everyone had straight. So I blew it dry, but it just turned into a fro. You have no idea what kind of serious problems that can cause an insecure teenager. Yes I got picked on, got made fun of. People would say my mom must have slept with a black man and if I knew who my dad was. Some people would get in a lot of fights over that. Some people might shoot up a school over that. Some people might end their life over that. Some people might lead a cause to make bullies stop being bullies. Some people might just buzz their head. Some people might not care. Some might color it blue and turn it into spikes...

Which was how we got here... because I was told that as a white male hetero.. there is no way possible for me to be able to understand feeling like a complete freak. Feeling like I am the only one in the world, that something is wrong with me, something is broke in me... ya, I could not possibly begin to even imagine how that would feel.

  Nebraska has a university?

all the "here's another gay" "let's find another gay" stuff is getting old.  

your race and gender are predetermined before you're even born, you have no choice.  Everything you do after you're born into this world is entirely up to you.

Sorry, but that is scientifically incorrect.  Homosexuality is no more a choice than race or gender. 

on the contrary, science has not proven nor isolated ANY gene to say it is predisposition.  wishful thinking at best.

http://www.apa.org/helpcenter/sexual-orientation.aspx

For more info.  Just one of many sites that talk about it as not a choice.