Should More
Athletes Come Out the Closet?
Author Sharita
Lira
A year ago,
Michael Sam made history by becoming the first gay NFL player to be drafted.
Before that, NBA player Jason Collins made history by coming out as the first
athlete in one of the 4 major sports to announce he’s gay. The list continues
with Alan Gendreau, a place kicker from Middle Tennessee State, entering the
NFL draft and Kevin Grayson, a football player with the Italian Football league
also announced he was gay. With so much talk about athletes coming out, one has
to wonder will it be a benefit to anyone who is still uncomfortable with their
sexuality?
Many experts or
people watching the stories say yes; their courage will give other gay men and
women the strength to be happy with who they are. Perhaps it will assist gay
youth who believe there is no way out. Maybe move others to do the same thing.
On the other side of the coin, some say no.
Why?
Because these
athletes all have something in common; Michael Sam was cut by 2 NFL teams and
is currently about to play in Canada with the Montreal Alouettes. Gendreau
wasn’t drafted, Grayson plays overseas, and Collins was only signed by NBA team
because they needed a body. One could argue the fact they aren’t actually
playing in one of the four majors, shows the leagues still have a bias. No
fault of their own of course but, other athletes like them could say something
like, “Well I’m not coming out because it might cause me to lose my
opportunity.”
Much like in the
military when DADT was still in the effect, many service men and women worried
about their jobs and their safety. They feared being found out by their
superiors or their peers, which ultimately resulted in a dishonorable
discharge. After DADT’s repeal, they won’t get thrown out, but they still face
challenges. DOMA is dead and marriage equality is here, but the homophobia still
reigns. The majority might not care, but there’s always a few that take issue.
Don’t believe
it? Just Google tweets and posts by certain athletes disgusted when Sam kissed
his then boyfriend, Vito on television when drafted. Clearly, players are still
“worried” about being around gay men.
The NBA, NFL,
NHL, and MLB have had players come out after they’ve stopped playing, but we
have yet to have an active athlete in one of these sports to play in a major
league game after coming out. Just last week, Sean Conroy was the first active
gay player to throw in the majors. Still, he was playing in a minor league game. Will Conroy get to
play for a major baseball team? Only time will tell, but
judging by our other examples, this may not happen anytime soon.
Getting back to
the question, do you believe athletes should come out? In my opinion, it’s a
personal choice. It takes a great deal of courage to stand up and say the
words, especially with the world watching. Hopefully someday the leagues will
drop their bias and allow gay athletes to play along with their straight
teammates without creating an issue.
Blurb:
Every once in a while,
the average looking guy scores!
Robert McIntyre is a
closeted, average looking sports columnist for the Daily Read. Unfortunately,
his desire to stay in has cost him the chance at love more than once. However,
now it seems his luck will change since his editor has asked him to interview,
Jake Valenta. Jake and Robert knew one another in college and when he heard
from a mutual friend that Jake might be bisexual, Robert didn’t believe him.
Before Robert’s trip,
they discover a mutual affection for one another. Jake shares his desire to stay
behind closed doors because he can’t stand being called a fag, but desperately
wants Robert to be his man.
Robert and Jake want a
chance to reconnect on a more personal level, but will this budding
relationship ruin their careers?
Buy links:
Excerpt:
Later on that evening, Jake and I finished our meal and we returned to
the couch with wine and beers in hand. Jake is a masterful griller, cooking
steaks with side salads and corn on the cob. It had been a while since I had
such a filling and well cooked dinner. Most of the time in Chicago, my nights
were Chinese takeout or fast food burgers.
“Ah, now this is nice. You and me, on the sofa, drinking liquor with
sports on the TV. Can’t get any better than this.” Jake popped the cap on his
beer open.
“Yeah, well, the NBA isn’t one of my favorite sports, but I guess it
will have to do. It’s either that or hockey.” I cracked open the Merlot and
poured myself a glass.
“You’re not into either one?
“Nope. Baseball’s my first love. Football is second for me. I love
college and pro.”
“See I hate college football. I think it stems from our alma mater’s
pigskin team getting more recognition than we did.”
“Yeah, and they got all the funding too,” I added with a laugh. “The
NCAA knows college football can command more money than baseball, so they give
them more attention.”
“And they didn’t even deserve it. They went 7-4 last year, for fucking
last in the conference. We went to the playoffs and beat the number one seeded
team.”
“But no one likes college baseball.”
Jake waved his hand and took another swig of beer. “Ah, whatever. I’m
gone anyways, but it still sticks in my craw how they considered as
unimportant.”
“You weren’t irrelevant, just the team. What happened when you got to
single A, by the way? You weren’t seeing the ball, or…”
“I thought we were forgetting about the interview, Rob. Let’s save that
for when we talk on the record.”
“I am. I’m just curious, that’s all.”
“I haven’t got a clue, Rob. I just wasn’t picking up the pitches like I
should’ve.”
“Hm, well I’m glad everything’s going well now. The general manager was
wondering if he’d made the right choice with the pick. I knew you’d get it
together sooner or later.”
“You had faith in me?” Jake caressed my leg through my jeans and flashed
me a wry grin.
Feeling his hands on me again caused the adrenaline to rush through my
veins. I desired nothing more than to attack him on this couch and forget all
about the game on television. “I’ve always
had faith in you.”
About
the Muse and Author
Michael Mandrake pens complex characters already comfortable
with their sexuality. Thorough these, he builds worlds not centered on erotica
but rather the mainstream plots we might encounter in everyday life through
personal experiences or the media.
Author
Sharita Lira:
In one word, crazy. Just crazy enough to have 3 4 different muses running around in her head, driving her to sheer exhaustion with new plot bunnies and complex characters.
In addition to being a computer geek and a metalhead, Sharita loves live music, reading, and perusing the net for sexy men to be her muses. She’s also a founding member and contributor to the heavy metal ezine Fourteeng.net.
For more information, please visit http://www.thelitriad.com as well as her Facebook fanpage, The Literary Triad.
In one word, crazy. Just crazy enough to have 3 4 different muses running around in her head, driving her to sheer exhaustion with new plot bunnies and complex characters.
In addition to being a computer geek and a metalhead, Sharita loves live music, reading, and perusing the net for sexy men to be her muses. She’s also a founding member and contributor to the heavy metal ezine Fourteeng.net.
For more information, please visit http://www.thelitriad.com as well as her Facebook fanpage, The Literary Triad.
Rafflecopter
Code:
Prize:
3 Ebook copies of Reconnection
1 $5 Amazon GC
