Study Examines Homophobia In College Athletics

[kweerwolf]

A new study on homophobia in college sports calls it the elephant in the locker room.

University of New Hampshire associate professor of kinesiology Heather Barber and Vikki Krane of Bowling Green State University have been examining homophobic in athletics for more than five years.

What they found was despite the benefits of team sports LGBT athletes and coaches are usually hidden in a deep, dark closet.

“Sexual orientation in sport, while it has been alluded to forever, really hasn’t been spoken about,” says Barber. “We call it the elephant in the locker room.”

http://www.365gay.com/Newscon06/04/041306Sport.htm

[bliss_eternal]

1. Which probably sets the stage for pro-athletics...

sadly. Where one would rather do just about anything than to come out as a pro-athlete, fearing loss of endorsements, fans, the trust and respect of teammates, etc.

[Occulus]

2. add to it that jocks can do no wrong

and suddenly you have a very deeply repressive atmosphere.

[ThomCat]

3. Which neatly explains

why the jocks on campus are often one of the vocal bastions of open, raw homophobia.

[Occulus]

4. That sentiment actually extends to many other areas as well

As a (former) musician, and a damn good one at that, I can state definitively that I was a far better musician than any of our athletes were athletes, and I had to work two or three times harder than them to get less than half the credit they received.

It's not just homophobia- it's every other subject that doesn't involve sports. They treat "bookworms" just as badly.

[terrya]

6. I just finished reading Esera Tuaolo's book.

"Alone in the Trenches" (an excellent book, btw). Tuaolo was a former pro football player for several years...played in the Super Bowl...and he's also gay.

In his book, he said that homophobia is so entrenched, so ingrained in pro football that it will be many, many years before a gay man can get the courage to publically come out during his career.

It's so sad. But he knows more than I, obviously. It's going to be a long time before we can be open about our sexual orientation in professional sports.

[bliss_eternal]

7. Wow--that's a major statement on his part...

Sounds like a fascinating book. You're right, It is sad. He's probably lived his entire life--not being able to be free in who he was with any of his colleagues, from fear of what they may do or say and how that could ultimately affect his career. :(

While watching the second season of "The L Word" I wondered about this issue a lot. If there was a difference for women athletes vs. male athletes in terms of coming out. I also wondered if some sports were more tolerant of athletes coming out than others. In the show, (for anyone reading this unfamiliar with that season)a character is a professional tennis player worried about how it will affect her career if she comes out.

It really made me think about that, as I recall some controversy when a pro figure skater admitted being gay. I wonder if in some sports there is more stigma or less--or if they are all predominately intolerant of differing sexuality.

Either way, I'm sure all areas of sports could stand some growth regarding this issue given they are a reflection of the world they exist in--usa still has a loooong way to go on this.

[xchrom]

5. this study was primarily about lesbians in sports?

i found some of the comments fascinating -- barber talks about how it is being talked{homophobia} more -- i wonder when we can move to the phase when we actually encourage athletes to come out or recruit openly gay athletes?

[Uncle Roy]

8. OutSports.com is a good resource on this issue.

www.outsports.com

[ShalachEtAmi]

9. Swimming...

I always wondered how come Gay guys always excelled so much ,especially in swimming.

Quite a few Olympic gold medalists.

Just about every gay guy I know is a self described `Jock` with a `Swimmer`s` build....