Last year, Jason Collins, an active National Basketball Association player came out of the closet proclaiming his homosexuality. A few male professional athletes have come out after their careers were over, but none during, except a boxer, also last year. Collins, a free agent, was never picked up by a team and is not playing today.
A highly-touted college football player from Missouri, Michael Sam, projected to be a high draft choice, just came out as a homosexual. We’ll see how the NFL teams in need of a defensive end will deal with him on draft day.
President Obama made a big deal out of publicly congratulating Collins. I saw Obama’s gesture as pandering to the gay community, probably because he dragged his political feet for so many years on the subject of gays in the military. He’ll probably jump on the Michael Sam bandwagon like his missus has already done.
It’s no big deal for women athletes to come out during their careers. Watching some lesbian women interviewed about their sport often makes it an easy guess as to their sexuality. When rookie Women’s pro phenom Brittney Greiner was interviewed on TV you would think she could sing baritone in a barbershop quartet if she could carry a tune. When Greiner came out I said, “Really? I thought she already was out.”
After years of grumbling, grousing, and fighting, the military finally allowed gays. Big deal. Gays and lesbians, and some transsexuals, have been police officers for a couple of decades with no more problems associated with their sexuality than among the straight cops. The only question we should ask is, “Can they do the job?”
Some of us might make comments, usually humorous, to friends in private we wouldn’t want to publicize. But, I believe words are only words until our actions give them meaning. That’s an original quote.
The downtown Cygnet Theater did a modern version of “Romeo and Juliet.” The only kicker was that the cast was all male. Fortunately, this play was something I could attend not. As for the gay flavor of some sitcoms on TV, I also have a remote channel changer. Television commercials now show gay couples and their families. Okay. Either buy their stuff, or don’t.
A female friend of mine is contemplating writing a book on men and how they have been emasculated by the women’s movement. She planned to include some treatment of the gay movement. Knowing her biblical politics, I asked if she thought homosexuality was a choice, or a fact of life. Without hesitation she said, “Choice.” I said, “You better re-think that concept. There’s no evidence it’s a choice and if you write that you’ll be barbecued.” She asked why I thought homosexuality was a fact.
I told her I know many homosexuals and lesbians, both friends and relatives. Several are comfortable with their sexuality. But, I also know some who wish they were straight for the reasons of simplicity and family relations. My uncle banned one of my cousins from attending her own mother’s funeral because she is a lesbian. Horrible. I’m not saying gay people would rather be straight. I’m saying it’s easier to be straight. Maybe some will disagree, but that’s my studied opinion.
There have been broken hearts, broken families and even suicides because people couldn’t come to terms with their homosexuality and lesbianism. I’ve never heard of a suicide because one couldn’t handle heterosexuality. To me, that points toward it being a “fact” rather than a choice.
I had a relative who struggled with his sexuality, trying to be a heterosexual. With his long-suffering wife he fathered four children until he finally gave in, left the family, and took up with his lover. He was in and out of the house for years. Given his years of uncertainty, tell me his sexuality was a choice. It was a fact, and he finally dealt with it.
We’ll see how some of the homophobes in the NFL treat Michael Sam.
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On Saturday, Feb. 22, I’ll be at the police exhibit at Heritage Museum, from noon to 3. The museum is in the 300 block of Third Ave. in Memorial Park. Admission is free.
