Homophobia at the Hoops

Tim Hardaway's homophobic radio rant a few weeks ago about John Amaechi coming out, have brought the issue of homophobia in professional sports once again into the spotlight. Most days, when I see or hear of another gay or lesbian person accomplishing something great and raising the bar a few more inches for the rest of us, it heartens me when I think of how far gay and lesbian and transgendered people have come in the last forty years. Then, when I turn on the news and have to listen to a creep like Hardaway give vent to such shockingly ignorant and hateful views, I am shaken awake once again at how far we have still to go, before being gay is seen as being about as controversial everywhere as being left-handed or a Republican.

What really gets my goat though, is when I hear gay people disparaging events like Gay Pride with a bored, "seen it all, been there, done that" kind of attitude. Or worse yet, when I hear those gays and lesbians who would do away with gay ghettos and neighbourhoods that are predominantly gay because they argue, "it marginalizes us", I see red.

Don't they realize that attitudes like Hardaway's would marginalize us into non-existence if they had their way? Events like Gay Pride and places and neighbourhoods where its O.K. to walk hand in hand with your boyfriend (or girlfriend) are terribly important for young people just coming out, who are feeling fragile in that process and need a place and environment of emotional safety so that they can breathe easily about being who they are. Especially if they grew up in remote areas where just being gay can get you killed.

Attitudes like Hardaway's remind us that there is a large contingency who would like nothing more than to be rid of us. It's discouraging, but it's also a healthy wake-up call. We're not out of the woods yet, kids. We've got to keep moving forward and fighting for equality just like every other group that has ever been ranked second class has ever had to do. We can't afford to take anything for granted, and we can't afford to forget that hateful attitudes like Hardaway's are out there, because they certainly won't.

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http://sports.espn.go.com/nba/news/story?id=2766213