Does the word "faggot" in the locker room or any other sport setting or male setting have the same effect on a person as if it were used in a non-athletic, masculine setting? Why is that professional athletes fear or seem to fear gay men in professional sports? Is it because they think that if they have a gay team mate that the team as a whole will be viewed as gay also? Do they think that sport will be considered gay because of ONE gay player? (http://www.outsports.com/nfl/2003/1216millenmorton.htm)
In the Handbook (508) a sentence reads "The media frequently portrays male athletes as the epitome of hegemonic masculinity as strong, assertive athletes and active agents of heterosexuality". What has the media done recently with gay men in sports, have they tried to alter their auora and make them more masculine even if they know they are not heterosexual?
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I think that any man who is scared of gay men just doesn’t understand the concept. For some reason they think that they are going to be hit on or looked at differently by the gay person. This is not only false, but underestimates gay men in general. Just because the athlete is gay, doesn’t mean that he will be attracted to you, heterosexual men give themselves way too much credit.
By having one player openly admit that he or she is a homosexual does not turn the entire sport or team “gay.” It is ignorant to think that way. Let’s put it into this perspective: If one player of the team is black, does that make everyone on the team or involved in the sport black?
The use of the word “faggot” makes any male angry, whether gay or straight, when it is used in any situation. It is a degrading word that should never be used. In the Handbook of Sports and Media it is stated that “‘masculine’ sports are frequently discouraged via homophobic taunts and rude questions about their sexual orientation” (507). This kind of degrading conduct is socially unacceptable and is unnecessary in our sports society. But it is ironic that the word faggot is derogatory, while the word gay means “happy” and is socially acceptable.
Sexuality in sports wasn't an issue until recent decades as players began to reveal their homosexuality and the struggles their sexual preferences caused during their careers. As a result of the realization by the media and society of the struggles felt by these athletes, people like Jeremy Shockey and Matt Millen's derogatory homosexual comments are taken very seriously. The culture in sports is so masculine that these types of comments are meant to be negative and hurtful. They have become completely unacceptable as society has moved towards equality in sexuality.
Realistically, if an athlete is talented enough to make it to any professional sports team, they shouldn't be discriminated against for their sexual preference. According to the Handbook of Sports and Media, "the categories of homosexuality and heterosexuality are seen as recent discursive interventions, the product of proliferating knowledges imbued with power related to sexuality and not the natural expresion of an essential (or repressed) identity." (514) The biggest issue is athletes fear what they don't understand and all they feel is that playing sports is about being tough and masculine and has no place for homosexuals. I think that society is getting better and players are beginning to be more understanding of the potential for homosexual teammates.
After reading Jordan’s post, I couldn’t help but think of how male athlete’s act in the locker room. Taking showers together, walking around naked, smacking each other on the bum. When these acts are performed in the locker room by heterosexual male athletes it is deemed okay. It is socially acceptable for these straight men to conduct what is sometimes considered “gay” behavior. So when looking at these questions, it seems kind of ironic. Male locker room behavior is well known. The behavior is notorious for being 100% okay in the locker room, but if seen doing it outside of the locker room or not in uniform, it is looked at in a whole different angle: 100% gay. I think that the word “faggot” is highly offensive no matter what situation it is used in. I believe that it is probably used with ease and in a “joking” manner in the locker room – but that is probably just as much as it is used in regular people’s everyday conversation. I believe that heterosexual male athletes view homosexuality as fearful because of stereotypes. Athletes are stereotyped as being macho, manly, and masculine. Homosexuals are stereotyped as being fruity, flimsy, and feminime. They are complete opposites of each other. I believe that straight male athletes have the perception that if gay men were to play their sport, their sport would be considered gay. As noted in MediaSport, in relation to gay assumptions of players, “masculine sports are frequently discouraged via homographic taunts and rude questions about their sexual orientation” (507). I think that they would think that the competitiveness, manliness, and perception of the sport would be downgraded because of a homosexual player. I do believe that since there is such a strong negativity towards gay athletes that just one homosexual player could “lower” the reputation of a team by the fellow teammates. They fear their reputation as a tough team, full of manly men, and I believe that they feel that the gay athlete would weaken their team.
I believe that men that are not comfortable with a homosexual teammate or player in the league are not comfortable with themselves. Homosexuality with men and women are very different. Most men think less of a man with a homosexual orientation, but most women applaud homosexual women for coming out and expressing their true feelings. I do not feel that calling someone a “faggot” in a sports setting or in everyday life is appropriate, but unfortunately, there are always going to be inconsiderate people. The fact that male athletes feel that if a teammate is gay that they will automatically be attracted to you is ridiculous. These athletes need to step down from their pedestals and realize that just because they are famous and possibly good-looking, does not mean that every person in the world, including homosexuals, is attracted to you.
I agree with Jordan when he says that male athletes who have a gay teammate are concerned that the entire team or sport will be viewed that way as well. You see this often in male figure skating. While some of the men are homosexual, the other straight men are automatically viewed as gay because the sport does not involve heavy hitting or have an ounce of masculinity related to it. Granted figure skating is much harder than it looks, but it is considered a feminine sport. I feel that people who think this way are truly ignorant and it is wrong to classify an entire team or sport because of one player. There have been many NFL players that have been in trouble with the law; does that mean its okay to call all football players criminals?
One thing that I don’t understand is that in many male sports, teammates are constantly congratulating each other by slapping each other on the rear. Most of the men that partake in this activity are homophobic but because it is done by a heterosexual to another heterosexual, it is not “gay”. I find this very interesting. If there was a homosexual player on a team, would his or her teammates not congratulate them in this way? If not, I go back to my case that a player is then not comfortable with their own sexuality.
I believe the media has a lot to do with the way homosexual athletes are viewed. Page 508 of the Handbook states, “the media frequently portrays male athletes as the epitome of hegemonic masculinity as strong, assertive athletes and active agents of heterosexuality.” Because of the way the media views male athletes, it makes it very difficult for a homosexual male athlete to be open about his preferences in the fear that he will not be accepted by his peers. Unfortunately, the media has such a strong hold over people that this causes many athletes to retire early or quit just to avoid the taunting from other players. This world is made up of many different personalities and until the day that everyone can accept everyone else, the issue of homosexuality will continue to be at the forefront.
I feel like using the word faggot does have a stronger meaning in a locker room than it does in any other setting. I was apart of a locker room once and it would not have bothered me if one of my teammates was homosexual but for a lot of athletes it does bother them. I am not exactly sure why it bothers them, as long as they don’t hit on the other guys then it shouldn’t be a problem. Or maybe they feel that having a feminine personality in the locker room would be a bad thing. As our handbook shows it goes for the same thing with lesbian athletes as well, “ many lesbian Athletes who do participate are too often forced to live in fear and silence.” (508)
It’s a shame because having a gay athlete doesn’t mean that the locker room is more feminine than others or not as masculine as others. Gay athletes put out the same hard effort as straight athletes so there is no reason to judge them differently. I feel that the media recently has done a good job of doing feature stories of gay athletes to show what they go through and how they have to live their lives. I feel it has opened up people’s eyes to what really goes on.
I do not think those words are said different meanings or intentions, but because of the sporting background every sense is heightened. Men use those words as insults to make other men feel less masculine. An athlete using these words means the same thing, but when they are brought into the sports arena people react differently because any sport or athletic activity is supposed to be the ultimate masculinity.
Athletes are afraid of other gay athletes because of locker room behavior. In a locker room guys flaunt their naked bodies and have an open comraderie with one another. Everyone feels comfortable and the same. If a gay man is introduced the situation changes, I'm not saying that it should change, but it does. Men need to start looking at other men as just that and not differentiate between gay and straight. A gay man isnt going to change to atmosphere of a locker room, but because athletes do not know how to deal or cope with him, they will act as if everything has changed.
Athletes are supposedly what a man is supposed to be, act like, and look like. Using brute masculinity and force to run someone over is what being a man is supposed to be about. Sports are often viewed as masculine, so if a sport has a gay athlete he almost doesn't belong by societies stereotypes. unfortunately people are still scared of anything different, and need to be more understanding and accepting.
The handbook quote used from page 508 sums up everything I have been saying. the media has recently tried to show that gay athletes can compete at the same level as straight athletes. They are bringing accomplished gay athletes into the attention of other in the hope that athletes and owners, coaches, fan, etc will all understand that being gay or straight doesn't affect the performance of an athlete. It does not change the way the athlete performs and shouldn't change how his teammates perform and act around him. The media seems to be trying to make people more tolerable and understanding.
I think the issue of the mistreatment of homosexual athletes goes back to the idea of gender stereotypes. Femininity is expected in female sports, masculinity is expected in male sports. In Chapter 6, Wenner blatantly states, “Homosexuality doesn’t sell” (96). I think this helps to answer Jordan’s question about whether one gay player gives the whole team a “gay” reputation. As far as we have come in achieving equality in sexuality, I think sports fans still have a major issue with homosexual players. I think this could definitely have an impact on a team in terms of advertising revenue and fan viewership.
I think athletes’ discomfort with homosexuality in sports always seems to come back to the locker room. While this is an understandable concern, just because a player is gay does not mean that they are going to come on to you. Athletes who come out have a hard enough time dealing with the disapproval from the sports world as it is, that I don’t think they would ever risk the respect of their teammates in the locker room. Most players have no idea that their teammate is gay until they come out - it should not make a difference when they simply confirm the fact. It should be an athlete’s skill level and contribution to the team that matters, not their sexual preference.
In Chapter 6, Wenner discusses an incident in 1995 when CBS golf commentator Ben Wright said that “lesbians in the sport hurt women’s golf,” claiming that they’re “too butch” for the game (97). While we want to say that we have made progress in accepting sexuality, it is clear that even 13 years later the idea of “female physicality” and “male femininity” in sports is still far from being readily received by the sports industry, fans, and the media.
First of all, I feel as though any male should be able to play professional or non-professional sports regardless of their sexual orientation. I also feel the same should go for females. As for the word "faggot" I do not feel as though it should be said in any lockerroom because you never know if there are any gay persons in the room. I also feel that no matter where the word "faggot" is used, it will have the same effect on a person.
Many athletes are homophobic and point derogatory slurs at others, and I agree with Jordan, that is sad. Unfortunately, I believe there is a stereotype placed on gay athletes which is why professional athletes fear gay men in professional sports. The stereotype is the fact that gay men are less masculaine than straight men. Therefore, many feel they are not as strong as straight men and will be a weakness to the team.
If one teammate is gay, the other teammates should not feel as though they will be portrayed as gay as well. And even if others do think that way, professional athletes who are straight know their orientation and should not care what others think. They should support their teammates no matter what their teammate's sexual orientation is. Also, I do not think a sport will be considered a gay sport just because of athletes who play the sport and are gay.
On page 565 of the Handbook, a passage states, "By now it should be clear that various aspects of the social world impact both media production and consumption." With that being said, homosexuality is one of the most talked about social issues. Therefore, I feel if the media has the opportunity to tie the social issue into athletics they will. For example, if there is a professional team controversey over a teammate who is gay I am willing to bet the media will cover the story, either negativey or positively. In response to Jordan's question, I feel as though the media views male althetes as extremely masculine and strong. Therefore, I feel less and less gay athletes will come out in public about their sexual orientation in fear of being looked down upon for it. However, no one should be looked down upon in athletics or in everyday life when it comes to being gay or straight.
I agree with Danielle, the athletes who seem to be afraid of a gay man on their team don't understand the concept of gay. Just because a man is gay, doesn't mean he tries to hit on every man he sees. It would be one thing if a player came on to another in the locker room, then they would have a case. The problem is homosexuality, although it has made leaps and bounds toward acceptance in our society, is nowhere near where it needs to be before a straight man will feel comfortable showering with a gay man. The fact that the media makes such a large story out of a player "coming out" like John Aemechi did last year shows just how taboo the idea of gay men in sports is in our society. Not only men, but women alike feel the pressure from society and the media to keep their homosexuality in the closet. As the Handbook says, "..homophobia means that many women also fail to fully participate in sport and the many lesbian athletes who do participate are too often forced to live in fear and silence."
Public homophobic comments by Jeremy Shockey and Matt Millen only add to the fear and insecurity of gay athletes.
"The media frequently portrays male athletes as the epitome of hegemonic masculinity as strong, assertive athletes and active agents of heterosexuality". The media plays a huge role in what our society thinks. If the media portrays it as acceptable, the it becomes easier for our society to accept. I don’t think that the media should portray them in a different light. An athlete is an athlete no matter their sexuality. Athletes are drafted based on how they engage on the field, not who they engage with in the bedroom. I believe that the use of the word "faggot" in the locker room or any other sport setting has less effect on a person as if it were used in a non-athletic, masculine setting. Men use terms like those all the time to try and seem stronger than the other. It’s more common and accepted in sports because sports are a competition of who’s the stronger man. I don’t think that professional athletes fear gay men in professional sports, I just think it makes some a little uncomfortable.
Settings such as locker rooms where everyone is naked could be a contributor for one being uncomfortable. My brother had played in the minors and experienced this first hand. He told me that he was never uncomfortable in the locker room or on the baseball field because he would never be able to tell they were gay. He also told me a story about the only uncomfortable experience in a locker room, and it was from a heterosexual. He was in the shower and another player came over and tried to shower on the same shower head as him. Because the player was from a different country he just tried to explain to him how that’s not acceptable behavior in the locker room, and to not do it again. I don’t think that athletes would think that if they have a gay team mate that the team as a whole will be viewed as gay. I think to be an athlete at that level you have to have a certain amount of confidence, and I believe that anyone with that amount of confidence would not compare themselves to their teammates in such a way. I don’t think that a certain sport would be considered gay because of one gay player. I think that our society is already so stereotypical set in what sports seem “gay” and which ones “real men” play, so if you have gay members on your team, you wont be viewed as gay as well. I think that the media has to the power to make the sports community understand, and since they have such great control over the public they should use it to make the homosexual players feel equal.
Sexuality has become a growing issue through sports in recent times. As the ideas of homosexuality have become more accepted in society, it seems the opposite has occurred in professional sports. To this day, few athletes have come of out the closet, admitting they are gay, but even those that do say it was very difficult out of fear.
In the Handbook of Sports and Media it is stated that “‘masculine’ sports are frequently discouraged via homophobic taunts and rude questions about their sexual orientation” (507). In other words, the idea of sports is supposed to be masculine and in professional sports people find it hard to believe some who is gay or is a "faggot" cannot be masculine.
This a stereotypical idea from those in sports, that a gay athlete cannot perform on the level as a straight man. However, sexuality should have no barring on a player, s/he should be held to a standard based on their on the field performance, rather than off the field choices.
John Amaechi became the first NBA player to admit his sexuality. However, an ex teammate, Tim Hardaway, bashed Amaechi claiming 'I hate gay people'. Amaechi admitting this was why he did not want to come out because there was an ongoing problem throughout the locker rooms of homophobic slurs. Amaechi says, "I don't need Tim's comments to realixe there is a problem". (http://www.gay.com/news/article.html?coll=news_articles&sernum=2007/02/15/1&page=2). Amaechi bring up a great point, he was a great teammate, performed at a high level and helped his team win games. All of which had nothing to do with his sexuality.
Homophibia is an ongoing problem in sports, as society slowly begins to accept the idea, so should sports. Just because a sport is physical or masculine does not mean a gay player should be held in a different standard.
This idea of professional athletes not being able to accept a homosexual on their team and in their locker room is absurd. I really can't understand what a person's sexual preference has to do with competitive sports.
I mean it's one thing if a gay teammate is coming onto you and making you uncomfortable but simply having a gay teammate shouldn't be as much of an issue as it is. To me, that's just as stupid as taking issue with a teammate who listens to music that you don't like in the locker room. You're part of a team so there has to be give and take. Why should the hetero-sexual athlete get more of a say than the gay athlete? They should be equals no matter what.
Page 507 of the Handbook talks about how professional sports have served as a means of "bolstering a challenged and faltering ideology of male superiority." If this is truly the case, perhaps that's why professional athletes have so much trouble accepting a gay teammate. To me, it makes no difference because that person is still a superior athlete that is able to compete at a professional level. That in itself should provide enough "masculinity" to satisfy the rest of the team.
I think it's quite simple. If you're good enough to compete at the professional level and hold you're own, it really shouldn't matter what your sexual preferences are. That sort of thing has no bearing on what goes on in between the lines and ultimately that's what sports are all about.
It should be an after thought. No one says you have to be best friends with that individual but you do need to respect that teammate as a person, a teammate, and a professional athlete.
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