9/07/2008

Fields of Better Dreams

Many consider fall to be the greatest time to be an American sports fan. Between baseball and football, with a whiff of basketball on the horizon, there's plenty of great action, great characters, compelling storylines, big games and heroic champions. That's a lot for any lover of sports to love, but not so much anymore for this sports lover.

Now when I watch a sporting event, I can't help thinking about how the men on the field are still living in a world where homos have to stay in the closet or the sky will come tumbling down. Or all men will somehow lose their manhood, whatever that means. For this author, it means going to work, and turning the issue of homophobia in sports into the idea of homosexuality in sports. Here are some of those ideas, so far:

-NFL Coach Dungy's Homophobic Dreams (source of quote in photo).
-Dear NFL Players: Tear Down This Wall
-College Football Players: Lighten Up on Your Gay Teammates!
-The “Out” Pro Athlete Dream

Randy Boyd is the author of "Walt Loves the Bearcat," the story of a lifelong romance between a college cheerleader and quarterback who becomes the first out superstar athlete. "Walt Loves the Bearcat" was a Lambda Literary Award Finalist for Best Romance.