The announcement this week by former Hammer Thomas Hitzlsperger that he is a homosexual has reignited the debate on gay footballers and sportspeople in general, and why so few have been willing to ‘come out’ in public?
Indeed, Hitzlsperger himself decided to wait until he had retired before declaring it. We have heard all the usual lines about how he is brave, and how we need to more footballers to declare themselves as gay etc etc. However would ‘coming out’, as it is crudely put, really help the cause of homosexuals in sport?
I write this as a straight man, so I appreciate I do not fully understand the challenges which gay people have to face in society. However, from my perspective these constant calls from various individuals and groups willing gay men and women to publicly declare themselves as such will not and does not reduce anti-gay chants and abuse (I do not wish to use the term homophobia), and indeed is more likely to increase such occurrences.
When a famous sporting figure declares themselves as gay, such as Thomas Hitzlsperger or Tom Daley, and the story is splashed all around the media, is this not perpetuating the idea that homosexuals are different from the rest of society? The fact that such individuals feel a need to ‘announce’ their sexuality is telling everyone that they have an interesting fact or story, when there really should be no such story.
Indeed as there is no need for a heterosexual player to inform us that he is a heterosexual, it should be the same for gay men and women. If the goal is for everyone to be treated as equals in sport and society in general, then it should be the case that it is totally irrelevant what a person’s sexuality is.
By continuing the rhetoric about gay people in sport, it will certainly keep the issue in supporters’ minds when they shouldn’t even be considering it when watching a game of football for example. Most people are not going to think about what others sexualities around them are in other walks of life such as at work or out shopping, so why sport?
When I watch West Ham for example, I personally could not care less about what the players sexual preferences are, I just want to see a good game of football. We are being asked to care about players sexuality rather than it just not being an issue as it is with straight players.
Ultimately, the types of people who are likely to shout anti-gay abuse from the stands aren’t the sort of people who will listen to calls to embrace players who have decided to make it publicly known that they are gay – rather they would be made to feel encouraged that those players are different and even weird, and continue the onslaught.
If anything the reports in the media could lead to a witch hunt, with some people trying to work out which players may or may not be homosexual, causing unnecessary pain.
Finally, does it not seem patronising and even cruel that some people and groups almost seemingly want gay players to put themselves in the limelight and be prepared to face abuse from certain sections of supporters?
Has anyone even considered the notion that gay sportspeople may not want to ‘come out’ and that they maybe allowed a private life just like any straight person? And that they may not want a fuss made about their sexuality, which they consider (as should everyone), as normal? Just a thought.
