Why should I care that Sheryl Swoopes is gay?

abailey3313 · 10-26-2005, 02:27 PM

ESPN.com has the story about Sheryl Swoopes being gay plastered across the front page. CBSSportsline, FOX Sports, and SI.com all have the story linked from their main page. All of this hoopla makes me wonder:

WHO REALLY CARES IF SHERYL SWOOPES IS GAY?!?!?!?!

rudel.dietrich · 10-26-2005, 02:29 PM

Sadly in 2005 this is still an issue.

gmo · 10-26-2005, 02:33 PM

Who cares?

Perhaps people who feel that sexual orientation should not be a stigma that makes others think a person only of a certain sort can play sports. Saying being gay or not should not matter at all ignores a lot of history and establishment in sports that remains rather anti-gay and some may believe perhaps implicitly endorses those ways by saying light should not be shone on them. Perhaps publicizing things like this or that Doug Williams won a Super Bowl so blacks can play quarterback might actually serve to help spur social change.

Vris · 10-26-2005, 02:35 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by abailey3313

ESPN.com has the story about Sheryl Swoopes being gay plastered across the front page. CBSSportsline, FOX Sports, and SI.com all have the story linked from their main page. All of this hoopla makes me wonder:

WHO REALLY CARES IF SHERYL SWOOPES IS GAY?!?!?!?!

You shower everyday with the same people. You don't suspect a thing. Secretly, they've been watching you the whole time, wondering what it's like to "ride the bailey". Now, they've come out and told you what they've been doing. Do you want to be in the same room with these people, let alone share a shower?

That's the issue at hand. I'm not saying what my opinion is, just throwing out there what is going through the minds of the media.

abailey3313 · 10-26-2005, 02:39 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Vris

You shower everyday with the same people. You don't suspect a thing. Secretly, they've been watching you the whole time, wondering what it's like to "ride the bailey". Now, they've come out and told you what they've been doing. Do you want to be in the same room with these people, let alone share a shower?

That's the issue at hand. I'm not saying what my opinion is, just throwing out there what is going through the minds of the media.

Yeah, but I already understand that everyone wants to ride the Bailey.

Jeremy Weimer · 10-26-2005, 02:46 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by abailey3313

Yeah, but I already understand that everyone wants to ride the Bailey.

Modesty is totally your strong suit.

Skipaway · 10-26-2005, 02:55 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by gmo

Who cares?

Perhaps people who feel that sexual orientation should not be a stigma that makes others think a person only of a certain sort can play sports. Saying being gay or not should not matter at all ignores a lot of history and establishment in sports that remains rather anti-gay and some may believe perhaps implicitly endorses those ways by saying light should not be shone on them. Perhaps publicizing things like this or that Doug Williams won a Super Bowl so blacks can play quarterback might actually serve to help spur social change.

Yeah, and the fact she didn't come out earlier is enough make it a social issue we can think about for a bit.

Green & Gold Heart · 10-26-2005, 03:28 PM

I'm a bit surprised that this is such a big story. Isn't the WNBA viewed as a lesbian sport anyway?

Nukester · 10-26-2005, 03:31 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Green & Gold Heart

I'm a bit surprised that this is such a big story. Isn't the WNBA viewed as a lesbian sport anyway?

Exactly. I would be MUCH more surprised if they came out and said she was straight....Its the WNBA for crying out loud. I thought it was assumed they were ALL gay unless told otherwise.

Vris · 10-26-2005, 03:37 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Nukester

Exactly. I would be MUCH more surprised if they came out and said she was straight....Its the WNBA for crying out loud. I thought it was assumed they were ALL gay unless told otherwise.

Seriously? Maybe jokingly and it's been mocked about, but I can't say for sure that I would've thought they were all homosexual. Does that mean all NBA players are gay? Or is it because they are women playing organized sports? What is your criteria for this?

Go Tribe · 10-26-2005, 03:38 PM

Exactly - when I saw the story that she came out, I thought it meant she admitted she was straight

Jeremy Weimer · 10-26-2005, 03:38 PM

Courtesy of my friend at http://thebballblog.blogspot.com/200...ody-cares.html

Green & Gold Heart · 10-26-2005, 03:39 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Vris

Seriously? Maybe jokingly and it's been mocked about, but I can't say for sure that I would've thought they were all homosexual. Does that mean all NBA players are gay? Or is it because they are women playing organized sports? What is your criteria for this?

I'm sure he was joking. It's just the sterotype thing, where lesbian = manly woman = really good at sports. Nobody seriously thinks they're all gay.

floorman81 · 10-26-2005, 03:40 PM

"Why should I care that Sheryl Swoopes is gay? "

Simple, because George Bush hates gay people, we should all be concerned for her safety...

Vris · 10-26-2005, 03:47 PM

I see the point, but it's a silly generalization.

We should care because if she comes out, who is going to come out next? Probably not any male athletes, because they are too "macho" to admit to such things, but it opens the door for gays in athletics. We all know we are out there, but we are scared to admit it ourselves.

canadiancreed · 10-26-2005, 03:49 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by abailey3313

ESPN.com has the story about Sheryl Swoopes being gay plastered across the front page. CBSSportsline, FOX Sports, and SI.com all have the story linked from their main page. All of this hoopla makes me wonder:

WHO REALLY CARES IF SHERYL SWOOPES IS GAY?!?!?!?!

to invest in all these publications trying to boost their midwest and deep south circulations of course. Geeze!

Jason · 10-27-2005, 04:16 PM

The only reason to care is that she's making her private sex life a public issue. What she does behind closed doors is her business, especially if she knows that a large group of citizens won't approve of what she's doing. (Whether or not that's right or wrong is beside the point for this particular issue.)

She wasn't outed by someone else...this was something she willingly did and that's why you should be concerned. Next to come, when a sponsor doesn't want to renew it's because they're homophobic and not because they want to take their marketing in a different direction or use a younger, fresher faced player than the veteran Swoopes.

canadiancreed · 10-27-2005, 04:19 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Dale And Eli's Dad

The only reason to care is that she's making her private sex life a public issue. What she does behind closed doors is her business, especially if she knows that a large group of citizens won't approve of what she's doing. (Whether or not that's right or wrong is beside the point for this particular issue.)

She wasn't outed by someone else...this was something she willingly did and that's why you should be concerned. Next to come, when a sponsor doesn't want to renew it's because they're homophobic and not because they want to take their marketing in a different direction or use a younger, fresher faced player than the veteran Swoopes.

so they'd lose sales in the blue states and gain in the red?

Jason · 10-27-2005, 04:23 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by canadiancreed

so they'd lose sales in the blue states and gain in the red?

Who knows? The point in my example is that nothing she's connected with won't have the "gay" factor tied into it. Someone can't choose to not have Sheryl Swoopes at some event or else they're a homophobe. A business can't choose not so sponsor an event she's a part of regardless of their reasoning because if they do, they're homophobic and have a problem with gays.

canadiancreed · 10-27-2005, 04:31 PM

hmm I suppose

myself I woudln't know her if I fell over her (which being a WNBA player would probably be quite a challange), so it dones't really matter to me

10-26-2005, 02:27 PM	#1
abailey3313 Hall Of Famer Join Date: Nov 2004 Posts: 3,718	Why should I care that Sheryl Swoopes is gay? ESPN.com has the story about Sheryl Swoopes being gay plastered across the front page. CBSSportsline, FOX Sports, and SI.com all have the story linked from their main page. All of this hoopla makes me wonder: WHO REALLY CARES IF SHERYL SWOOPES IS GAY?!?!?!?! __________________

10-26-2005, 03:47 PM	#15
Vris Hall Of Famer Join Date: Oct 2003 Location: somewhere where I don't know where I am Posts: 3,251	I see the point, but it's a silly generalization. We should care because if she comes out, who is going to come out next? Probably not any male athletes, because they are too "macho" to admit to such things, but it opens the door for gays in athletics. We all know we are out there, but we are scared to admit it ourselves. __________________ None Blog it.

10-27-2005, 04:31 PM	#20
canadiancreed Hall Of Famer Join Date: Aug 2004 Posts: 11,660	hmm I suppose myself I woudln't know her if I fell over her (which being a WNBA player would probably be quite a challange), so it dones't really matter to me __________________ PT21 PT22

10-26-2005, 02:29 PM	#2
rudel.dietrich Hall Of Famer Join Date: Jul 2004 Location: Zürich, Switzerland Posts: 8,608	Sadly in 2005 this is still an issue.

10-26-2005, 02:33 PM	#3
gmo Hall Of Famer Join Date: May 2002 Location: Longmont, CO Posts: 3,467	Who cares? Perhaps people who feel that sexual orientation should not be a stigma that makes others think a person only of a certain sort can play sports. Saying being gay or not should not matter at all ignores a lot of history and establishment in sports that remains rather anti-gay and some may believe perhaps implicitly endorses those ways by saying light should not be shone on them. Perhaps publicizing things like this or that Doug Williams won a Super Bowl so blacks can play quarterback might actually serve to help spur social change.

10-26-2005, 03:28 PM	#8
Green & Gold Heart Hall Of Famer Join Date: Oct 2004 Location: Wisconsin Posts: 5,242	I'm a bit surprised that this is such a big story. Isn't the WNBA viewed as a lesbian sport anyway?

10-26-2005, 03:38 PM	#11
Go Tribe All Star Starter Join Date: Dec 2001 Posts: 1,534 Infractions: 1/0 (0)	Exactly - when I saw the story that she came out, I thought it meant she admitted she was straight

10-26-2005, 03:38 PM	#12
Jeremy Weimer Hall Of Famer Join Date: Jun 2003 Location: Minneapolis, MN Posts: 3,411	Courtesy of my friend at http://thebballblog.blogspot.com/200...ody-cares.html

10-26-2005, 03:40 PM	#14
floorman81 Minors (Double A) Join Date: Dec 2002 Location: at the Max... Posts: 117	"Why should I care that Sheryl Swoopes is gay? " Simple, because George Bush hates gay people, we should all be concerned for her safety...

10-27-2005, 04:16 PM	#17
Jason Hall Of Famer Join Date: May 2002 Posts: 3,855	The only reason to care is that she's making her private sex life a public issue. What she does behind closed doors is her business, especially if she knows that a large group of citizens won't approve of what she's doing. (Whether or not that's right or wrong is beside the point for this particular issue.) She wasn't outed by someone else...this was something she willingly did and that's why you should be concerned. Next to come, when a sponsor doesn't want to renew it's because they're homophobic and not because they want to take their marketing in a different direction or use a younger, fresher faced player than the veteran Swoopes.