(First?) Openly gay MLB umpire retires

[conor912]

Originally Posted by Snapolit1

Yeah, it will be a better world when all these stories fly under the radar screen. If you are still losing sleep about what other people do in their bedroom well, whatever. I can't understand it. Glad he's enjoying his retirement.

...though I also think stories like this getting out there help inspire others to come forward. They're two very compelling sides to the coin.

[packs]

Sports has always been dominated by macho crap and every sport is still full of bigots. Stories like these should be told and told often so that the bigots begin to be outnumbered. Dismissing it as non-news is a nice sentiment but unfortunately is not reflective of the society we're still plagued by.

[Snapolit1]

Originally Posted by conor912

...though I also think stories like this getting out there help inspire others to come forward. They're two very compelling sides to the coin.

Yes, totally agree. Didn't mean to suggest it's not important to publicize. But I feel pretty hopeful that in the next generation of people growing up it will be a 100% complete non-issue.

[conor912]

Originally Posted by Snapolit1

Yes, totally agree. Didn't mean to suggest it's not important to publicize. But I feel pretty hopeful that in the next generation of people growing up it will be a 100% complete non-issue.

Amen.

Originally Posted by packs

Sports has always been dominated by macho crap and every sport is still full of bigots. Stories like these should be told and told often so that the bigots begin to be outnumbered. Dismissing it as non-news is a nice sentiment but unfortunately is not reflective of the society we're still plagued by.

I'm not one to stir the pot usually, but it does make you wonder if MLB or another entity suppressed it. It just seems like too low hanging of fruit to not get picked by the media.

Edited to add: I'll be dammed
https://mobile.nytimes.com/2014/12/0...ut-as-gay.html

[Peter_Spaeth]

Originally Posted by Snapolit1

Yes, totally agree. Didn't mean to suggest it's not important to publicize. But I feel pretty hopeful that in the next generation of people growing up it will be a 100% complete non-issue.

Prejudice is one of those things that seems to very successfully pass down from generation to generation, as Rodgers and Hammerstein so brilliantly expressed in their song in South Pacific. But we can hope.

[Snapolit1]

When I was in high school, mocking gay stuff was de riguer. The way to insult another guy. If there was even a vague hint of anything legitimately gay people pounced. Terrible.

My boys are 21 and 18. They have had gay friends since they were in their early teens. It means nothing to them. I think the world has changed. I really do. 40 years ago a black man wanted to walk down the street holding a white girl's hand and heads turned. Or worse. The world changes. You wouldn't know it from reading the news headlines but I really think we are are heading in the right direction on acceptance.

[packs]

I think we are too. But this kind of hate is pervasive. People might not even actually hate someone for their sexuality, but the thoughts are so ingrained that when it comes time to insult someone, like you said, it's the first thing that comes to mind. Look at Kevin Pillar last year. He was suspended 2 games for what he said to Jason Motte. Pillar said it's not a word he ever uses, but when it came time to insult someone it was the word that came out of his mouth.

[Leon]

It's just not news any longer. I have my own beliefs but whatever others do in their personal life, I don't honestly care, as long as they aren't hurting anyone. I am married to a woman and have been for almost 23 yrs. It's not news either. Actually what I don't like is having all of the gay or anti-gay crap always thrown at me. As the Beatles sang, Let it Be.