Homosexuality in sports in the United States explained

The homosexual sports community in the United States has one of the highest levels of acceptance and support in the world[1] [2] [3] and is rapidly growing as of 2020.[4] [5] General public opinion and jurisprudence regarding homosexuality in the United States has become significantly more accepting since the late 1980s;[6] for example, by the early 2020s, an overwhelming majority of Americans approved of the legality of same-sex marriages.[7]

In regard to sports in the United States, in 2002 researcher Eric Anderson found "more openly gay runners and swimmers than football and baseball players."[8] He then hypothesized that this occurred because gay men likely abandoned some sports in favor of sports that were more accepting of homosexuality. In 2006, a Sports Illustrated poll of roughly 1,400 professional athletes found that a majority would be willing to accept a gay teammate. As well, professional ice hockey (NHL) athletes seemed to be the most accepting of such teammates as 80% of its players approved of having a gay teammate.

Individual sports

Golf

In 1996, Muffin Spencer-Devlin became the first LPGA player to come out as gay.[9]

In 2018, Tadd Fujikawa came out as gay, becoming the first male professional golfer to do so.[10] [11]

Squash

In 2018, Todd Harrity came out as gay, thus becoming the first openly gay professional male squash player in the world. At the time he was ranked No. 1 in the United States out of all male squash players.[12] [13]

Tennis

American tennis player Billie Jean King acknowledged her relationship with Marilyn Barnett when it became public in a May 1981 palimony lawsuit filed by Barnett, making Billie Jean the first prominent female professional athlete in the world to come out.[14]

Team sports

See also: Homosexuality in American football.

Baseball

Glenn Burke was the first Major League Baseball player to come out as gay, announcing it in 1982 after he retired.[15]

Basketball

In 2002, Sue Wicks came out as gay, making her the first openly gay person playing in the WNBA.[16] Many female players have since come out as gay; for example, Sheryl Swoopes came out in 2005, Brittney Griner came out in 2013, and Elena Delle Donne came out in 2016.[17] However, Swoopes later married a man.[18]

In 2013, Jason Collins publicly came out as gay.[19] President Barack Obama contacted him offering his support. In 2014, Jason Collins played for the Brooklyn Nets of the NBA, making him the first openly gay athlete to play in any of the four major North American professional sports leagues.[20] [21] [22]

Flag football

In 2002, the National Gay Flag Football League was founded.[23]

Football

See also: Homosexuality in American football. In 1975, former football player David Kopay became the first professional athlete from a major team to come out.[24]

Football player Alissa Wykes of the Philadelphia Liberty Belles became one of the first active American athletes to publicly come out as gay when she announced that she was a lesbian in an article in the December 2001/January 2002 edition of Sports Illustrated for Women.[25] [26] [27]

In the 2014 NFL draft, the St. Louis Rams drafted Michael Sam in the seventh round, the 249th of 256 players selected,[28] which made him the first openly gay player to be drafted into the NFL.[29] [30] However, on August 30, St. Louis released Sam as part of a final round of cuts to reduce their roster to the league-mandated 53 players before the start of the regular season.[31] [32]

In June 2021, Las Vegas Raiders defensive end Carl Nassib came out as gay via Instagram, making him the first openly gay active player in the NFL.[33] [34] He later became the first openly gay player in an NFL playoff game on January 15, 2022.[35] [36]

Hockey

In 1985, the Los Angeles Blades was organized as the first gay hockey team in the United States.[37]

In 2021, Canadian Luke Prokop, who was drafted by the Nashville Predators in the 2020 NHL Entry Draft, became the first active player signed to a National Hockey League contract to come out as gay.[38] [39] [40]

Rugby

In 1998, the Washington Renegades RFC was formed as the first gay rugby team in the United States.[41]

Soccer

In 2013, Robbie Rogers publicly came out as gay.[19] President Barack Obama contacted him offering his support. Thierry Henry, at the time playing in Major League Soccer, was quoted in a column for New York Daily News as saying "he (Rogers) is a human being, first of all. And that’s good enough."[42] Later in 2013, Robbie Rogers became the first openly gay man to compete in a top North American professional sports league when he played his first match for the LA Galaxy of Major League Soccer.[43] [44] [45]

Many female soccer players have been openly gay while actively playing for American teams, such as Joanna Lohman[46] [47] and Megan Rapinoe.[48] [49] [50] Megan Rapinoe came out in 2012, while a midfielder for the Seattle Sounders and while on the United States women's national soccer team.[51] [52]

See also

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Each of America's big 5 sports currently has an out gay man in the pros. That's never happened. Cyd. Zeigler. OutSports.
  2. Web site: Meet the LGBTQ+ Athletes Participating in the 2022 Beijing Olympic Games. February 2, 2022. Human Rights Campaign.
  3. Web site: Meet the out-and-proud LGBTQ+ athletes at the Tokyo 2020 Paralympic Games. August 25, 2021. South China Morning Post.
  4. Book: Derks . Marco . Public Discourses About Homosexuality and Religion in Europe and Beyond . van den Berg . Mariecke . Springer International Publishing . 2020 . 9783030563264 . 338 . ...(the United States and [Western] Europe) as “already in crisis” for their permissive attitudes toward nonnormative sexualities....
  5. Web site: Leveille . Dan . December 4, 2009 . LGBT Equality Index: The most LGBT-friendly countries in the world . January 26, 2023 . Equaldex . 13.) United States.
  6. Web site: McCarthy . Justin . June 1, 2022 . Same-Sex Marriage Support Inches Up to New High of 71% . October 2, 2022 . Gallup, Inc. . en.
  7. Book: Garretson, Jeremiah . The Path to Gay Rights: How Activism and Coming Out Changed Public Opinion . New York University Press . 2018 . 9781479850075 . A Transformed Society: LGBT Rights in the United States . In the late 1980s and early 1990s, a dramatic wave began to form in the waters of public opinion: American attitudes involving homosexuality began to change... The transformation of America's response to homosexuality has been — and continues to be — one of the most rapid and sustained shifts in mass attitudes since the start of public polling..
  8. Anderson. E.. Masculinities and Sexualities in Sport and Physical Cultures: Three Decades of Evolving Research. Journal of Homosexuality. 2011. 58. 5. 10.1080/00918369.2011.563652. 565–578. 21534070. free.
  9. News: Garrity . John . Nutt . Amy . No More Disguises - Muffin Spencer-Devlin stands tall in her chosen role: the first LPGA player to declare she's gay . February 11, 2015 . Sports Illustrated . March 18, 1996.
  10. Web site: Pro Golfer Tadd Fujiwaka Comes Out as Gay . Rudolph . Christopher . September 12, 2018 . NewNowNext.
  11. Web site: Tadd Fujikawa becomes first male pro golfer to come out as gay . Dethier . Dylan . 2018-09-12 . Golf . 2019-12-24.
  12. Web site: Top American pro squash player Todd Harrity comes out as gay. Jim. Buzinski. April 30, 2018. Outsports.
  13. Web site: Todd Harrity . Todd Harrity on Twitter: "‌ " . Twitter.com . 2018-04-28 . 2018-05-02.
  14. News: Billie Jean King: Racquet Revolutionary – Page 4 of 5 – Philadelphia Magazine. Hingston. Sandy. June 17, 2011. Philadelphia Magazine. September 30, 2017. https://web.archive.org/web/20170930101842/http://www.phillymag.com/articles/billie-jean-king-racquet-revolutionary/4/. September 30, 2017. dead.
  15. Web site: Glenn Burke, 1st openly gay MLB player, is shunned no more — 40 years after coming out . 2023-02-09 . TODAY.com . July 3, 2022 . en . February 9, 2023 . https://web.archive.org/web/20230209211647/https://www.today.com/news/sports/glenn-burke-1st-openly-gay-mlb-player-today-show-bryant-gumbel-1982-rcna35743 . live .
  16. Book: II, Howard Nixon. Sport in a Changing World. July 24, 2015. Routledge. 9781317383789 . Google Books.
  17. News: Elena Delle Donne engaged, comes out: 'I'm not at all going to hide anything' . Hine. Chris. Thompson. Phil. Chicago Tribune . August 3, 2016 . August 9, 2016.
  18. News: Maya Rupert: What Sheryl Swoopes' Engagement Means: Understanding the Role of Identity and Combo Guards . Huffingtonpost.com . August 1, 2011. November 21, 2011.
  19. News: Slater. J.. Openly Gay Male Athletes Jason Collins, Robbie Rogers, and Orlando Cruz struggling for impact. Huffington Post. 2013-09-17.
  20. News: Pincus . Eric . Lakers' rally falls short in 108–102 loss to Nets . February 23, 2014 . Los Angeles Times . https://web.archive.org/web/20140224182637/http://www.latimes.com/sports/lakersnow/la-sp-ln-lakers-vs-brooklyn-nets-game-updates-20140223,0,4252513,full.story#axzz2uDNgcrc8 . February 24, 2014 . dead . February 24, 2014 .
  21. News: Openly gay basketballer Jason Collins signs landmark NBA deal with Brooklyn Nets . February 24, 2014 . The Sydney Morning Herald . AFP . https://web.archive.org/web/20140305105523/http://www.smh.com.au/sport/basketball/openly-gay-basketballer-jason-collins-signs-landmark-nba-deal-with-brooklyn-nets-20140224-33b6r.html . March 5, 2014 . live .
  22. News: Mazzeo . Mike . Rapid Reaction: Nets 108, Lakers 102 . February 23, 2014 . ESPN.com . https://web.archive.org/web/20140224202043/http://espn.go.com/blog/new-york/brooklyn-nets/post/_/id/16463/rapid-reaction-nets-108-lakers-102 . February 24, 2014 . live .
  23. News: South Africa's rugby team Jozi Cats defy gay stereotypes. Sastre. Sole. 2016-06-28. Miami Herald. 2018-06-05. en.
  24. Web site: Naito. Jon. December 2008. Husky legend and gay icon David Kopay is at peace and at home. 1 December 2021. University of Washington Magazine.
  25. Book: Bonham, Mark S. . Lesbian Football/Soccer Players . 96–97 . A Path to Diversity . 2017 . Bonham & Company . 978-0993960031.
  26. News: Out in the field: pro footballer Alissa Wykes talks about breaking new ground for out lesbian athletes--and the flak she's gotten along the way . DuLong . Jessica . The Advocate . 32–35 . 19 February 2002 . 4 January 2012.
  27. News: Rothaus, Steve . Ex-Padre shows pride out of the closet . The Ottawa Citizen . Newspapers.com . April 28, 2003 . May 6, 2021.
  28. Web site: 2016-03-24 . Rams reportedly took Michael Sam in 2014 draft in deal with NFL . 2023-02-07 . Las Vegas Review-Journal . en-US.
  29. News: Belson . Ken . In Historic Pick, Rams Take Michael Sam in Final Round of Draft . May 10, 2014 . The New York Times . https://web.archive.org/web/20141101232011/http://www.nytimes.com/2014/05/11/sports/football/michael-sam-picked-by-st-louis-rams-in-nfl-draft.html?_r=1 . November 1, 2014 . live .
  30. News: Michael Sam makes history: First openly gay player drafted in the NFL. Chelsea J. . Carter. CNN. May 10, 2014. May 10, 2014.
  31. News: Farmer . Sam . Michael Sam, NFL's first openly gay player, is cut by St. Louis Rams . August 30, 2014 . Los Angeles Times . https://web.archive.org/web/20140831001539/http://www.latimes.com/sports/sportsnow/la-sp-sn-michael-sam-rams-20140830-story.html . August 31, 2014 . live .
  32. News: Michael Sam cut by Rams. August 30, 2014. Nick . Wagoner . ESPN. August 30, 2014.
  33. Web site: Middlehurst-Schwartz. Michael. Raiders' Carl Nassib comes out as first openly gay active NFL player. 2021-06-21. USA TODAY. en-US.
  34. News: Ken. Belson. Raiders' Carl Nassib Announces He's Gay, an N.F.L. First. June 21, 2021. The New York Times. June 22, 2021.
  35. Web site: Carl Nassib becomes the first openly gay player to play in a NFL postseason game. January 16, 2022. GAY TIMES.
  36. Web site: Carl Nassib Makes History: First Openly Gay Player To Play In NFL Postseason Game. January 16, 2022.
  37. “About Us.” Los Angeles Blades, 2020, www.bladeshockey.com/.
  38. Web site: Kaplan. Emily. 19 July 2021. Nashville Predators prospect Luke Prokop says he is gay, hopes living 'authentic life' helps NHL career. 8 August 2021. ESPN.
  39. Web site: Kaplan . Emily . July 19, 2021 . Nashville Predators prospect Luke Prokop says he is gay, hopes living 'authentic life' helps NHL career . July 19, 2021 . ESPN.
  40. Web site: Hernandez . Joe . 2021-07-19 . NHL Prospect Luke Prokop Makes History As League's First Gay Player . July 19, 2021 . NPR.
  41. Majores, Kevin. “Nice and Rough.” Washington Blade, 15 Feb. 2013, www.washingtonblade.com/2013/02/15/nice-and-rough/.
  42. News: Bondy. Stefan. Landon Donovan says Robbie Rogers' decision to go public with his sexuality 'must have been overwhelmingly good for him. New York Daily. 2013-05-18.
  43. News: Milestone for Gay Athletes as Rogers Plays for Galaxy. May 27, 2013. Billy. Witz. The New York Times. February 28, 2017. August 2, 2017. https://web.archive.org/web/20170802005354/http://www.nytimes.com/2013/05/28/sports/soccer/milestone-for-gay-athletes-as-robbie-rogers-plays-for-galaxy.html. live.
  44. Web site: Lalas. Greg. It's official: Robbie Rogers joins LA Galaxy; Chicago Fire get postseason hero Mike Magee in exchange. MLSsoccer.com. May 25, 2013. May 25, 2013. Nick. Firchau. June 8, 2013. https://web.archive.org/web/20130608045141/http://www.mlssoccer.com/news/article/2013/05/25/robbie-rogers-will-join-la-galaxy-chicago-fire-get-postseason-hero-mike-mage. live.
  45. Web site: Los Angeles Galaxy (1996–present) . Sports E-cyclopedia . April 6, 2007.
  46. Web site: Joanna. 2022-06-26. 2018-03-30. https://web.archive.org/web/20180330012859/https://outforthewin.com/en/joanna-35/. dead.
  47. Web site: Washington Spirit Signs Six National Team Replacement Players » Washington Spirit. Sam. Pittman. June 17, 2022.
  48. Web site: Soccer star Megan Rapinoe comes out - Windy City Times News. July 3, 2012. Windy City Times.
  49. Web site: Reign's Megan Rapinoe voted NWSL player of week . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20151208043253/http://blog.thenewstribune.com/soccer/2013/07/30/reigns-megan-rapinoe-voted-nwsl-player-of-week/ . December 8, 2015 . July 30, 2013 . News Tribune.
  50. Web site: China and Seattle Reign FC played on the cusp of a women's soccer revival. May 28, 2015.
  51. News: Klemko . Robert . U.S. women's soccer player: 'I'm gay' . July 3, 2012 . . October 24, 2013 . June 12, 2014 . https://web.archive.org/web/20140612163138/http://content.usatoday.com/communities/gameon/post/2012/07/us-womens-soccer-player-im-gay/1 . live .
  52. Web site: Fever Pitch . July 2, 2012 . Out Magazine . July 3, 2012 . July 4, 2012 . https://web.archive.org/web/20120704214313/http://www.out.com/entertainment/sports/2012/07/02/megan-rapinoe-womens-soccer-lesbian-girlfriend . live .

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