Is it okay to be a gay college athlete?

[UGAHusker]

I think giving people flak for hating gay people is not "unnecessary" because I feel a moral obligation to at the very least oppose views that promote inequality.

 

Bravo. There's hope for humanity while people still realize this.

 

 

Does giving flak to someone for their personal beliefs not promote inequality? We are all allowed to think whatever we want; by downgrading someone else's beliefs are you not implying that their views are at least incorrect if not inferior i.e unequal?

I think that's a fair question. I would say it does not also promote inequality because discriminating against gays doesn't seem (yes, key word, "seem") to be well justified. The only reasoning I've seen behind this kind of discrimination is "I don't like it" and "the Bible says so." Neither of these are legitimate. If someone holds an idea with some legitimate justification then I cannot so clearly oppose it. Of course I'd like to think my beliefs are coherent but I suppose it's impossible to know for sure.

 

Egg zactly. "I don't like it" and "the Bible says so" seem pretty stupid to me as well, but if someone else defaults to those reasons, who is anyone to impy to them that their beliefs are incorrect. On social issues such as these, it is almost impossible to prove a position one way or another with "legitamite justification". What constitutes "legitamite justification" or plain legitamcy for that matter?

Good question. I would say in defaulting to those two statements it is a pretty clear cut case of illegitimate justification. Regarding the first statement, one person's preference should not necessarily be applied to everyone. Regarding the second statement, I'd say that is practically the definition of an unjustified belief. I think that if there's anything I know for sure, it's that dogmatic belief is never justified. I would demand better reasoning or dismiss their claim. But definitely, it's hard to say what exactly is legitimate justification.

 

Again, I agree and feel as though we probably possess very similar feelings on the original topic. Very good points.

[carlfense]

I wonder what percentage of anti-gay males has watched lesbian pornography and enjoyed it? I bet it's high. (EDIT. I see this was addressed earlier.)

 

Oh well. If you are virulently homophobic you are more likely to be gay.

[knapplc]

Let me ask a question, is it okay to be a racist college athlete? Should we allow players on the team that are openly anti-semitic, anti-black or anti-hispanic? People were say they were just born that way or were raised that way, that doesn't mean it isn't a choice. There's a choice in just about everything humans do, some choices may feel natural, but that doesn't make them right. In America it took until 2003 to strike down laws against sodomy nationwide via Lawrence v. Texas.

 

So when did you choose to be heterosexual?

 

Every single day I make that choice.

 

http://www.usatoday.com/news/opinion/forum/2011-05-23-Sex-survey-revelations-on-gay-identity_n.htm

 

Interesting study, 3.7% of Americans in the 18-44 year old group (37% of the us population, or 113.6 million people in the group) identified themselves as bisexual or homosexual (or 4.2 million out of the group in the 18-44 age bracket) , but 81% of that group admits to experiencing relations with a member of the opposite sex. That means that of the 4.2 million "gays", only 800,000 of them have stayed strictly with the opposite sex. Sounds like a LOT of choice to me, how about you?

 

I do think it's hypocritical in our society though that gay men are the most discriminated against. Many people think lesbians are awesome and want to watch that, yet are revolted by gay men. It's just a double standard setup by men in our society who should find more important things to worry about. People who claim religious reasons for not accepting homosexuality based on the bible but also hang out with alcoholics and other addicts are being hypocritical and selective in their interpretation of the bible and its teachings.

 

That study is interesting in that it shows that, statistically speaking, out of 120 guys on the roster at Nebraska, likely two of them are gay.

 

Does that sound like choice to me? Maybe. It could also be a reflection of the oppression gays feel (real or perceived) in our society. You cannot deny that there are people who have been coerced due to their homosexuality - even heteros who are perceived to be gay have faced coercion.

 

Certainly you're correct in that gay males carry more of a stigma in our society, and likely because of the prurient nature of other males' interests in seeing two women together. But that doesn't mean women don't face persecution for being gay - sadly, I know three personally who have been targeted.

[bshirt]

I have zero problem with homosexuals. I'm truly indifferent about the whole matter. If Niles Paul was super gay and made the catches that mattered against Texas last year I'd be a wayyyyyy bigger Niles fan.

 

 

Bingo.

 

It doesn't matter one whit.

[bigg10]

I wonder what percentage of anti-gay males has watched lesbian pornography and enjoyed it? I bet it's high. (EDIT. I see this was addressed earlier.)

 

Oh well. If you are virulently homophobic you are more likely to be gay.

Really? I think almost ALL men over 60/70 years old would be in that class then. I dont know about you but I have not ran into many elderly people who are pro gay. It comes down to advancing humans and some dont advance as fast as others.

[bigg10]

I have zero problem with homosexuals. I'm truly indifferent about the whole matter. If Niles Paul was super gay and made the catches that mattered against Texas last year I'd be a wayyyyyy bigger Niles fan.

 

 

Bingo.

 

It doesn't matter one whit.

To you! As Knap pointed out there could be 2 gay guys on the whole team, so what if 50 were bothered by it? I would guess not so many would care if it was behind closed doors, but the more public it is made the more of a issue would be made of it and the more people (on the team) would have a problem with it.

[carlfense]

I wonder what percentage of anti-gay males has watched lesbian pornography and enjoyed it? I bet it's high. (EDIT. I see this was addressed earlier.)

 

Oh well. If you are virulently homophobic you are more likely to be gay.

Really? I think almost ALL men over 60/70 years old would be in that class then. I dont know about you but I have not ran into many ederly people who are pro gay. It comes down to advancing humans and some dont advance as fast as others.

You want anecdotal evidence? Ted Haggard. Dr. George Rekers. Etc.

 

You want statistical evidence? This study would be a good starting point.

[hskrpwr13]

What the heck. I'll throw in my two cents: Whether you're gay or straight I'll never understand the need to make a pronouncement about one's sexuality one way or the other. The only way I should ever know is if one is asking me out, and even then, for all I know, the person may be bi. One's sexual preference should stay in the closet, er, stay in one's sanctuary. Also, one can fight for homosexuals' rights and still not flaunt their sexual preference.

 

Like most, I could care less about an NU player's sexuality outside of feeling some need to actually share it with me/us. Where my concern would lie would be in recruiting. Would it hurt NU's ability to recruit? I would think most recruits wouldn't care, but some good ones might.

[Hercules]

Just looked at the results. 3 people apparently think it's still 1900. Pathetic. Maybe we should take away women's suffrage too.

[Forge]

what people do in the privacy of their bedroom is none of my business. I dont have a problem with it, but not sure why people need to announce it. Do i need to announce i am straight? Nope, so why make a big deal about it saying your not?

[Malth]

A person's sexuality should have absolutely no bearing on an athlete's opportunity to play a sport or the fan support. If you think any different, then that says a lot about you.

 

Discrimination is not to be tolerated, ever.

 

 

and lmao @ anyone suggesting sexuality is a "choice"

[Street Novelist]

A person's sexuality should have absolutely no bearing on an athlete's opportunity to play a sport or the fan support. If you think any different, then that says a lot about you.

 

Discrimination is not to be tolerated, ever.

 

 

and lmao @ anyone suggesting sexuality is a "choice"

 

couldn't agree more. People do not choose to be gay.

[HuskerNMO]

A person's sexuality should have absolutely no bearing on an athlete's opportunity to play a sport or the fan support. If you think any different, then that says a lot about you.

 

Discrimination is not to be tolerated, ever.

 

 

and lmao @ anyone suggesting sexuality is a "choice"

 

couldn't agree more. People do not choose to be gay.

 

There's two components to that IMO, do they choose what they are attracted to? Probably not (although some do I'm sure)

 

Do they choose to act on it? Yes, they could always choose not to act on their feelings.

 

In the same breath murderers could say they don't have a choice, they have problems so on and so forth. I would agree the feelings are there, but you always have a choice on how you act, always.

 

Every lifestyle is a choice, sexual orientation, drug use, alcohol use, tobacco use, religion. All life is, is a series of choices. Some may be very difficult or confusing choices, some are no brainers, but they are all choices.

[hskrpwr13]

A person's sexuality should have absolutely no bearing on an athlete's opportunity to play a sport or the fan support. If you think any different, then that says a lot about you.

 

Discrimination is not to be tolerated, ever.

 

 

and lmao @ anyone suggesting sexuality is a "choice"

 

couldn't agree more. People do not choose to be gay.

 

There's two components to that IMO, do they choose what they are attracted to? Probably not (although some do I'm sure)

 

Do they choose to act on it? Yes, they could always choose not to act on their feelings.

 

In the same breath murderers could say they don't have a choice, they have problems so on and so forth. I would agree the feelings are there, but you always have a choice on how you act, always.

 

Every lifestyle is a choice, sexual orientation, drug use, alcohol use, tobacco use, religion. All life is, is a series of choices. Some may be very difficult or confusing choices, some are no brainers, but they are all choices.

 

Agreed. I don't know how one can honestly claim superiority on one side of the nature v. nurture debate. Neither has proven to be 100% encompassing on anything beyond physical traits.

[The Dude]

I think giving people flak for hating gay people is not "unnecessary" because I feel a moral obligation to at the very least oppose views that promote inequality.

 

Bravo. There's hope for humanity while people still realize this.

 

 

Does giving flak to someone for their personal beliefs not promote inequality? We are all allowed to think whatever we want; by downgrading someone else's beliefs are you not implying that their views are at least incorrect if not inferior i.e unequal?

If someone wants to maintain bigoted beliefs, I say more power to them. But because some bigots "don't like their lifestyle" is a piss poor reason to prevent someone from doing something they want to do.