• This is a political forum that is non-biased/non-partisan and treats every person's position on topics equally. This debate forum is not aligned to any political party. In today's politics, many ideas are split between and even within all the political parties. Often we find ourselves agreeing on one platform but some topics break our mold. We are here to discuss them in a civil political debate. If this is your first visit to our political forums, be sure to check out the RULES. Registering for debate politics is necessary before posting. Register today to participate - it's free!

All-American college football player Michael Sam says he is gay

DA60

Banned
DP Veteran
Joined
Jan 28, 2012
Messages
16,386
Reaction score
7,793
Location
Where I am now
Gender
Male
Political Leaning
Independent
'The Missouri defensive end could become the first openly gay player in the NFL.

Missouri All-American Michael Sam says he is gay, and the defensive end could become the first openly homosexual player in the NFL.

In interviews with ESPN, The New York Times and Outsports, Sam says he came out to his teammates and coaches at Missouri in August.

Sam says: “I am an openly, proud gay man.”'


All-American Michael Sam says he is gay - latimes.com



Gutsy guy. I hope this does not in any way hurt his career or his life.

But it is about time someone in the NFL came out...so big kudos to him...it must not have been an easy decision.
 
The media will make a huge, overblown deal about it, while the rest of us say ho-hum go about our lives not giving a f*** whether you're gay or not.
 
This should not be considered news. I am all for gay rights. I have nothing in any way against this young man being true about himself. But it shouldn't matter. The media has no business here. Yes, he is gay. Yes, he might be the first active gay NFL player if drafted. But that does not make him any different. We need to stop polarizing this argument by making it so in your face.
 
This should not be considered news. I am all for gay rights. I have nothing in any way against this young man being true about himself. But it shouldn't matter. The media has no business here. Yes, he is gay. Yes, he might be the first active gay NFL player if drafted. But that does not make him any different. We need to stop polarizing this argument by making it so in your face.

Unfortunately, it IS big news in sports...and just maybe for gay men/women as well.

In the entire history of the NFL, which is by far the most lucrative sports league in America (over 115 million watched the Super Bowl)...no active player has ever come out.

This could begin to break down the barrier for gay athletes in high profile, professional sports...especially in America.

I don't think this is earth-shattering...but I do think it is definitely newsworthy.
 
Last edited:
Unfortunately, it IS big news in sports...and just maybe for gay men/women as well.

In the entire history of the NFL, no active player has ever come out.

This could begin to break down the barrier for gay athletes in high profile, professional sports...especially in America.

How many more of these identity politics "breaking down barrier" hero's do we need? When's Cuba gooding Jr. making the movie?
 
Unfortunately, it IS big news in sports...and just maybe for gay men/women as well.

In the entire history of the NFL, which is by far the most lucrative sports league in America...no active player has ever come out.

This could begin to break down the barrier for gay athletes in high profile, professional sports...especially in America.

I don't think this is earth-shattering...but I do think it is significant news.


Full acceptance from the ignorant comes in stages...I think this is one of them.
It should have never been an issue in the first place. There should not be a barrier.
 
How many more of these identity politics "breaking down barrier" hero's do we need?

As many as it takes so that it is no longer an issue of discrimination in America and until people like you get it.
 
It should have never been an issue in the first place. There should not be a barrier.

Well, of course not. And there are TONS of other barriers that should not exist...but they do.

And the barriers still exist for these people...just look around this site at the LGBT threads.

I think this is a very positive step forward in the LGBT fight for complete acceptance.

And, if you know anything about American football, then you know how much courage it must have taken this guy to come out.

At the very least, I think that is newsworthy.
 
Good for him. When a controversial issue such as LGBT rights and equality is at play this is a big deal. Good for him.
 
The media will make a huge, overblown deal about it, while the rest of us say ho-hum go about our lives not giving a f*** whether you're gay or not.

This is going to mean a lot to many people. If it goes well for him, it will encourage others, all the way down to high school and college level to not hide it, and it will *in time* become a non issue. You don't care, well clearly the gay athletes who are run out of sports or afraid to be themselves do care.

If it doesn't go well, if he gets screwed like kerry rhodes, it will quite possibly ruin his life, set gay athletes back years, and create a black eye the nfl will never live down. It's also illegal to discriminate in many of those cities, so it will be interesting to see how this goes on draft day. Very ballsy thing to do before he has a contract.
 
Last edited:
Who wants to bet this dude's chances of being a first round draft pick were slim and none, yesterday?

Like that basketball cat that came out of the closet. He'll NEVER get cut, now.
 
Who cares? Why does this need announcing?

This just in... my neighbor's son is gay. Time to call CNN!
 
Honestly, we shouldn't have to care. But there have been several players in many sports who came out after their playing days who never dared come out while active. The ex-punter for the Vikings is alleging discrimination from his position coach based purely on his outspoken stance on gay marriage, and there's an ex-linebacker for the Ravens who also was vocally supportive of gay marriage who now can't get a job.

Until the walls of intolerance are fully broken down, every openly gay athlete's story is a story worth telling.
 
Who wants to bet this dude's chances of being a first round draft pick were slim and none, yesterday?

Like that basketball cat that came out of the closet. He'll NEVER get cut, now.

1. Sam wasn't going to be a first-rounder. He's projected as a mid-round pick, depending on the picking team's need. He's a solid lineman, strong as an ox but a little slow off the snap.

2. I assume you mean Jason Collins as the "basketball cat." He's out of the league. Largely because he was never that good.
 
This is going to mean a lot to many people. If it goes well for him, it will encourage others, all the way down to high school and college level to not hide it, and it will *in time* become a non issue. You don't care, well clearly the gay athletes who are run out of sports or afraid to be themselves do care.

If it doesn't go well, if he gets screwed like kerry rhodes, it will quite possibly ruin his life, set gay athletes back years, and create a black eye the nfl will never live down. It's also illegal to discriminate in many of those cities, so it will be interesting to see how this goes on draft day. Very ballsy thing to do before he has a contract.

Interesting that you bring up Kerry Rhodes. Rhodes is quite obviously gay, and is vehemently in denial of it (publicly). And he can't get signed.

It's illegal to discriminate on the basis of sexual orientation in most NFL cities for most jobs; however, I don't think it will apply to his draft status. There's other criteria upon which it is illegal to discriminate against for employment in those cities and (in most cases) states, but the NFL plays by different rules. If it didn't, a paraplegic could conceivably sue for discrimination under the ADA.
 
It will be interesting when conflicting laws collide. The EEOC definition of sexual harassment is:
"It is unlawful to harass a person (an applicant or employee) because of that person’s sex. Harassment can include “sexual harassment” or unwelcome sexual advances, requests for sexual favors, and other verbal or physical harassment of a sexual nature.

Harassment does not have to be of a sexual nature, however, and can include offensive remarks about a person’s sex. For example, it is illegal to harass a woman by making offensive comments about women in general.

Both victim and the harasser can be either a woman or a man, and the victim and harasser can be the same sex.

Although the law doesn’t prohibit simple teasing, offhand comments, or isolated incidents that are not very serious, harassment is illegal when it is so frequent or severe that it creates a hostile or offensive work environment or when it results in an adverse employment decision (such as the victim being fired or demoted)."

All that is very loose and subjective. Right now, the women of Wellesly College are upset with a statue of a man in underwear and are threaten by his existence. The statue will probably be removed. Clearly a NFL player in the locker room has a right to not feel harassed by an openly gay teammate. And it is not your place to dictate that he should not feel harassed. This player should not be bullied into accepting an openly gay player. In fact, to criticize the offended player would be a violation of civil rights laws.

I know that I am being ridiculous here. No court would allow it. The sexual harassment laws will be ignored in this case. But why is it anyone's concern what a person's sex life is and why is that allowable in a workplace to state one's sexual proclivities.
 
Last edited:
Who wants to bet this dude's chances of being a first round draft pick were slim and none, yesterday?

Like that basketball cat that came out of the closet. He'll NEVER get cut, now.

Well you would be wrong, 1st All-American and a Defensive player of the year and in fact everyone who knows thinks his draft stock will slide. GMs are going on the record saying it will cause him to be draft further down the line. So.....

By the way Jason Collins, near the end of his career, doesn't have a job anymore after coming out gay. No one picked up his contract.
 
He must have a good agent.
 
It's illegal to discriminate on the basis of sexual orientation in most NFL cities for most jobs; however, I don't think it will apply to his draft status. There's other criteria upon which it is illegal to discriminate against for employment in those cities and (in most cases) states, but the NFL plays by different rules. If it didn't, a paraplegic could conceivably sue for discrimination under the ADA.
It's obviously not that simple. The NFL (and the teams) work under the same rules with the same conditions and exceptions (including the unofficial ones of power and money). A blind man couldn't sue if they were refused a job as a truck driver for the same reasons a paraplegic couldn't sue for being refused a job as a NFL player. This kind of law will require employers to make reasonable concessions but there obvious practical limitations.

None of that applies to homosexuality in itself and so that wouldn't be a valid criteria to discriminate on, for the NFL or any other employer. Of course the difficult element is proving discrimination if it occurs and that is all the more difficult in things like sports teams, where "employment" decisions can be legitimately based on so many non-specific factors and personal opinions.
 
It's obviously not that simple. The NFL (and the teams) work under the same rules with the same conditions and exceptions (including the unofficial ones of power and money). A blind man couldn't sue if they were refused a job as a truck driver for the same reasons a paraplegic couldn't sue for being refused a job as a NFL player. This kind of law will require employers to make reasonable concessions but there obvious practical limitations.

None of that applies to homosexuality in itself and so that wouldn't be a valid criteria to discriminate on, for the NFL or any other employer. Of course the difficult element is proving discrimination if it occurs and that is all the more difficult in things like sports teams, where "employment" decisions can be legitimately based on so many non-specific factors and personal opinions.

Well yeah. I have a pretty good knowledge of the NFL's work rules and was just trying to simplify the discussion, but yes, you are correct.
 
I know that I am being ridiculous here.
Too true ;) . A player simply being gay doesn't come close to any kind of sexual harassment. If anything, another player objecting to the simple presence of the gay player would be closer. Sexual harassment requires some kind of specific acts to apply.

But why is it anyone's concern what a person's sex life is and why is that allowable in a workplace to state one's sexual proclivities.
It shouldn't be anyone's concern but it clearly is. Anyone known to be or suspected of being homosexual will be treated differently (usually worse) in environments such as the NFL.

As for stating it, directly you might have a point but the fact is sexuality isn't hidden unless you're forced to do so (which nobody should). You chat with colleagues, talk about what you did at the weekend ("Went to dinner with my wife"), which actors or singers you like ("Madonna used to be hot but she really let herself go." or have simple crossover with your life ("I need a weeks leave for my wedding."). Without actively working to hide it, your sexuality is likely to become apparent over time. Add in the media attention of NFL players and there would be no way to live an free and normal life without your sexuality becoming apparent.

As long as "football player is gay" is considered newsworthy, I think it's perfectly valid for a gay player (or potential player) to state their sexuality and get the "news" out of the way and focus on their job.

Anyway, given your attitude on the sexual harassment element, don't you think it would be preferable for homosexual players to be known rather than hidden and secretive? Unless, of course, you think they should just be banned from playing professional sports at all.
 
His Mizzou teammates didn't have a problem, so I hope that his NFL teammates won't either. That is, if coming out doesn't damage his draft chances. Surely, owners are going to be sensitive and politically correct about this. And maybe everybody can get back to football.
 
Back
Top Bottom