What a week in sports! After former National Basketball Association player John Amaechi came out of the closet, former NBA star Tim Hardaway went on a highly publicized rant about hating gays, and NBA Commissioner David Stern declared, "It's not an NBA issue."
I recommend that Commissioner Stern read John Amaechi's newly released book, Man in the Middle , so he can better understand that this is very much an NBA issue. And an NFL issue. And a Major League Baseball issue. It is time to acknowledge that gay and lesbian athletes compete at all levels of sport – and they should be treated with the same respect and dignity as their straight teammates.
I couldn't believe my eyes when famous NBA star Charles Barkley planted a kiss on retired NBA referee Dick Bavetta following a challenge race on Saturday night that was part of the NBA All-Star weekend. Across the nation in the macho male domain of sports, I could imagine the echo of, "That's disgusting!" "Yuck." "That's sick, man." This reaction should be no surprise as we saw the first visible picture of two male sports figures actually kissing. But I was surprised – pleasantly so – to see Charles Barkley emerge as a hero. While I may not know his intent, Barkley's bold action was the most direct effort to visibly confront homophobia in sports, including the destructive stereotypes that our athletes have had to endure for many decades.
I interpret Barkley's kiss as a direct protest against former NBA player Tim Hardaway's homophobic rant last week. Hardaway – a famous and talented basketball player – was a disgrace to the NBA in his multiple use of the word "hate," beginning a media interview with, "I hate gays." Hardaway issued a carefully-crafted apology two days after his rant, and it came off as false and insincere. In the litany of apologies by public sports figures, his was the most absurd! NBA Commissioner Stern made a much stronger statement when he took immediate action in removing Hardaway from any role in representing the NBA in the All-Star festivities in Las Vegas.
But the commissioner needs to take another step and recognize that homophobia does exist in the NBA.
In the meantime, the silence surrounding homophobia in sports is disappearing every day. With LGBT athletes who are open and out – from Billie Jean King to Martina Navratilova to John Amaechi – speaking about their experiences, the nation is being given an opportunity to know them as courageous people working to help others. Indeed, these famous professional athletes are providing role models that are making a difference in the safety and lives of our LGBT young people in sports.
The National Center for Lesbian Rights Sports Project is at the forefront of this endeavor, working with the girls, boys, men, and women at the ground level to obtain the simple right of just playing their sport. NCLR receives calls almost daily from these young athletes, their parents, and coaches – all looking for support. Five years ago, such support didn't exist.
But NCLR is also hard at work changing that culture of support. We partner with the National Collegiate Athletic Association, the Women's Sports Foundation, and other sports organizations to establish a positive sports environment for all athletes to achieve their athletic goals. The necessity for this work is highlighted by last week's events.
Perhaps I am putting more significance on Barkley's kiss than he intended. But the simple truth is that there will be a lot of conversation about "the kiss" and that is good. Very good.
Helen Carroll is the director of the National Center for Lesbian Rights Sports Project.