John Amaechi vs Hardaway - Gays in the lockerooms??? This is long - just a warning.?

Question

I must say, I don't have too much a problem with everything he said - granted the "Hate" thing may have been a little much, but as far as not wanting to be in the same locker room as a gay guy I can completely understand that. I mean honestly, how many straight guys out there would want to shower with a gay guy next to you? "Just cause he's gay it doesn't mean he'll be checking you out in the shower and while your changing!" - Yeah, well you know what, there's a lot greater chance he'll be checking me out (well, not me exactly, I'm pretty ugly) but there's a lot greater chance he'd be checking out a guy showering with him than a straight guy would. When you think about it, it could be compared to a straight guy wanting to shower with all the ugly girls he’s not attracted to. I'm not saying a gay guy should be completely ostracized from the team and the locker room, all I’m saying is that I’d feel uncomfortable showering/changing with him in the room. Would I distance myself from him as far as that whole “team unity, we’re a family and we share stuff in the locker” jazz, no – I’d just rather be fully clothed when he walks into the locker room. Now am I being a bigot for saying this? Also, do you think it would be different depending on how gay a person was – before I get into trouble for saying that let me explain myself (I wasn’t sure how to word it the right way.) I remember watching John Amaechi play and even now he still strikes me as just a regular guy, I mean there would be no reason for anybody to think he was gay if he hadn’t said so himself. Do you think it’d be different people wouldn’t have cared as much if he had come out during his playing years – being that he was just a regular – and do you think players would care more if someone came out who was so gay they were almost feminine – you know what I’m talking about so don’t get mad at me for wording it like that.

I just want to point out - the 5th answer down by gunsnroses guy is dumb. You can't tell me gay men don't look at straight men. I've had a couple gay guys check me out before - and believe me they knew I was straight. That'd be like saying all straight men can only check out straight girls. Hell if I say a hot lesbian I'd still probably think to myself "Well, she's pretty hot." I wouldn't think "She's a lesbian, I'm not allowed to think she's attractive whatsoever."
Bad answer gunsnroses guy, bad answer.

Answer 1

I don't see what all the fuss is about. Gay men are attracted to ... get ready for it ... other gay men! If you're not gay and don't mind showering with men what are you worried at? Apparently if you don't mind straight men checking you out naked and they're not attracted to you either.

Answer 2

I don't find it wrong to feel uncomfortable having to shower in the same room as a homosexual. I have gay friends and love em to death but being straight it would feel like, as you put it, having to be naked with a bunch of ugly girls you're not attracted to. As far as how blatantly gay someone displays their self, that might be a bit much. We can't really say for sure though since there's no pro sports player I can think of who acts in such an obvious feminine matter. We would just have to wait and see but I probably wouldn't have much of a problem with that personally as long as it didn't effect the team's play.

Answer 3

Having played basketball my whole life including high school and college, I have been in many locker rooms. I have never played with a teammate that would welcome an openly gay man into our locker room. I have, however, played with numerous guys that have said things that closely resemble that comments made by Tim Hardaway. The fact is, most straight men do not want to be around gay men and I feel that they should not have to be. Congrats to Tim Hardaway for speaking up for what is right.

Answer 4

I agree. I wouldn't want a gay man in the shower with me. And I don't think it is right that because he said the way he felt is wrong. The word hate should of have been left out but if it is the way he feels it is his right. But if I found a team mate was gay and in the locker room with me after a amount of time went by I would feel angry because I would never undress in front of someone who might be thinking what they were.

Answer 5

I agree with everything you said. I think that if he had come out when he was playing the things that are going on now, would have happened then, only worse. I think a lot of players would have come out to voice their opinion against playing with him. Think about it, would you not get a little upset if a known gay guy fouled you while you were driving to the hole, and he kinda touched you somewhere you did'nt like. It could be a complete accident, but would you really think that it was? What about a pat on the butt? I know I would'nt like it. It would have been really hard for him back then.

Answer 6

Firstly, your extreme ignorance is very discouraging. In this day in age, you should understand what is most important in life. What one does, sexually, is a private matter. You obviously have self-esteem and homo-phobia issues. Your prejudice reinforces and directly/indirectly contributes to the disenfranchisement, bigotry, and violence that has plagued this country for years. Admittedly, it's not all your fault, this country teaches bigotry from the cradle to the grave. Whether it's intolerance against others or self-loathing. Who cares who's in the shower while you are showering (outside the privacy of your own home), as long as he doesn't make a physical advancement he has as much right to be there as you do.
Put yourself in his shoes, what if you were excluded because of a preference, habit, nationality, or belief. Do you believe in Jim Crow? Based on you answer, you would be a hypocrite if you didn't. You have fear, fear of being considered gay if one is attracted too you or in denial and confused about your own sexual preference. Either way, the problem lies with you. You must begin to reflect on the basis and the origin of your thinking. You'll be surprised where it comes from. This country, blatantly teaches intolerance. You must undo the teaching and begin to stand up and begin adopting ideas that progress Man/Women kind.
How does homosexuality damage the human race? If a man chooses to love another man does that jeopordize our existence? Does it put the future of our kids in danger? No, but sending 18-21 year olds to die in Iraq for oil does. Get your priorities straight. You'll learn the hard way.

Answer 7

Just the fact that you had to so carefully word your question proves a point I've been thinking about alot lately.
I'm sick and tired of anyone who's uncomfortable around gay people being labeled as "homo-phobic", like its some kind of disease.
I applaud Tim Hardaway for having the guts to say what alot of men feel. "Hate" is going a bit to far, but man am I sick of not being able to turn on the TV without watching some swisher interjected into a show just for the sake of being pc.
And that hog Rosie O'Donnell, telling us all what we have to think about gays or feel her bull-dyke wrath. What a crock!
I DONT understand gays
I DONT have to like gay people and
I WOULDNT want them in my locker room

The guy above me proves my point. Basically he's saying if you dont like gays, theres something wrong with YOU.
How do they hurt the human race? Well, aside from the human race DYING OUT if it were left up to them, they dont.

Answer 8

Who cares? i'm particular there is and that is their decision and it would not impact my existence in any respect, Now in case you needed to get dr laura on the problem all gay people are evil. yet fairly who cares? in trouble-free terms homophobes. If any of you think mallrats you'd understand being a homophobe isn't cool. basically no longer particular why my fellow hetro sexuals make such a controversy about people being gay. i do not get it, it is the reason he waited because he does no longer be in a position to make a living for himself if people knew he grow to be gay at the same time as he performed. The crew would launch him, he would sue them and win large and the nba would seem as if an anit gay league which may deliver about the disbanding of the wnba which i'd say 80 p.c. of the gamers are shown lesbians, yet no one has a issue with that because no one watches the wnba yet lesbians. at any cost that is unhappy that now that one participant comes out, people prefer to out another gay and kick them out of the league because that is what would take position. no one in u . s . of america is waiting for that revolution because in some unspecified time sooner or later the straights will be out numbered because the type of bisexual women folk and adult men enhance through the 1000's of thousands each and every year i'm particular. certain that is the subsequent American revolution the straights vs the gays and bis , our children children will be interpreting about it of their historic previous books 50 years from now, it is that if the international isn't 40 ft decrease than sea aspect. which brings me to my aspect there are more beneficial major issues to emphasize about than questioning about who in the nba is gay. once you enhance the gay issue it is going to grow to be political throughout itself. for sure i'm being sensational on purpose besides the undeniable fact that that is relaxing to jot down those lengthy diatribes to make certain if it provokes anybody to write down a reaction.

Answer 9

Is there fear among straight jocks of being locker room/shower with other straight men checking out there packages?

Answer 10

Just because you are uncomfortable being around a person is no reason to austricize a player out of a locker room. If that was the case, black players would still not be allowed in locker rooms. I'm sure back in the 1950's there were many white players that didn't want to share the same locker room with a black player and I'm sure they felt uncomfortable around them. Was that the black players fault that they were uncomfortable? No. Is it the gay man's fault that they are uncomfortable? No. Both are who they are.

A person should only be kicked out of the locker room based on their actions. There are probably dozens if not over a hundred NBA players probably that have been in the NBA and were gay and never said. Hell, probably every single guy who has responded on here has showered next to a gay and not known it. And if you are uncomfortable getting checked out by guys in the locker room, you better eject most the straight guys too. Because there are a lot of straight guys that check out guys too in the locker room.

The question that should be asked is: If I were that person, how would I like to be treated and how should I be treated? Does that person deserve to be kicked out of the locker room when they've done nothing wrong? I say, NO! The people that feel uncomfortable should grow some balls and start giving people the kind of respect they deserve. I'm sure it wasn't comfortable for guys getting used to having black guys in the locker rooms with them back in the 50's. And I'm sure it won't be comfortable for guys knowing they have gay guys with them in the locker room. But in both cases, the people need to be treated with respect. And in both cases people need to get over being uncomfortable and grow as a human being to be better than being a biggot that criticizes and treats people badly just because they are different than them.

And before you starting going and bashing gays in public be careful of what you say. You never know who around you might be gay. It could be your son or daugher or sister or brother or cousin or uncle or coworker or neighbor or your preacher's son. With so many people in the world with attitudes like Tim Hardaway and so many people like I've seen on here that support them. It's no wonder why so many gay teenagers commit suicide, especially when sometime their parents come across to them the same way Tim Hardaway did. Many parents disown their gay kids, throw them out of the house and will never talk to them. They will tell them that they're going to hell. And the kid meanwhile has thought about telling their parents long and hard. And it's not easy for them to tell them. They are probably telling their parents the hardest thing they will ever have to go to tell their parents about. And when the kid is most vulnerable and pouring their heart out to the parent, the parent tells them they are going to hell, throws them on the street, quits talking to them and tells them that they are going to get AIDS. I've seen it happen to many of my gay friends.

I'm not trying to get mad at people. I'm just asking them to quit being biggots and have some compassion.

You know in 33 states it is legal to fire a person because the person is gay. To get the point across about how fair society is to gays, your boss should tell you that he/she thinks you are gay, fire you, then ask you if that's fair. You can plead and argue all you want and your boss can simply respond. Sorry, but we can legally fire you if you are gay and we don't have to prove you are gay. Hey, they do it to gays all the time and never have to prove the person is gay. So why should it matter if you are straight? I mean, fair is fair....right?

You know. If we use your mentality of thinking, gays should be made to sit at the back of the public buses. I mean one shouldn't be allowed to sit next to you and possibly feel up your leg right? I'm sure Rosa Parks would be all for that! Or maybe we should have straight and gay bathrooms as well like they once had White and Black bathrooms. You wouldn't want a gay guy checking you out while you were at the urinal would you?

To me, each of those scenarios is as stupid as throwing a player out of the locker room or off the team because he or she is gay.