The Jackie Robson of Gay Rights - The Village Voice

Contents:

• YOUNG ATHLET ARE WHY THERE WILL NEVER BE A "GAY JACKIE ROBSON" - FROM 'FAIR PLAY'
• IS MICHAEL SAM THE GAY JACKIE ROBSON?
• WHY WE’LL NEVER HAVE A ‘GAY JACKIE ROBSON’
• THE JACKIE ROBSON OF GAY RIGHTS
• IS BASEBALL READY FOR A GAY JACKIE ROBSON?
• THERE WILL NEVER BE A "GAY JACKIE ROBSON"

YOUNG ATHLET ARE WHY THERE WILL NEVER BE A "GAY JACKIE ROBSON" - FROM 'FAIR PLAY'

Most of the mastream attentn spent on the topic of LGBTQ cln sports centers around when we will have a star openly gay active athlete one of the four major male profsnal sports leagu. Women’s Natnal Team, or that Robbie Rogers played four seasons wh the LA Galaxy the MLS after g out, or Jason Colls’ cisn to announce he’s gay at the tail end of his profsnal basketball reer. If you are lookg for a story of gridiron perseverance, read about Miami nng back TJ Callan, who played two seasons wh the Hurrin spe endurg csant homophobic tnts om teammat and ach.

In optg to tell his story, Callan says he wants to be part of the solutn, and open the ey of ach and admistrators about the impact a homophobic environment n have on an athlete.

IS MICHAEL SAM THE GAY JACKIE ROBSON?

It is evable we will see more openly gay profsnal athlet.

WHY WE’LL NEVER HAVE A ‘GAY JACKIE ROBSON’

Perhaps we will see out gay fensive tackle Stt Frantz on an NFL roster this fall, provid the season starts on time. From Chapter 2 - Young Athlet Are Why There Will Never Be A "Gay Jackie Robson". For years people have asked about when we would see the "gay Jackie Robson.

THE JACKIE ROBSON OF GAY RIGHTS

While many see the fight for marriage equaly the rearview mirror, many policians—mostly Republins—still aim to strip gay and trans people and same-sex upl of their rights. It is still legal twenty-ne stat—the majory of Ameri—to fire someone for beg gay, as sexual orientatn has not been granted feral civil rights protectn. Gay people n vote.

IS BASEBALL READY FOR A GAY JACKIE ROBSON?

Gay people aren't relegated to a particular seat on a b. Out gay people have been playg sports wh straight people for years.

THERE WILL NEVER BE A "GAY JACKIE ROBSON"

Instead, the clost thg we've had to a "gay Jackie Robson" were people like Johnson, Sims, and other LGBT athlet and ach at the high school and llege level who me out publicly and to their teams the eighti, neti, and early 2000s.

The people, the trench of small-town muni and lower-profile teams, llectively helped pave the way not jt for future gay athlet, but their public profil—both lolly and natnally—shifted the nversatn and bolstered legal advancements cludg marriage equaly.

The lacrosse goalie me out publicly 2005 while at Dartmouth and was the first out gay man drafted by a pro sports league when the Boston Cannons selected him the Major League Lacrosse draft later that year. While he was known tennis circl to be gay, he didn't publicly acknowledge until he was arrted for solicg a mor; he went on to distance himself om his homosexualy, llg an "illns" for which he was beg treated. Hardly the actns of a "gay Jackie Robson.