Sports Illustrated quoted an unnamed assistant coach who also brought up the fabled sanctum of Tinactin and testosterone. “There’s nothing more sensitive than the heartbeat of the locker room,” he said. “If you knowingly bring someone in there with that sexual orientation, how are the other guys going to deal with it?”
To his question, a few of my own: When did the locker room become such a delicate ecosystem? Is it inhabited by athletes or orchids? And how is it that gladiators who don’t flinch when a 300-pound mountain of flesh in shoulder pads comes roaring toward them start to quiver at the thought of a homosexual under a nearby nozzle? They may be physical giants, but at least a few of them are psychological pipsqueaks.
And they’re surprisingly blunt and Paleolithic. When NFL Network’s Andrea Kremer recently brought up the possibility of an openly gay player with Jonathan Vilma, a New Orleans Saints linebacker, he said: “Imagine if he’s the guy next to me and, you know, I get dressed, naked, taking a shower, the whole nine, and it just so happens he looks at me.”
“How am I supposed to respond?” Vilma added.
Well, a squeal would be unmanly, Mace might not be enough and N.F.L. players tend to use their firearms away from the stadium, so I’d advise him to do what countless females of our species have done with leering males through history. Step away. Move on. Dare I say woman up?
In addition to being a nationally syndicated sex advice columnist, the author of several books, and the host of the Savage Lovecast, Savage is “a deviant of the highest order” (Daily Caller).... More by Dan Savage
Heaven forbid they shower in an actual gym.
I’m always amused that the NFL and the military claims to be so scared of something any high school gym student or gym member is experiencing. And I’ve never known men, especially the ugly ones, to be so shy about nudity in these environments.
There have been gay NFL players prior to this. You have not heard much about it (notably the 2 gay players in the 90’s who played for Houston) because not much was made of it. There is bigotry and stupidity everywhere, but go ahead and pick some thing you disdain . Michael Sam should be just fine, and if not something should be done about it, absolutely. I do not doubt for a minute that this will be the only circumstance in which he will face bigotry. Sadly
That said, I commend you for what you do, and have a great deal of respect for you Dan.
dear NFL players-there’s 54-70 players on a team (including practice squad). you have at least a dozen coaches or more. you have already played with and against a gay player. Chances are you are currently playing with a gay player. And what do you know, you’ve stayed an NFL player despite it.
^^Thank you. There will be some ignorance and bigotry sadly, but like most workplaces they will just have to move on and work with their new employee/team mate