Samuel makes an interesting point in a roundabout way.
There is no prize, Presidential phone call, Oprah interview and etc, for being heterosexual, so why is being homosexual rewarded?
The simple answer is anytime you do something different or new, it gets a lot of attention. When Danica Patrick came on the scene it was a really big deal, for a couple of weeks when Brittney Griner was considering playing in NBA that was all anyone could speak about and so on and so forth.
But, if we are talking about equality and that is what everyone wants, should you be praised for just for being who you are? Here is what Samuel had to say.
“Straight people are not announcing they’re straight, so why does everybody have to announce their sexuality or whatever? You know, what they prefer,” Samuel said in an interview with Fox Sports Radio. “So that’s just how I see it. That’s my opinion on things. All respect you know, I have nothing but respect for the people whoever decisions they make and whatever, but you know, you don’t have to show it and flaunt it like that. You know what I’m saying, we have kids out here too.”
Samuel seemingly wants people to focus on athletes for the sport they play, not for their sexuality. “Who says you had to announce what you are and that has to be talked about because you’re playing a sport? Talk about the sport, how good you do in the sport,” Samuel said. “What you did the last game, keep that like that. You don’t have to go into detail about other things. Lets keep it about the touchdowns, the baskets made, the shots, the assists, the goals made.”
I agree with him that straight people, don’t announce they are straight, but people flaunt their sexuality all the time, especially athletes. They love to be seen with as many women as possible, to show what manly men they are.
Maybe one day we will get to a point where it is just about what is happening on the field or the court, but I don’t see that time coming soon. We can’t even get past the “Black” quarterback stigma, so to think people would just be ho-hum about a gay NBA player is an unreasonable expectation.
Jason Collins did something many are afraid to do, but I wouldn’t go as far as calling it heroic, not with the financial windfall that will be coming towards him soon.
The best thing that has come out of this, is the open discussion about sexuality in sports, if nothing else Collins should be commended for that.