The Chicago City Council wants major sports commissioners to embrace LGBT athletes.
The council adopted a resolution May 8, calling on Major League Baseball, National Football League, National Basketball Association, National Hockey League and Major League Soccer commissioners to publicly state support for LGBT athletes.
The resolution asks commissioners to sanction athletes who use anti-gay slurs and to say they would embrace openly LGBT players.
The resolution was adopted without opposition in both the Committee on Human Relations May 7 and in the City Council May 8.
Ald. Joe Moore, who introduced the resolution, told reporters at a press conference before Wednesday's City Council meeting that he felt it was "vital" that professional sports prepare for more athletes to come out, after Washington Wizards center Jason Collins came out as gay recently.
"These walls are tumbling down," Moore said. "Those closet doors are opening."
Chicago is the second city to adopt such a resolution after San Francisco. LGBT sports organization The Last Closet pushed for both resolutions.
Fawn Yacker, project director of The Last Closet, said the group wants to see an out LGBT athlete in every major sport.
Openly gay Alds. James Cappleman and Tom Tunney were among the resolution's three main sponsors, in addition to Moore.
Cappleman spoke in favor of the resolution, arguing that despite progress on LGBT rights, sports was "the last area where there is still so much discrimination."
More Windy City Times coverage on the resolution is available at: windycitymediagroup.com/lgbt/City-human-relations-committee-passes-LGBT-sports-resolution/42682.html .