The National Football League (NFL) has taken a major step to ease any potential backlash if an NFL player decides to come out as gay.
The Advocate reported that the NFL has added sexual orientation to its list of protected classes, a change first noticed by Pete Olsen of the blog Wide Rights.
A new collective bargaining agreement from the NFL Players Association (NFLPA) states, "There will be no discrimination in any form against any player by the Management Council, any Club or by the NFLPA because of race, religion, national origin, sexual orientation, or activity or lack of activity on behalf of the NFLPA."
Olsen discovered the change after comparing the latest version of the agreement to the last one in 2006, which did not include the words "sexual orientation," The Advocate reported. The new agreement was ratified by the players in August and lasts until 2021.
"This is certainly a positive step for the NFL," said Shawn Albritton, president of the Chicago Metropolitan Sports Association (CMSA) and head referee for CMSA's flag football league. "Next to be seen is whether an actual NFL player will be able to come out of the closet while he is actively playing in the NFL. The locker room is still a homophobic place, but I for one can envision an out NFL active player in the next 10 years."
Three former NFL players have come out after retiringDavid Kopay in 1975, Roy Simmons in 1992 and Esera Tuaolo in 2002.
"I think it is a very progressive policy, but I do not think it is based in the reality of the NFL culture," said Chicagoan Michael Richardson, who is co-captain of the Chicago Freeze, which will play in the annual Gay Bowl flag football tournament.
"There would be ridicule and derision for any person that came out despite the well meaning intentions of the NFL hierarchy. The person who discloses [his] sexual orientation would have to be brave and very strong. This policy does nothing to address the core of the problem, which is that persons active in sports are not educated enough to know that a person's sexuality does not define them; it is the character of the person. It does not address the great issue of teaching tolerance from an early age and that is something the NFL can't address."
When Tuaolo came out, a fellow pro athlete was critical. Sterling Sharpe made anti-gay comments after Tuaolo revealed he is gay, while Tim Hardaway did the same after Amaechi came out.
"It is truly a great first step for the NFL in particular, and professional sports in general, to see this level of supportif only now just in wordsfor gay athletes," said Chicagoan Brian Walker, who played Division III college football and is openly gay. "I would hope that this will be a clear signal to the other major professional sports, as well as [executives in] the high school and college levels that gay athletes are welcomed and valued for the same hard work, skills and talents that they bring to their teams, schools, cities, and countries.
"Of course, welcoming gay athletes still faces many hurdles and requires the commitment and participation of coaches, managers, teammates, administrators, fans and sponsors.
"We may not see a bevy of players coming out anytime soon, but that fact that there is support at the highest levels of the league must surely be some comfort. Bravo, NFL!"