March 1, 2007

John Amaechi on Being Gay in Pro Sports

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John Amaechi, the former NBA player who came out earlier this month, only to be publicly bashed by fellow NBA alum Tim Hardaway (whom the NBA then reprimanded), conducted an online chat with the Washington Post earlier today. He has a lot to say about gay issues and life in pro sports. Here are the most alarm-sounding comments.

Amaechi was asked whether he thought black or white communities, the US or the UK were more homophobic. His reply:

I don’t think that Europe and the UK is a utopia, but governmental backing of homophobia doesn’t exist in the same way it does in America. As for the white and black communities, I think they have a disconnect that is being manipulated by people for political gain. I think both regional and national elections are being won on the back of trumped up bigotry.

Asked whether any of his former teammates had contacted him since he came out, he said, “I have heard from some former teammates from college but not from the pros.”

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WE'LL BE BLUNT

It is astonishingly hard keeping a newsroom afloat these days, and we need to raise $253,000 in online donations quickly, by October 7.

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