It Gets Better

Who is more retrograde?  The military, finally ending don't ask, don't tell?  Or the sporting world, where a story like this is news?  For an NBA executive to have to hide his homosexuality is just appalling.  Good to see that Rick Welts has gotten heaps of support from the Commissioner, from Bill Russell, from Steve Nash, and others.  But, damn, this is a story that should have been told in the early 1990's.  But, no, we still have heaps of homophobes in and near the game, as Kobe Bryant proved earlier this season.  One can say that one does not mean anything by calling someone gay* or a faggot, but that just such bs.  We have a panoply of curse words and insults, so if the first one that comes to mind has to do with the sexuality of the man (or woman), that says far more about the utter-er than the target. 

* Gay is still one of the standard insults in the chat box during online poker games.  Usually, it not only reveals that the player is immature but also a crappy poker player.  Holy tells, Batman!

Sure, I had homophobic attitudes when I was a teen and felt insulted when someone called me gay, but then I grew up.  Too bad more folks cannot just grow the hell up.  I hope that the efforts of Dan Savage and others will make a difference.  I will say that this ad campaign is moving and touches me every time I see it.  Surveys do show that attitudes are changing.  Better late than never?  Absolutely.