Support of Gay Rights in Pro Cycling?

[runninboy]

I know it's that way in many areas, but not all. In the region I live, at least, Gays and Lesbians get along fairly well (on the most part), Bisexuals (at least from what I've seen, I'm still in the closet there, a closet filled with fabulous team skinsuits and kits ) are normally told to pick a side more by straight people than Gays and Lesbians, and Transgender people are accepted fairly well by a fair amount of the LGB community. It might just be my area (three big college towns in an otherwise mostly conservative state), but what you're saying is still not true everywhere. But I do agree about the political approach part.

My experience is based in large metropolitan areas like NYC or LA. Even in London a bunch of us( three straight couples, two gay couples) went to a new dance club, we get there and it turned out to be a lesbian club. They told us the girls could stay but all the guys had to leave, even the gay guys.
In NYC, the gay clubs used to have metal grates in front so the lesbians who wore high heels would get them caught in the grate. Even in West Hollywood, the transgenders are not welcome in most gay clubs and anyone with breasts is turned away at bath houses.The transgenders basically were left to congregate at one club outside of WeHo or a coffee shop to avoid the abuse. I have been present and seen gays walk up to transgenders, tell them they make an "ugly woman" and suggest they leave. Very hateful. Most of the gay men i know consider Bi men to be cowards. That they are too afraid to come all the way out of the closet and stand up for themselves and instead "run home to little wifey" for protection.
I hope it is different in your community like you say. Actually some areas like the midwest or the south there is much more tolerance oddly enough.My family has a farm and there are lesbians and gays who also farm in that community. Everyone gets along pretty good and is pretty respectful. I think the problem might be really when you get very large groups together all of a sudden life becomes west side story People fighting for territory.
Anyway I hope this helps. I think the cycling community is very accepting, like i said in Socal we have transsexuals who raced as well as gays, lesbians & bisexuals. Even had two bisexual guys and one gay guy on my old team, no one cared. In Socal they even had a couple of gay cycling clubs. And a Lesbian club too. Good luck in your racing & life.

 

[Zam_Olyas]

El_Pistolero used to talk about a gay cyclist iirc.

 

[Christian]

Idk people keep saying "don't overdo it" and no special treatment, etc. I agree that in a utopic world sexual orientation should not be an issue. But when you consider that there is not one openly gay cyclist in the whole peloton (that's a lot of people), that's a problem and something should be done to encourage coming out. In a utopic world imposed women's quotas should not exist. Yet they do, because women are largely underrepresented in certain positions. Same with the racial laws dealing with college applications in the US. You would think they shouldn't have to exist, yet African American, Hispanic and other minorities are underrepresented in colleges. Now they will probably abolish this law and all the studies show that the percentage of minorities will drop dramatically.

I am not saying we should impose a quota of homosexual riders per team but we should recognize that everything is not all honkey donkey, even if we think it has to be. Personally I would never refuse to hire a woman just because of her gender but apparently some people do and that is why we have certain laws. Again I believe that when there are no openly gay cyclists, everything points to the fact that it is advantageous to keep your sexual orientation a secret.

I also wonder whether, especially in cycling, fans and sponsors might be a factor. Certain sponsors might not want to be associated with homosexuality, and riders might be scared of riding through the brainless hooligans at PR or Alpe d'Huez when they are openly gay. Although I would be scared of them either way.

Please note that with this message I am in no way trying to suggest that anyone here might be homophobic, anti-gay or anything.

I used to think Linus Gerdemann was gay - think again. His girlfriend is a model and she is HOT.

When the Giro started in Amsterdam, a dutch (I think local) politician proposed to have "podium boys" instead of podium girls. It would break the general stereotypes of gender and promote Amsterdam as alternative, open minded gay capital. I thought it was a fun idea. When I posted it on the forum, the general reaction was "PLEASE tell me this is a joke!!!!"

 

[spalco]

Again I believe that when there are no openly gay cyclists, everything points to the fact that it is advantageous to keep your sexual orientation a secret.

I agree. It's not proof, but indicative of there being some sort of problem.

Maybe an imaginary problem, maybe if (completely random choices) Martin, Gerrans or Cunego made public appearences with their boyfriends, there would be no harm to their careers whatsoever, but they might think there would be and therefore don't "come out".

 

[hrotha]

Homosexuality is largely taboo, not only in cycling, but in professional sports. And that's a shame.

 

[summerhill]

Homosexuality is largely taboo, not only in cycling, but in professional sports. And that's a shame.

An upbeat,optimistic and intelligent discussion between "the NFL's most interesting man" Chris Kluwe and Bob Costas. http://nbcsports.msnbc.com/id/22825103/vp/49527135#49527135
Saying younger NFL players are either supportive of, or indifferent to gay marriage and not opposed; that it would be easier for an established superstar to come out rather than a new or marginal player trying to get established; and the first NFL active player to come out would be inundated with sponsorship offers.

 

[babastooey]

I'm of the opinion that whatever someone does in their free time is their own business. As for what others think on this issue, it really doesn't matter to me one way or the other.

As for the sport itself, sexual acts don't take place during competition out on the road, so it is more or less irrelevant.

 

[FitSsikS]

Doesn't everyone look fruity enough in lycra? How much more can we be expected to do?

Let me check with my co-workers.....brb..

Hmm...as it turns out cycling is totally "gay". I think we (or someone) has done waaay to much.

Too bad cyclist aren't as tough and straight as North American pro athletes.

 

[auscyclefan94]

What is all this fuss about "same sex marriage?

 

[hrotha]

I'm of the opinion that whatever someone does in their free time is their own business. As for what others think on this issue, it really doesn't matter to me one way or the other.

As for the sport itself, sexual acts don't take place during competition out on the road, so it is more or less irrelevant.

Yes, but when was the last time you saw a male rider celebrating a victory with his male partner? Compare that to how many times we've seen a male rider hugging their wives/girlfriends live on TV.

There's no normalcy here.

 

[Kodiak]

read almost all the posts and I've yet to figure out why any riders opinion on this would even matter. Heck you can't even get a straight answer out of most of them about more pressing issues like those found in the Clinic. Does it really matter one way or another?

 

[hrotha]

read almost all the posts and I've yet to figure out why any riders opinion on this would even matter. Heck you can't even get a straight answer out of most of them about more pressing issues like those found in the Clinic. Does it really matter one way or another?

You don't get it. It's not that cyclists should make statements about this. It's simply that:
a) Homosexuals make up a relatively small but not insignificant percentage of the total population.
b) No current male pro (that I know of) is openly homosexual.

Don't you see (b) doesn't make sense in light of (a) unless being openly homosexual is perceived as a problem and something to hide in their field?

 

[Arnout]

When the Giro started in Amsterdam, a dutch (I think local) politician proposed to have "podium boys" instead of podium girls. It would break the general stereotypes of gender and promote Amsterdam as alternative, open minded gay capital. I thought it was a fun idea. When I posted it on the forum, the general reaction was "PLEASE tell me this is a joke!!!!"

And rightfully so. Imagine the rider winning, what if he isn't gay (and a very big chance he isn't). I know it works the same the other way around, but at least that's a minority. Maybe a better option would be to give cyclists the choice whether they want boys or guys. Forced equality irks a lot of people, including me. I accept gays just as I do women in high positions, but please, respect my straightness as well.

Edit: This message might sound homophobic, it is not at all. I just don't think that forcing collisions with heterosexual people helps the case for gay people.

 

[Der Effe]

And rightfully so. Imagine the rider winning, what if he isn't gay (and a very big chance he isn't). I know it works the same the other way around, but at least that's a minority. Maybe a better option would be to give cyclists the choice whether they want boys or guys. Forced equality irks a lot of people, including me. I accept gays just as I do women in high positions, but please, respect my straightness as well.

Edit: This message might sound homophobic, it is not at all. I just don't think that forcing collisions with heterosexual people helps the case for gay people.

Honestly, are you serious?

 

[Libertine Seguros]

Podium girls in general are a pretty old-fashioned and non-progressive thing, mind.

I think Mark Cavendish (I seem to think it was him, but could easily be mistaken) once made a comment about homophobia which was something along the lines of "if I was homophobic, I picked the wrong sport, since on Tour you see an awful lot of massaging and dangly bits in tight lycra going on". Now gay men are overrepresented in some industries and underrepresented in others, proportionate to the percentage of population that they make up of course, and it is more than feasible that sport is an area in which they are underrepresented, especially given the often quite macho attitudes that are not conducive to open homosexuality that pervade many sports (in addition to the 'boys on Tour' kind of vibe that some sports can engender as was quoted above). I think cases such as Justin Fashanu's probably put a lot of gay sportspeople off coming out.

 

[FitSsikS]

....but have not been able to find any information on whether most pro cyclists support gay rights or not. Can anyone provide any information on this? It would be greatly appreciated as a junior aiming for the top level in cycling.

Thanks!!!
Thorn Cycling

Ok on a serious note:

I would imagine that professional cyclists aren't much different than any other group when it comes to "the support of gay rights".

Opinions on the subject would probably vary in percentage from not caring, strongly support and yes all the way over to actual hate for gays.

As I said, just like every other slice of the population.

If a cyclist had felt that their career had been ruined due to discrimination based on their sexual preference then that is in fact an huge issue and anyone aware of it should speak out.

But heck, most kept quiet during systematic doping didn't they?

Sometimes by changing a label you can alienate less and include more.

How about "athletes rights" or good old "human rights"?

 

[Arnout]

Honestly, are you serious?

Yes.

Again, I'm perfectly fine with scrapping podium girls on request, or even podium boys on request if that's what's gay riders want. I think it's pathetic and reversely backward thinking to force podium boys on riders that don't want it.

Imagine, winning a stage of the Tour de France, the win of your lifetime and you can't stick the photo of the podium on the wall because you're being kissed by two males, because some local politician thought it would be a good idea.

 

[hrotha]

Who said anything about being kissed? Podium girls don't kiss the riders because it's a sexual thing, but because that's how women greet or congratulate men in most traditional cycling countries. Podium boys would probably shake hands.

That said, pffff, if being kissed on the cheeks by two dudes is going to ruin your memories or make you ashamed of your photo, you have deep-seated problems.

 

[Zam_Olyas]

Sometimes cheek to cheek to greet among male also there.

 

[Der Effe]

Yes.

Again, I'm perfectly fine with scrapping podium girls on request, or even podium boys on request if that's what's gay riders want. I think it's pathetic and reversely backward thinking to force podium boys on riders that don't want it.

Imagine, winning a stage of the Tour de France, the win of your lifetime and you can't stick the photo of the podium on the wall because you're being kissed by two males, because some local politician thought it would be a good idea.

Yeah, because guys on the podium and a rider's heterosexuality not being 'respected' sure weighs heavier than the gigantic taboo on homosexuality in sports and large parts of society. Oh boy, what has become of this world.

 

[Arnout]

@hothra: I know that. I was extrapolating to make a point. After all, I wouldn't put the photo with the podium girls on the wall either, I'd always choose for the hands in the air moment. The point that in my opinion you cannot force equality by forcing a policy via a subject not involved. It's exactly the reason why I oppose women quota. I think it is rubbish to force equality. What is equality if it is forced?

What difference is there, Der Effe, between the mistake we, as society, made and are still making with regards to gays, not accepting them on an equal basis and forcing the majority preference of women as object of beauty and the obligatory use of male podium boys as a way to equality? How can you ever reach equality by again imposing a forced regulation actively on people?

Like I said, I respect gays, I have a few as good friends. I still don't see why, for acceptance, we should use the wrong misguided tools we are using in our current society.

It's the same as when I was asked by a Greenpeace member recently to help a protest against Shell and drilling oil in the North pole. I am opposed to that for environmental reasons, just like them. Doesn't mean I want to be involved in that battle at that time, so I said no, but good luck. The important thing being I had a choice. My view on politics and society is pretty easy: leave everyone alone if they want to. That's the reason I'm saying this, not because I am pursuing further inequality of gays.