14 hours ago
Skye Reynolds posted...
There is just a lot of homophobia is male sports (We'll include WWE as a sport here) in general. A player being openly gay affects their chances of being drafted and being popular worse than them being adulterers, women beaters, animal abusers, drug addicts, or even murderers (because being good at playing ultimately a trivial game excuses that). I'm welcome any attempts to try to change this culture to be more accepting.
I don't know anything about WWE, but I now greatly respect John Cena for what he did above. I knew he was a great person with the make a wish foundation, but this just makes him incredible in my eyes.
Pro wrestling, the WWE in particular, has had a long history of homophobia.
Back in 1987, Roddy Piper and Don Muraco debated over whether open expressions of homosexuality should be allowed on wrestling television. Bad guy Muraco got a cheer from the crowd when he argued in favor of freedom of expression; citing "This is America." Roddy Piper, the good guy in the debate, shook his head and shouted about how he didn't want his son seeing that and thinking that it was okay.
The 1990s had Goldust fondling men against their will. The 2000s had oily tag team Billy & Chuck played for laughs. It wasn't until 2012, when GLAAD called out top star John Cena's use of homophobic insinuations, that the WWE finally changed its tune.
Maybe WWE owner Vince McMahon has changed his views. Maybe this is purely political for him. But his daughter Stephanie, the one quoted on saying how vital this is, has always been known to be more accepting. It's a new generation. Stephanie and her husband practically run the company at this point. Maybe there is hope for the company in spite of its history.
I can't pretend that they're starting out with a clean slate, but it's nice to see inclusion in a company that has thus far been seen as one of a perpetrator of homophobia. With LGBT acceptance being a part of wrestling and children's animation, I think we might really be starting to make headway against intolerant attitudes.
There is just a lot of homophobia is male sports (We'll include WWE as a sport here) in general. A player being openly gay affects their chances of being drafted and being popular worse than them being adulterers, women beaters, animal abusers, drug addicts, or even murderers (because being good at playing ultimately a trivial game excuses that). I'm welcome any attempts to try to change this culture to be more accepting.
I don't know anything about WWE, but I now greatly respect John Cena for what he did above. I knew he was a great person with the make a wish foundation, but this just makes him incredible in my eyes.
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