(First?) Openly gay MLB umpire retires

[Tedw9]

I think its fantastic that if flew under the radar and no one made a big deal out of him being gay. I never heard about it and obviously the players nor his fellow umpires had any issue, which is how it should be.

Maybe there is hope after all.

[conor912]

Originally Posted by Tedw9

I think its fantastic that if flew under the radar and no one made a big deal out of him being gay.

Agreed...it just usually doesn't work that way which is why I was surprised.

[pclpads]

For me, this is a "so what" deal? Like a smelly fart in a crowded elevator: Today, it occurs more than you might think. Happy for him and his partner. While it may be an encouraging sign of the shift in attitudes, unfortunately there are still far too many troglodytes and bigoted bone brains who will see this as another indicator of the end of civilization as we know it, light their torches and march in stupid and futile protest.

[Snapolit1]

Yeah, it will be a better world when all these stories fly under the radar screen. If you are still losing sleep about what other people do in their bedroom well, whatever. I can't understand it. Glad he's enjoying his retirement.

[conor912]

Originally Posted by Snapolit1

Yeah, it will be a better world when all these stories fly under the radar screen. If you are still losing sleep about what other people do in their bedroom well, whatever. I can't understand it. Glad he's enjoying his retirement.

...though I also think stories like this getting out there help inspire others to come forward. They're two very compelling sides to the coin.

[packs]

Sports has always been dominated by macho crap and every sport is still full of bigots. Stories like these should be told and told often so that the bigots begin to be outnumbered. Dismissing it as non-news is a nice sentiment but unfortunately is not reflective of the society we're still plagued by.

[Snapolit1]

Originally Posted by conor912

...though I also think stories like this getting out there help inspire others to come forward. They're two very compelling sides to the coin.

Yes, totally agree. Didn't mean to suggest it's not important to publicize. But I feel pretty hopeful that in the next generation of people growing up it will be a 100% complete non-issue.

[conor912]

Originally Posted by Snapolit1

Yes, totally agree. Didn't mean to suggest it's not important to publicize. But I feel pretty hopeful that in the next generation of people growing up it will be a 100% complete non-issue.

Amen.

Originally Posted by packs

Sports has always been dominated by macho crap and every sport is still full of bigots. Stories like these should be told and told often so that the bigots begin to be outnumbered. Dismissing it as non-news is a nice sentiment but unfortunately is not reflective of the society we're still plagued by.

I'm not one to stir the pot usually, but it does make you wonder if MLB or another entity suppressed it. It just seems like too low hanging of fruit to not get picked by the media.

Edited to add: I'll be dammed
https://mobile.nytimes.com/2014/12/0...ut-as-gay.html

[Peter_Spaeth]

Originally Posted by Snapolit1

Yes, totally agree. Didn't mean to suggest it's not important to publicize. But I feel pretty hopeful that in the next generation of people growing up it will be a 100% complete non-issue.

Prejudice is one of those things that seems to very successfully pass down from generation to generation, as Rodgers and Hammerstein so brilliantly expressed in their song in South Pacific. But we can hope.

[vintagetoppsguy]

Originally Posted by Snapolit1

If you are still losing sleep about what other people do in their bedroom well, whatever.

I don't lose sleep over it and whatever people do in their own bedroom is definitely their own business, but I am sick and tired of having it all shoved down my throat. Why does the article even mention it? Why do I need to know what his sexual orientation is?

Here is another article about 4 MLB umpires retiring. Nowhere does it mention what their sexual orientation is. Is it relevant to the article? Does the reader care?

http://mlb.nbcsports.com/2017/02/21/...-have-retired/

I'm tired of seeing rainbow bumper stickers on the back of cars, rainbow flags, gay parades, etc.. I'm heterosexual, but I don't go out of my way to make it known to people. There is no bumper sticker on the back of my truck announcing it. I don't participate in parades celebrating my heterosexuality.

As Leon said, it's just not news anymore. The world doesn't need to know your sexual preference. Keep it to yourself. If you need to announce it, you're just looking for attention.

[packs]

Sexual orientation does still matter to a large part of the population. It's not something that is just glossed over in daily life. The Supreme Court neglected to rule on protections for LGBT employees 2 days ago. People use the bumper stickers to show pride in something that has been shunned for the majority of history. It's totally understandable why someone would be proud to be who they are without having to hide it in a world that reinforces secrecy.

[vintagetoppsguy]

Originally Posted by packs

People use the bumper stickers to show pride in something that has been shunned for the majority of history.

Fill in the blank were shunned for a majority of history in this country too, but I don't see them with bumper stickers on the back of their cars to show their pride.

[conor912]

Originally Posted by vintagetoppsguy

Is it relevant to the article? Does the reader care?

I actually asked myself the same thing while reading it. The short to these two questions is 1) No and 2) This reader did. While not permanent to his retirement, had it not been in the article, I would have never known that an openly gay man had umpired 3 World Series', which I, personally, think is important for as many baseball fans as possible to know.

[Peter_Spaeth]

Based on my observations and interactions, anyone who thinks most of the world is now tolerant or indifferent is wrong. Yes, it's probably better than it used to be, but we're nowhere near a world or even a country where it's a non-issue.

[vintagetoppsguy]

Originally Posted by conor912

had it not been in the article, I would have never known that an openly gay man had umpired 3 World Series', which I, personally, think is important for as many baseball fans as possible to know.

I don't understand this. As a baseball fan, why do you feel it important for me (and others) to know that?

I would guess the majority of baseball fans don't give a crap, let alone think it's important.