Take Me, Out, to the Ballgame

In his excellent article about the life of Emile Griffith, Gary Smith explores a boxer whose sexuality contributed to a brutal boxing fatality after his opponent called him a “maricón.” Smith notes the editorial decision to report the translated comment as meaning “anti-man,” a concept I seek to explore in discussing open homosexuals in contemporary sports. “Maricón” is more commonly translated as a pejorative for homosexuals like “faggot” or maybe just “sissy.” but the editor’s decision makes sense from a stereotypical perspective. The accusation did assail Griffith’s masculinity, labeling him an “anti-man” and compelling him to respond viciously in the ring.

There have been openly homosexual athletes and there is growing acceptance today of homosexuality across various aspects of society. Yet certain enclaves, like sports and the military, remain outside the reach of the open homosexual. Surveys suggest a close connection between athletic rigor and heterosexuality remains: there are still anti-men today.

Yet the more cogent observation, seen recently in the practical non-story of Cheryl Swoops’ sexual announcement, is that lesbianism does not engender anti-women. I suspect the reason is that the female athlete is already anti-women. In marked contrast to the contained whispers of homosexuals amongst their male counterparts, there is a broad stereotype developing about the lesbian athlete. In a fascinatingly conflicted survey, 20% agreed there were “many” lesbians in sports. Female athletes face a demand, sometimes from their coach, to maintain their athletic abilities while avoiding any appearance of lesbianism or masculinity. The indifference demonstrated for the openly lesbian athlete is a combination of the lack of interest in female athletics and the perceived congruity between female athleticism and lesbianism.

I wonder if the trailblazer for the openly homosexual male athlete might be neither of those things.

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