Well, although my heart will always be Dodger Blue….I gotta give props to the SF Giants. They will be the first professional sports team to make an “It Gets Better” video for anti-gay bullying. With no “openly gay” sports figures in the majority of American sports, this is huge! We usually just hear all the derrogatory comments made on the field, hopefully the Giants will start the momentum of stopping bullying, especially in sports where it is so taboo. Below is an excerpt from Change.org. Please visit there and thank the team who will hopefully inspire many others to follow suit.
The San Francisco Giants have just committed to becoming the first team in professional sports to produce an “It Gets Better” video against anti-gay bullying, opening up a broader conversation in America about homophobia in the sports world and in our society.
The Giants will join President Obama, corporations like Google and Apple, and more than 10,000 people who have uploaded poignant and powerful videos supporting kids struggling with sexual orientation and gender identity.
Inspired by the It Gets Better Project and heartsick about recent homophobic incidents in sports, Giants fan Sean Chapin decided to start a petition on Change.org reaching out to his favorite team. More than 6,000 Giants fans signed on in support of Sean’s petition, including four San Francisco mayoral candidates.
The San Francisco Giants are now taking a courageous stand on behalf of gay kids, and those perceived to be gay, perhaps changing sports forever. Click here to join Sean Chapin in thanking the Giants for their amazing leadership.
This fantastic news comes in the aftermath of incidents involving basketball star Kobe Bryant and Atlanta Braves pitching coach Roger McDowell, who was suspended for calling a group of Giants fans a “homo couple” and making lewd gestures before a recent game in San Francisco.
With role models like Bryant and McDowell, it’s no wonder homophobia is rampant in sports, from high school to the pros — and it’s no wonder that there are zero openly gay men in the four major American sports leagues.
By taking a stand against anti-gay bullying, the Giants are striking a big blow to homophobia — and giving a big boost to gay youth across America, especially kids who seek to one day play professional sports.