Rusty Lockers: An American History of Homophobia in Sports from 1975-Present and Why Gay Athletes Remain Marginalized in a Progressive Society

Abstract

Throughout history, sports in the United States have been fairly progressive. With African Americans fighting for equal rights, Jackie Robinson broke the color barrier in sports. Women's sports have also taken off, demonstrating gender equality ahead of the rest of American society. However, when it comes to gay athletes, the institution of sports is behind the times. This paper looks at how gay male athletes have been treated by American society over the past 40 years. Four case studies are used: Dave Kopay, Greg Louganis, Mark Tewksbury, and Jason Collins. Once they have been compared and contrasted, the topic moves to trying to answer the question, "Why do homosexual males feel the need to keep who they are a secret while playing?" High school athletics are looked at to determine that the reaction of teammates and coaches play a large role in an athlete coming out or staying in the closet. The role of homophobic language is discussed before finally going into a discussion about how the idea of masculinity is what ultimately prevents homosexuals from feeling welcomed in the world of sports. The paper reaches the final conclusion that while progress in terms of gay rights in sports can be seen throughout time, it does not reflect the values of the United States, even though in the past sports have always done just that.