12/18/24
May 16, 2011
Phoenix Suns Exec Reveals He's Gay: Phoenix Suns president Rick Welts has revealed publicly for the first time that he's gay. "This is one of the last industries where the subject is off limits," said Welts, who lost a longtime partner to AIDS in 1994 while hiding their relationship from his work colleagues. Welts hopes to become a mentor to gay people fearful about having a career in sports. While an NBA executive, Welts created NBA All-Star Weekend and the slam dunk contest in 1984. Before going public he asked Suns guard Steve Nash for his support. "Anyone who's not ready for this needs to catch up," Nash said. "He's doing anyone who's not ready for this a favor."
posted by rcade to basketball at 10:50 AM - 7 comments
It's a shame when someone has to come "out" publicly. Too often someone has to come "out" after enduring rumors and threats. Live and let live, but I guess some people want to go back to the "good old days" when blacks and women "knew their place" and the LGBT community was so far deep in the closet you couldn't find them.
posted by jjzucal at 10:21 AM on May 16, 2011
It's a shame when someone has to come "out" publicly.
I guess this is because of the assumption that heterosexual is normal...which wouldn't necessarily be a bad thing if we could get rid of the baggage around the term "normal" and understand it as just a statistical majority without a judgment either way. Being left-handed isn't "normal" either, but (at least these days) there isn't any stigma attached to it. I dunno, maybe "normal" is just too tainted a word.
posted by lil_brown_bat at 11:00 AM on May 16, 2011
posted by geekyguy at 11:22 AM on May 16, 2011
Being left-handed isn't "normal" either, but (at least these days) there isn't any stigma attached to it.
Speak for yourself!
There won't be any "sinister" people in my household!
*pttoi*
posted by grum@work at 12:25 PM on May 16, 2011
I look forward to the day when a person revealing that they are gay has as much news significance as a person revealing that they are not gay. In other words, no significance at all.
posted by graymatters at 04:08 PM on May 16, 2011
I look forward to the day when a person revealing that they are gay has as much news significance as a person revealing that they are not gay. In other words, no significance at all.
Mike Piazza would beg to differ.
posted by BornIcon at 04:13 PM on May 16, 2011
It is times like this that I think SpoFi needs a like button. It was also nice of Nash to add his support. I wonder if any basketball agents will come out and attack Nash over this?