Bisexual men disqualified from Gay Softball World Series for 'not being gay enough'

[anotheoldgit]

http://www.dailymail....t-discrimination.html

Would our discrimination laws even allow a 'Gay' sports team?

[pa___ul3]

do these gay teams not allow straight men at all? If so I think that's wrong, obviously any straight man choosing to play for a gay team would be tolerant of gay men so you wouldn't expect there to be an issue. Basically you shouldn't discriminate based on sexuality, either way.
It is a shame though that they feel the need to to this, I suppose it's just an indicator that society is not yet completely tolerant. If we don't need a team for men who like to sleep with ginger women, or with skinny women, you shouldn't need a team for men who like to sleep with men. It really should be that simplistic!

[sp1814]

Another nail in the coffin for the argument that disrimination 'only happens one way'.

jackthehat - you missed out 'not heading the ball for fear of messing up hairstyles'.

[joeluke]

Perhaps they should have 'taken one for the team' to prove their eligibility

[andy-hughes]

"I mean they may not enjoy a communal bath at the end of a game if they know homosexuals are present."

I know of no reason why a straight man would not wish to take a bath if a gay man was present.

AOG - can you enlighten me?

[ummmm]

Would you like me to enlighten you Andy? I think I know the answer....

[joeluke]

I can think of plenty of reasons

[atrollope]

Dont drop the soap ;0)

[AlBags]

"Where's the soap?"
"Yes, it does, doesn't it!"

[Buenchico]

It's strange that nobody seems to think it odd that people who share something in common, such as their religion
http://www.salvationarmyfc.co.uk/
or their occupation
http://www.metpolicefc.co.uk/
should come together to form a football team (or even their own leagues
http://www.ycfl.org.uk/cgi-bin/index.cgi and http://full-time.thef...dex.do?league=1936270 )
but that the common factor of sexuality is perceived (by some) to be somehow different:
http://www.gfsnleague.co.uk/

Chris

[andy-hughes]

Thanks ummmm - but since AOG made the point, I would like him to elaborate, although last time I made a similar polite request I got a real eyeful!

AOG I am asking a serious question in the spirit of debate - I hope you will answer my question in this spirit in which it is offered.

[askyourgran]

The title of the series was Gay Softball World series, so why were bi or straight men in the team? They can't have been honest with the Softball association when they joined, two of those men fancied women well... one was married to one. I think I read in that link that they allow two bi or straight players anyway.

[ludwig]

// I know of no reason why a straight man would not wish to take a bath if a gay man was present. //

For the same reason a woman wouldn't want to take a bath in the presence of a man that wasn't their partner, and vice versa.
It's not at all unreasonable to feel uncomfortable in that situation.

[andy-hughes]

ludwig - if a woman were to find herself in the compoany of men in a bath, anyone apart from the blind would be able to see that there is a gender difference, and fair play.

But how is a man supposed to be able to recognise a homosexual, and therefore be in a position (!) to feel uncomfortable - they don't tie a pink ribbon round it you know!

[jno]

I suppose you might be able to tell, if everyone else in the bath belonged to a gay football club.

But if you let bi men in, why then, nobody would feel safe.

Personally, I have showered/bathed unperturbed in the company of people of both genders. But I have never been a sex object, alas.

[Monkeyfun]

Buenchico no it's not that it's the fact that the gay lobby have been fighting for equal rights etc... So then why seclude yourself in a gay only team instead of being amongst the mainstream like they've been fighting for?

[joggerjayne]

"last time I made a similar polite request I got a real eyeful"

andy-hughes ... AOG has made you a cake, to say sorry ...

http://www.google.co....18&ved=1t:429,r:0,s:0

[ludwig]

// But how is a man supposed to be able to recognise a homosexual, and therefore be in a position (!) to feel uncomfortable - they don't tie a pink ribbon round it you know! //

But that's not the situation your statement "I know of no reason why a straight man would not wish to take a bath if a gay man was present."
addressed.

You made it in reply to someone's hypothetical situation where it IS known that a homosexual is present, and they ARE therefore in a position to feel uncomfortable.

The discomfort comes from a desire to not feel you are being looked at in a sexual way in a non-sexual situation with a relative stranger. It doesn't make you a homophobe (which is what you were implying) any more than it makes a woman a man-hater, or a man a misogynist, if don't feel comfortable getting naked in front of someone of the opposite sex that they aren't on very familiar terms with.

[andy-hughes]

That must be the difference between people who think as I, and people who think as you ludwig - I would not be so arrogant as to assume that any gay man is looking at me in a sexual way - I would be quite flattered if he were!

[ludwig]

Try walking into a womens changing room and see how arrogant they all are then - or maybe they'd all be flattered at the attention like your good self - you little tease.

[naomi24]

I agree with Ludwig. It doesn't take arrogance to feel that you may be viewed in a sexual way - just the possibility of being viewed in that way would deter me from bathing with a group who were clearly not of the same sexual orientation as me.