I appreciate the response, AA, I do. I enjoy your posts more often than not, even when I disagree.
I already know that you and I essentially just agree to disagree on this subject and go Braves. Your belief that it's a choice / life style. My understanding that it's not. I do feel like the unofficial gay guy in this group that needs to speak up when this topic pops up every so often, as much for my own self as for any lurkers reading. I don't see it as forcing people to accept me or forcing an agenda on you or anyone else. It's more like offering a first-person perspective on the topic. Granted, I can get quickly annoyed and not always maintain my composure with really ignorant comments, which I always feel bad about 5 minutes later, but eff it, ignorant comments deserve strong reactions at times. Not saying yours is ignorant mind you. You actually just asked a legitimate question: Why is this news? I felt like answering, somewhat snarkily though that wasn't the main intention.
It is newsworthy though, make no mistake, regardless of who the person is. Firsts always tend to be, especially in sports, and especially especially in one of the last remaining segments of society where you simply do not see any representation for whatever reason. Also, baseball thrives on stats. This is basically a stat. I'd argue it's a stat more newsworthy than a no-hitter or someone hitting for the cycle. Gays in baseball - 1. It will also be equally newsworthy when a woman is drafted to a team. Women in baseball - 0.
Is he now the Jackie Robinson of gays? No, not at all. But he is the first to break a barrier in the sport that no one else has had the courage to do yet. And that deserves mention. Is it easier for him to come out as a non-prospect, or is he coming out for the attention and money? Maybe. But that's a really cynical point of view, and at the end of the day, I don't really care what his reasoning is, only that he did, and good for him. And maybe good for the next guy who thinks, well, that's out of the way now, I guess I'm not as afraid to let the press ask me about my home life or photographers catch me out eating with my boyfriend.
You mention your family members who are gay. The biggest reason for the advance of equality is visibility. So many more people these days have a gay relative or friend or acquaintance at work. It has humanized the subject matter for them. That's a good thing. And the more normal it becomes, the better it will be for everyone.
I chuckled at your "cravings" comment. I don't think anyone's ever said I have cravings, other than for Diet Coke or Subway. I don't have gay cravings though. Actually, my libido is pretty low these days. I just fall in love like anyone else, and can recognize a good-looking guy or girl when I see them. As for sex, meh. Not important to my life these days. Sadly. Still, I know which way my bat swings.
