Ozzie Guillen, the manager of baseball's Chicago White Sox, got himself into some hot water this week. Guillen, who led the White Sox to the World Series championship last season, has proven to be a goldmine for reporters looking for quotes because he'll say just about anything regarding just about any topic. It was a comment he made to one of those sportswriters that has caused Guillen to get into trouble.
In a fit of anger last Tuesday night, he called Jay Mariotti, long-time sports columnist for the Chicago Sun-Times, a "fag." I find it interesting that the reaction has been swift and fairly harsh toward Guillen. He has been fined by baseball Commisioner Bud Selig and ordered to take sensitivity training. Guillen was also suspended for one game. According to 365gay.com, this was not Guillen's first time throwing around that particular "f" word
In a statement, Selig said, "Ozzie Guillen used language that is offensive and completely unacceptable. Baseball is a social institution with responsibility to set appropriate tone and example. Conduct or language that reflects otherwise will not be tolerated. The use of slurs embarrasses the individual, the club and the game." Good stuff from a "leader" who often can't get out of his own way.
Later comments from Guillen show his resistance toward taking any sensitivity training, blaming the outrage on the allegedly different meaning of the word fag in his native Venezuela (coward instead of homosexual). He also gives a laughable explanation of why he does not hate gays, stating that goes to WNBA games, has attended a Madona concert, and plans on attending the upcoming Gay Games in Chicago.
Whatever. I know most of the readers here don't give a rat's tushie about Ozzie Guillen or the Chicago White Sox. I tell this story, however, to point out that mindsets are changing toward acceptence of GLBT people, even in the testosterone-laden world of professional sports. There's a long, long way to go, but the needle is slowly moving in the right direction.
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