Kobe Bryant isn't some great, bigoted monster, as some have implied, but he isn't the innocent victim of some overblown one-off incident about a word that's "not even that bad," either.Is he not correct? We've all seen that face of contempt before. Sometimes it leads to fighting words, other times outright violence, but most of the time it results in the feeling of being belittled, silenced. Amaechi notes that this is why we have seen the teen LGBT suicides, beatings and bullying. It is why we are seeing more states pass inclusive anti-bullying laws because parents and students have had enough....When someone with the status of Kobe Bryant, arguably the best basketball player in a generation, hurls that antigay slur at a referee or anyone else - let's call it the F-word - he is telling boys, men and anyone watching that when you are frustrated, when you are as angry as can be, the best way to demean and denigrate a person, even one in a position of power, is to make it clear that you think he is not a real man, but something less.
I challenge you to freeze-frame Bryant's face in that moment of conflict with the referee Bennie Adams. Really examine the loathing and utter contempt, and realize this is something with which almost every lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender person is familiar. That is the sentiment people face in middle and high schools, in places of worship, work and even in their own homes across the United States.
And as I noted in my earlier posts, why, oh why did Kobe engage in the worst kind of apologies (the second of which was deemed acceptable by Joe Solomonese for some reason). Amaechi:
As for the original apology, I am amazed that people still think apologizing in such a way as to make it clear that it was the victims who misunderstood is acceptable. I had hoped that the sorry-if-you-are-oversensitive school of apology would by now have been thoroughly discredited.And what has really rubbed me the wrong way has been the instant jump by some blacks and some members of the white LGBT community going ballistic, turning quickly to defensive corners, and oppression Olympics. Have we not learned anything? At least I'm not alone in saying stop the madness.
Many people balk when L.G.B.T. people, even black ones, suggest that the power and vitriol behind another awful slur - the N-word - is no different from the word used by Kobe. I make no attempt at an analogy between the historical civil rights struggle for blacks in the United States with the current human rights struggle for L.G.B.T. people, but I can say that I am frequently called both, and the indignation, anger and at times resignation that course through my body are no greater or less for either. I know with both words the intent is to let me know that no matter how big, how accomplished, philanthropic or wise I may become, to them I am not even human.John Amaechi also repeatedly tells Bryant to stop fighting the $100K fine levied on him by the NBA, simply because he has to take the punishment like a man and take this opportunity to use his celebrity to make this a very public lesson why words do matter, and that anger is not an excuse to hurl epithets of that nature.I am tired of people having this debate about the relative impact of pejorative words on their target minority group. If injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere, then the relative power of an antigay gay slur is irrelevant, it is simply a threat to human dignity, and that should appall us all.
***
This just in from GLAAD:
Los Angeles Lakers, NBA to Work with GLAAD to Address Anti-Gay Slurs in BasketballLos Angeles, CA, April 15, 2011 - Today the Los Angeles Lakers joined the Gay & Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation (GLAAD) in issuing a release regarding Kobe Bryant's use of the anti-gay slur f*ggot during a game this week and committing to address homophobic remarks in the sport.
"What happened in Tuesday night's game is not representative of what the Lakers stand for," said Lakers spokesman John Black. "We want to reaffirm our commitment to all our fans and our appreciation for the support we receive from all segments of society. We also understand the importance of positive messages in helping us convey this. We appreciate the input we've received from GLAAD the past two days and will look forward to working with them on ways to help educate ourselves and our fans, and to help keep language like this out of our game."
"In light of this slur, there is a real opportunity to build support for our community and educate fans of Kobe Bryant, the Los Angeles Lakers, and the NBA about the use of such words," said GLAAD President Jarrett Barrios. "The Los Angeles Lakers have taken a positive step and we look forward to working with them to create messages from players and coaches that combat bullying. We also suggested and will continue to advocate for zero tolerance policies for anti-gay slurs at home games, similar to what the New York Yankees adopted last year."
In addition to the LA Lakers, NBA executives have agreed to meet with GLAAD to discuss ways to send a message about the power of such words to the league's audience, many of whom are young people, parents or educators.
Recently, GLAAD worked with the New York Yankees and World Wrestling Entertainment (WWE) to address issues of homophobia in sports. After working with GLAAD, the New York Yankees adopted a new policy that strictly prohibits anti-gay slurs in Yankee Stadium.