Olympics- "Don't Ask, Don't Tell

By: Tom Butts

It’s interesting, the other day I was watching an expose on Olympic athletes.  They do the typical biography, “from a small town in Nebraska…”  As they bring the athlete to their current status and sport we see their family and children and their home life, that is, unless they’re gay.

“Don’t Ask Don’t Tell” is a relic from the 90′s which we are hoping to do away with in the coming year.  I believe the attitude still exists in coverage of the Olympics, even in Vancouver, Canada (a country where gay marriage has been legal for years).  For some reason, social causes like gay rights are not as readily taken up by the Olympic movement. It’s too thorny.

There are no publicly gay athletes at the Winter Olympics that we know of (Johnny Weir is another subject).  I have heard rumors that a dozen gay Olympians will come out in Vancouver. Don’t hold your breath — there’s a better chance that Ann Coulter and Glenn Beck will win pairs skating.

.

.

[photo credit: Flickr- US Consulate General Vancouver]