Volume 4 Issue 10
Accepting the Responsibility of Role Model

Charles Barkley has famously said: “I am not a role model.” On principle, I tend to agree with Chuck. Just because someone is in the public eye – whether they are an athlete or other entertainer – they have no inherent responsibility to live exemplary lives and have others model their own lives after them. Basically, an athlete’s job is to score touchdowns, hit home runs, grab rebounds … you get the idea. When it comes to athletes as role models

, it is up to parents to guide their children and teach right vs. wrong. If our society has gotten to the point where we expect people like Charles Barkley to be responsible for the values instilled in our young people, then we have gotten seriously off track.

Having said that, I do realize that principle alone doesn’t solve this debate. There’s also another angle: reality. In reality, athletes have influence on their young fans, whether they like it or not. And while we can’t expect them to accept the title of role model, we should at least be able to rely on them to not send harmful messages through their words and actions. Athletes must know that young people look up to them (in ways they probably shouldn’t) and take some cues from them. Like politicians, entertainers, teachers and clergy, an athlete can make it seem acceptable to make homophobic remarks about others. They can make it seem the norm to want to deny equality to others. They can make a young person’s hate seem justified.

That’s why it is encouraging when an athlete goes out of his or her way to express support for equality. It’s one thing to simply stay out of trouble and live positively, which is something at which most professional athletes work hard. It’s something else entirely, though, to stand up for equality, or against discrimination. Athletes like Scott Fujita, Brendan Ayanbadejo and Antonio Cromartie have done this recently, proving themselves to be true allies of our community.

Of course, we can’t forget the athletes from our own community – professional and amateur – who continue to choose to stand as role models. It’s the number one reason we started a tradition in 2008 of selecting an Athlete of the Year. The examples that our winners set day-in and day-out are remarkable. They have all done such positive things for the gay sports community, and for the gay community as a whole. Each year we get many terrific applications for our judges to study. Their job is not easy.

It isn’t until the winner and finalists are chosen that I get to see the applications and learn about these amazing people. Each year I am so pleased to read the applications, and learn what gay athletes across the country are doing to make a difference in their community and in the lives of other gay athletes. It truly makes me smile.

I hope that you enjoy reading about the athletes who’ve made our judges short list. In addition to 2010 Athlete of the Year Michael Holtz, there are three other finalists and two honorable mentions. They’re all worthy of our respect and thanks.

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