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Why have these interactions with you had such an effect on homophobic attitudes when other processes have failed?īecause I’m not following any formula, I’m not following any script, what the kids are getting from me is the honest truth. And then of course I see the growth in the individuals themselves. Then as soon as Golden Gate Wrestling, the gay club started coaching there, it just disappeared. I’ve seen changes on multiple levels, administrators have told us for years they’ve fought to end homophobia in schools, always with little success. Have you seen a change in young gay kids who take up wrestling?
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I’m teaching them how to fight for their families and fight for their neighbours. What I tell my kids is that I’m teaching them how to fight efficiently and appropriately and effectively so they’re not wasting time and energy fighting battles that they’re going to lose and never hurting someone more than is necessary. When you say it teaches you how to fight do you mean that it can help you physically stand up for yourself? These are all invaluable characteristics for gay people. It teaches you how to fight and succeed, it also teaches you how to be a champion for other people. Yes, and wrestling can be extremely beneficial for a gay person to encounter because it teaches you how to test your limits faith in your own ability. So you’re breaking down stereotypes that homosexuals are weaker? I think in his mind he was translating homosexuals as people who are weak and effeminate who don’t want to have battle and are trying to kill combat sports. I think what he was meaning to say, and it’s just as bad, is that wrestling is a very macho sport. Why did he think homosexuals were agaisnt wrestling? So I can’t understand how he would think that any gay would not want wrestling in the Olympics. It sounds to me like something all my gay friends would want to watch, not have removed. What those Russian coaches said was really absurd, you’re talking about a sport where guys are very buff, not wearing much, rolling around on the mat getting sweaty. I think that there are people in wrestling that are homophobic, but they’re homophobic because they’re homophobes, not because they’re wrestlers. You mentioned sexuality being a non issue in wrestling, in light of some of the comments that the Russian Olympic coaches have said, blaming a homosexual conspiracy for the sport being removed from the games, do you think there is a stream of homophobia in wrestling outside of your community? The clubs pull together a critical mass of athletes and provide a safe environment and that gives many the confidence to come out. I would say homophobia has become less of an issue in wrestling because of the existence of clubs like Golden Gate. They know what it is like to be underestimated.īut if homophobia is less of an issue in the wrestling community, why are there clubs like Golden Gate? They know what it is like to compete in a sport which few know or understand. I think all wrestlers are accustomed to being tested to their limits and realising value in everyone with whom they grapple.
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I noticed when I wrestled in school and college that no matter how psyched I was to dislike opponents, after wrestling them I always had to respect them. After I came out I never really noticed any differences in how they treated me. I don’t know because everyone I’ve always wrestled with has known I was gay so I can’t compare it to anything, I’ve been very fortunate throughout my life, I came out in 1982 when I was a wrestling coach in Alaska in six different high schools. It’s really important to have the conversation in there, and then the reality is once you’ve done that it becomes such a non-issue.ĭo straight people wrestle you differently if they know you’re gay? We don’t want somebody to be in a club and find out that people are not accepting. We need to put it out there, because we need to make sure the conversation occurs. Some place the fact that they’re gay right up front, where others you have to dig a little bit further. We've had this discussion many times with different clubs, because different clubs market themselves differently. There are still significant barriers to overcome. VICE: Do we still need “gay sports clubs,” is it naive to assume that in a modern world all clubs should be gay friendly?
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We called up Roger Brigham, a coach at San Francisco's Golden Gate Wrestling Club to ask about the continued existence of gay sports clubs in an increasingly gay friendly world.