Play the Gay Away

[MandyLaLa]

The NFL on Wednesday said it would investigate a report that at least one team at the scouting combine asked a draft prospect about his sexual orientation.

Colorado tight end Nick Kasa told ESPN Radio Denver on Tuesday that he was asked a series of questions that touched on sexual orientation at the just-completed combine in Indianapolis.

"[Teams] ask you like, 'Do you have a girlfriend?' 'Are you married?' 'Do you like girls?' " Kasa said in the radio interview. "Those kinds of things, and you know it was just kind of weird. But they would ask you with a straight face, and it's a pretty weird experience altogether."

espn.go.com/nfl/story?storyId=8995947&src=desktop

I would love for athletes in the NFL to be out, proud, respected and safe with no hindrance to their career or well being. That aside.

What the hell does it matter? It's no different than gays in the military, just because they aren't out doesn't mean they don't exist. I'm so angered that it's come to team's questioning a players sexuality in a job interview. It's pro football the only thing that matters is their skills and ability as an athlete. And I'm sure some will say that an athlete and their lifestyle is a direct effect on the brand/image of the team, but homosexuality is not a lifestyle choice. It plays no role in an athletes ability to preform and has no business being the topic of fodder for team interviews or press conferences.

[Vex]

I was asked similar questions at the doctor the other day - a GP clinic I have attended for almost my entire life - and I was bewildered as to why my sexual orientation needed to be recorded. It should make no difference in any circumstance and I don't believe it should be asked about or recorded.

[gustava]

I was asked similar questions at the doctor the other day - a GP clinic I have attended for almost my entire life - and I was bewildered as to why my sexual orientation needed to be recorded. It should make no difference in any circumstance and I don't believe it should be asked about or recorded.

Back in the day a lesbian friend was hospitalized for serious bleeding. The doc asked if she could be pregnant. Given that she had a female partner of many years, the answer was absolutely not, and we explained why.

i can see that to some extent, hetero and homosexuals may have somewhat different medical needs, at least upon occasion..

[Kitchen Princess]

If a woman is bleeding seriously, it's an obvious question to ask if she could be pregnant. Being lesbian is no guarantee. They have to take precautions, or risk being sued or harming the fetus.

[dawbs]

I was asked similar questions at the doctor the other day - a GP clinic I have attended for almost my entire life - and I was bewildered as to why my sexual orientation needed to be recorded. It should make no difference in any circumstance and I don't believe it should be asked about or recorded.

My doc says she asks because of mental health issues.

Because, of the extra trials/tribulations/persecutions/etc that LGBT people face in life.

She treats it very much in the same vein as "are you safe at home" questions.

But, I'm in the midst of firing said doc (as soon as I find a replacement), take that w/ a grain of salt ;)

I'm going to guess that they'll just move the questioning further underground/more cloaked--plausible deniability.

"what? no no, we ask ALL our recruits if they have a romantic partner at home so we can plan for some of the long-distance-relationship issues that will come up the first year"

[Vex]

I never thought of it as a mental health issue. It wasn't asked in the context of questions like 'are you safe' but 'what medications are you currently on', 'who is your next of kin' etc. They said they were overhauling their filing system.

It was like the time I had surgery in a Catholic hospital (didn't have a choice, it was just where my surgeon worked) and you HAD to fill in the 'religion' section on your intake form. I know it's there because they want to provide religious counseling if you want it, so they know to call a priest to give the last rites and such if you die. But it wasn't 'Do you wish for religious services to be provided for you?" 'If so, which religion do you identify with?', so you could just say no and leave it. You not only had to list it (I put Atheist, since it's the truth) it was printed on my hospital band for all to see.

I still don't think that your sexuality (or religion) has any place in your medical history. I was so shocked when my doctor asked my sexual orientation he thought I didn't understand and began to explain what homosexual meant. I was pretty horrified. I mean, they're probably not going to discriminate. But they MIGHT. I know that it's confidential, but all the doctors have access to that file and one of the doctors at my clinic is the father of friends I went to school with. I sometimes see him. I know he wouldn't ever share medical information with his kids, but it makes me uncomfortable that they have taken away my choice to let the doctors I see know my sexuality or not.

Sorry, didn't mean to make this all about me.

[Effie]

Sorry, didn't mean to make this all about me.

No, it's okay. Rant on. :) I think I would be quite upset if I had got such a question when visiting my doctor. I'm of the opinion it's violating your integrity.

[Vex]

Thanks Effie, I appreciate it. I'll stop hijacking now.