by Gay.com / PlanetOut.com Network

A recent opinion survey suggests that public acceptance of openly gay or lesbian professional athletes in America is generally favorable.

Results of the poll, conducted online last month with 2,191 adults nationwide, indicate that 65 percent of respondents would not feel differently about their favorite athlete if he or she was to reveal being gay or lesbian.

Seventy-eight percent, however, said that "other sports fans" were not so tolerant.

"In many tests of public opinion, when Americans are asked about their own discriminatory feelings - it's not unusual to hear them say that they, themselves, are more tolerant than others," said Bob Witeck, chief executive officer of Witeck-Combs Communications, which conducted the poll with Harris Interactive.

In another survey question, responses demonstrated a clearer sense of support. When asked to choose a descriptive label for a popular male athlete who is openly gay, 76 percent chose positive descriptions, such as "honest," "courageous" or "being himself."

Regarding team sports versus individual sports, respondents felt that fans of team sports were much less accepting of gay or lesbian athletes than fans of individual sports.

Despite these findings, professional sports has not kept pace with many other professions in terms of welcoming openly gay and lesbian members. Last May, after a Mets manager suggested in an interview that his team could handle having a gay player, a media frenzy of speculation erupted. The incident prompted one player, catcher Mike Piazza, to insist that he is not gay.

Posted August 19, 2002