Boston Herald columnist Steve Buckley: "I'm gay."

This is my reaction almost all the time, although notable rare exceptions (Dave Barry on his mom's suicide, Jim Murray on losing his eyesight) resonate even decades later because of the sheer artistry with which they were written. Unless you astound me with literary greatness, my interest in a columnist's personal life is minimal and usually I see it as an imposition on my time as a reader, written for the writer and not for me.

 

I agree with Frank. I have my own problems.

 

perfect summation of my thoughts... others apparently don't mind, but i like my columnists of any specialty -- sports, politics, entertainment, whatever (unless they have a dave barry-type role) -- to give me their insights as an 'expert.' unless they are a criminal, i couldn't a rat's ass about their personal lives. it reeks of self-importance and ego... for example, when lupica uses his sunday column to tell us how his wife, or kids, or parents, are the greatest the world has ever known, i cringe and stop reading.

we get it. columnists have lives, just like we do. your happily married, love your folks, spoil your kids? stfu and tell me something relevant to the sports pages.

steve buckley's gay? good for him. but why should i care? and will that information somehow taint the impact of his sports columns from here forward?

that is a question i don't have an answer to. talk about TMI.

 

If this was news to any journailsts in New England I'd be shocked.
Steve's a great guy, and I say blah to this entire thing. In my eyes he's just another guy covering sports.
Good for him. I hope this makes life easier for him. I know coming out helped relax and lessen the stress on a couple of my friends and cousins.

 

This is still a huge issue in society. Sure gay rights have come a long way, but just like "color" issues it has been a struggle. You have to remember the hatred and disgust people feel (felt) towards both groups. It may seem like its no big deal until you are walking down a street and feel like your life is threatened just because of who you are. We all have the random chance of that happening due to crime, but imagine it is because of how you were born or what color you were born. You all have to remember that there is still so much negativity (couldnt think of a better description) out there regarding gay people.
The more that "seemingly normal" people come out, the more society will be accepting. Sports is an area that is still in the dark ages as far as this goes.
So yes it is still necessary for people to declare their gayness because, understandably the presumtion most of the time is that people are straight. It is still necessary for this to be stated. Most gay people have hidden this so at some point it has to be said.
For us straight people it has always been assumed, we never had to say it. And because it is really a new social issue, it still has to be made clear.
And if anyone wonders why someone would not just keep it to themselves, my best way to explain that is to just think about all the times that your family comes up in conversation. Just try next time to not talk about your loved ones. Dont even dare to put a picture of you and your spouse on your desk and what ever you do, dont hold their hand or show any other signs of affection in public.
People have felt for years that this is something to hide and be ashamed of, SO WE ARE NOT YET AT THE POINT WHERE ITS NO BIG DEAL. It may not be a big deal to any of you personally, but as costanza said "We are living in a society here" and it still is a big deal in society. For christ sake these people have had to fight for the right to get married and it is still illegal in some states (I think but you get the point.) And people have openly fought against them having rights. SO YEAH IT IS STILL A BIG Fing DEAL.
And the more "seemingly normal , regular, popular, respected" people come out, the more people will realize that they are regular people just like themselves.
He was on eei yesterday on the bigshow, if anyone is interested they may have it on the website at weei.com. It was really interesting and as far as the timing, he has been trying to do this for years and things kept coming up, in fact something almost derailed this attempt and he finally decided that there would always be some reason not to do it, so he did not let that stop him this time.
I am sure he is relieved and it will probably have been easier for him than he thought. It is getting easier, that I will say, but you have to realize how hard this is for these people, even if you dont think it should be.

 

If he was coming out, I think I'd have less of a problem with it. But his family and colleagues had known for years so I don't see the point.

Woody Paige's column on suicide was brave. Buckley's column was nothing if not self-serving.

 

He is a public person. The public did not know. So he was coming out.
He is on a radio show in Boston, sometimes they (the show has as many as 4 people on it at a time) talk about their family, what should he do? Now he can feel free to join in that conversation. But first this had to be stated, because the assumption is that he would have a wife. (I personally was shocked, I did not know about this) The other guys dont have to reveal anything because its assumed they have wives or girlfriends. One day it wont be assumed but for now, it still has to be said.

 

I think Steve being gay is his business. The question is will it affect the way he does his job? Will people stop talking to him? Will athletes shun him?

 

Are gay journalists more or less likely to accept bowl gifts?

 

Seems to me that coming out to your family is personal. Coming out in your newspaper column is political. Interesting that it strikes so many here the opposite, especially since it ran just a few days after the repeal of DADT.

Also interesting to note the continued antique aversion here to the first person, even in a newspaper column. I grant that the 'I' in longform narrative is a risky proposition, but in a column it's a foundational assumption. And in an age of obsessive memoir and social media confessional, it's also the new default setting for most mainstream writing.

 

Only at the San Francisco Bowl.

 

Can gay journalists roll tide?