Last Friday during the Lakers game against the Spurs, the Lakers who haven't been exactly ending their season on a good note, were playing another disappointing game. Kobe Bryant, the main player on the team was obviously frustrated and after being called for a technical, called the ref a "f(bleep)in fa(bleeeeppp)ot" This gay slur caught on tape and repeatedly replayed for everyone to see caused a huge controversy especially to the gay community.
After an apology and $100,000 later, Kobe Bryant is turning this hurdle as another obstacle to overcome. The Lakers have teamed up with NBA Executives and GLAAD to help fight homophobia in basketball. Lakers spokesman John Black spoke, "We appreciate the input we've received from GLAAD the past two days and will look forward to working with them on ways to help educate ourselves and our fans, and to help keep language like this out of our game."
Kobe is hoping to meet with gay groups to turn this negative outburst "into a positive and raise as much awareness as we can to say that it is not OK to...insult and disrespect." Speaking with President Joe Solmonese of the Human Rights Campaign, a gay lobbying group, affirmed that Kobe was very solemn in his discussion with him. "We had a very sincere conversation in which he expressed his heartfelt regret for the hurt that his words cause," Solmonese said in a statement. He told me that it's never OK to degrade or tease, and that he understands how his words could unfortunately give the wrong impression that this is appropriate conduct."
GLAAD most recently worked with the New York Yankees and World Wrestling Entertainment to also fight homophobia in sports, especially those which are male dominated.
You Just Do You, Imma Do Me
Camille
