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Interview With Billy Bean
Aired October 01, 2003 - 15:33 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
KYRA PHILLIPS, CNN ANCHOR: Well, in another issue dogging the sports world, "Boston Herald" sports writer Ed Gray says he cannot tolerate unabashed homophobia in professional sports. Gray revealed his own sexuality in today's column.
He said, "I'm out. I didn't strike out, I wasn't thrown out, and above all, I wasn't forced out. Now's it's because I longer in good conscious chose though ignore the unabashed homophobia that is tolerated within the world of sports. I'm out because a silence of a closeted gay man only serves to give his implicit approval to bigotry. I'm out because I refuse to continue hiding from the truth and an openly gay man has as much right as a straight man to play sports or report on them."
With us today is former professional baseball player Billy Bean, a one-time outfielder for the San Diego Padres. Bean kept his homosexuality to himself. Now he wants to change the sports' culture to accept openly gay players. He's of course the author of "Going The Other Way." Billy, good to see you.
BILLY BEAN, FORMER SAN DIEGO PADRE: Thank you for having me, Kyra.
PHILLIPS: You bet. Well, first of all, tell me what you think about this move on behalf Gray with the column and how he's doing this.
BEAN: Well I think it's great. It speaks to the direction I've talked about in my book is we need more and more people who are in and around the sports world to feel comfortable enough to take that step forward.
Now, whether he can continue to be a great sports writer with this revelation, this is where the rest of the gay and lesbian community has to be supportive. But I see it as a victory. You know, it's something where, obviously he's done something at the highest level of his profession, inside the world of sports, and he knows the ramifications of, you know, being out and trying to coexist with athletes who might have some, you know, homophobic stereo-typed issues that they are not comfortable with.
But he's going to make change and he's going to bring a lot of confidence to a lot of people who are sitting on the fence with the same decision.
PHILLIPS: All right, Billy, take me back to when you played professional baseball. And when you were not comfortable, or I guess maybe the time where you were struggling to come out, do I not come out. We know how things are in the locker room, how macho everybody is. Give us a feel for what it was like for you.
BEAN: I think the most important thing for anyone to understand is that any athlete that isn't at that level in the Major League clubhouse or in the NFL or NBA, they have devoted their whole life to their profession and their sport. They obviously love what they do. They're very good at it.
I identified myself as a baseball player from my first memories. And I did not identify myself as a gay man while I was a player, because, you know, my baseball career was the most important thing to me. It was a different time obviously than it is now. We've made a lot of progress.
But I just felt it would be career suicide at the time. I wasn't a good enough player to afford that complication in my career. And I think that, you know, if I knew now what I didn't know then, it could be a different situation.
But thankfully things have changed a lot. But it's still a very, very difficult environment for athletes to come forward.
PHILLIPS: What's the problem here? What does a straight athlete have to fear from a gay athlete?
BEAN: Well I don't think it's every straight athlete. It's just one or two. In a male team sport environment, you're dealing with an owner, a general manager, people making decisions about your ability to coexist with other athletes.
Now, a player, I would say the majority of big-league players are very comfortable with themselves. And the idea that gay and lesbians coexist in and around every facet of the world, every profession, sports included. But I think that they have to be, you know, concerned about the one or two athletes that are on the team that might not be comfortable with that.
And then you have a problem that is sort of a seed of a problem off the field. And I think that the most -- you know, the first goal of any person organizing a team or a manager is to just try to make things as simple and fundamental as they can so they can get out on the field and play the best that they're capable of.
PHILLIPS: Billy Bean, you have quite a story. If only everyone could be as secure with their sexuality, I think we would be in a better place. Wouldn't you say?
BEAN: We're getting there. I think with Ed Gray, what they did today, it really counteracts against what people have forever have felt that they're not able to do. He's making a big change in a lot of people's lives. And I commend him for it.
PHILLIPS: Billy Bean, the book is "Going the Other Way." You've made a big difference, too. Thanks, Billy. BEAN: My pleasure.
TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com
Aired October 1, 2003 - 15:33 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
KYRA PHILLIPS, CNN ANCHOR: Well, in another issue dogging the sports world, "Boston Herald" sports writer Ed Gray says he cannot tolerate unabashed homophobia in professional sports. Gray revealed his own sexuality in today's column.
He said, "I'm out. I didn't strike out, I wasn't thrown out, and above all, I wasn't forced out. Now's it's because I longer in good conscious chose though ignore the unabashed homophobia that is tolerated within the world of sports. I'm out because a silence of a closeted gay man only serves to give his implicit approval to bigotry. I'm out because I refuse to continue hiding from the truth and an openly gay man has as much right as a straight man to play sports or report on them."
With us today is former professional baseball player Billy Bean, a one-time outfielder for the San Diego Padres. Bean kept his homosexuality to himself. Now he wants to change the sports' culture to accept openly gay players. He's of course the author of "Going The Other Way." Billy, good to see you.
BILLY BEAN, FORMER SAN DIEGO PADRE: Thank you for having me, Kyra.
PHILLIPS: You bet. Well, first of all, tell me what you think about this move on behalf Gray with the column and how he's doing this.
BEAN: Well I think it's great. It speaks to the direction I've talked about in my book is we need more and more people who are in and around the sports world to feel comfortable enough to take that step forward.
Now, whether he can continue to be a great sports writer with this revelation, this is where the rest of the gay and lesbian community has to be supportive. But I see it as a victory. You know, it's something where, obviously he's done something at the highest level of his profession, inside the world of sports, and he knows the ramifications of, you know, being out and trying to coexist with athletes who might have some, you know, homophobic stereo-typed issues that they are not comfortable with.
But he's going to make change and he's going to bring a lot of confidence to a lot of people who are sitting on the fence with the same decision.
PHILLIPS: All right, Billy, take me back to when you played professional baseball. And when you were not comfortable, or I guess maybe the time where you were struggling to come out, do I not come out. We know how things are in the locker room, how macho everybody is. Give us a feel for what it was like for you.
BEAN: I think the most important thing for anyone to understand is that any athlete that isn't at that level in the Major League clubhouse or in the NFL or NBA, they have devoted their whole life to their profession and their sport. They obviously love what they do. They're very good at it.
I identified myself as a baseball player from my first memories. And I did not identify myself as a gay man while I was a player, because, you know, my baseball career was the most important thing to me. It was a different time obviously than it is now. We've made a lot of progress.
But I just felt it would be career suicide at the time. I wasn't a good enough player to afford that complication in my career. And I think that, you know, if I knew now what I didn't know then, it could be a different situation.
But thankfully things have changed a lot. But it's still a very, very difficult environment for athletes to come forward.
PHILLIPS: What's the problem here? What does a straight athlete have to fear from a gay athlete?
BEAN: Well I don't think it's every straight athlete. It's just one or two. In a male team sport environment, you're dealing with an owner, a general manager, people making decisions about your ability to coexist with other athletes.
Now, a player, I would say the majority of big-league players are very comfortable with themselves. And the idea that gay and lesbians coexist in and around every facet of the world, every profession, sports included. But I think that they have to be, you know, concerned about the one or two athletes that are on the team that might not be comfortable with that.
And then you have a problem that is sort of a seed of a problem off the field. And I think that the most -- you know, the first goal of any person organizing a team or a manager is to just try to make things as simple and fundamental as they can so they can get out on the field and play the best that they're capable of.
PHILLIPS: Billy Bean, you have quite a story. If only everyone could be as secure with their sexuality, I think we would be in a better place. Wouldn't you say?
BEAN: We're getting there. I think with Ed Gray, what they did today, it really counteracts against what people have forever have felt that they're not able to do. He's making a big change in a lot of people's lives. And I commend him for it.
PHILLIPS: Billy Bean, the book is "Going the Other Way." You've made a big difference, too. Thanks, Billy. BEAN: My pleasure.
TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com
