Chicago Sports Retailers Demonstrate Some Homophobia

categories: LGBT Entertainment, LGBT Sports

Published July 03, 2009 @ 06:29AM PT

Chicago Baseball T-Shirts

We'll have to be careful here. This is not a dig at Chicago White Sox fans. But it is at a dig at the type of professional sports marketing that takes the word "Gay" and turns it into a epithet or a degrading term. And this time it comes in the form of two T-shirts being offered by Chicago sports retailers Chi-City Tees and Crosstown Tees.

Richard Roeper (yes, that Richard Roeper) has a column this week exposing the prevalence of the T-shirt designs (above). In both, it's easy to get the message: The Chicago White Sox know how to win championships, while the Chicago Cubs know how to be gay. Here's Roeper's take:

The signs, T-shirts and bumper stickers are literally a sign of the times. I talked to someone who had one of the signs posted at his tailgate party. Nicest guy in the world. Just poking a little fun at Cubs fans. I'll bet a lot of the folks who buy these shirts are for equal rights and aren't at all inclined to discriminate against gays -- but the explicit message in the parade "joke" is that it's a putdown to call someone gay....

As hundreds of thousands were declaring their gay pride or their support for gay pride at a parade last Sunday, there were myriad reminders at the Sox/Cubs game that for many, it's still considered an easy insult to call someone "gay."

Like it or not, that's essentially what these T-shirts are doing - taking the word "gay" and turning it into an insult. And that can have disastrous consequences.

I'm reminded of the award-winning Gay, Lesbian and Straight Education Network (GLSEN) campaign, "Think Before You Speak," which shows how using the word "gay," which as of July 2, says that there are more than 154,000 Web sites that use the phrase "That's so gay" as a derogatory term. Maybe they can now say 154,000 Web sites, and at least two T-shirt retailers from Chicago.

We've created an action right here at change.org where you can email both Chi-City Tees and Crosstown Tees and ask them to stop selling these T-shirts. In these cases, language has the power to reinforce a rather negative stereotype. Forty years after Stonewall, and in a year where we're seeing the second largest country on earth decriminalize homosexuality and four states legalize marriage equality, it's time to turn the stereotype that "gay = weak" or "gay = lame" or "gay = loser" on its head.

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Comments (5)

Another example of bigotry! Besides, (bear) "Cubs" are cuddly, diurnal caniforms who like long naps and sweet treats... "Sox" are just woven hosiery used to absorb foot sweat. I sense team name envy!

Posted by Turk Fowler on 07/03/2009 @ 10:54AM PT
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Turning the term 'gay' into an insult and then marketing that on a tee-shirt is offensive. However since the main purpose of these shirts is to differentiate between the Chicago White Sox and the Chicago Cubs, the factor of offensiveness is not high. Although the shirt featured in the blog isn't offensive in terms of extreme, insulting the gay community is not correct. Though the sports world is known for creating unconventional jokes, these shirts should stop being made.

Posted by Edwin Bonilla on 07/03/2009 @ 04:01PM PT
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I agree that these shirts are offensive...And not just to homosexuals but also to the fans of the cubs and to folks who frequent bars...

Posted by Thomas McHugh on 07/03/2009 @ 04:52PM PT
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Why aren't the Cubs who are actually gay, coming out to reject these shirts? Are they afraid of the corporatist bigotry?

Posted by Turk Fowler on 07/03/2009 @ 06:46PM PT
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LOL just another perfect demonstration that we are still not human yet. Well if they wont consider us human but monsters then maybe we should start striking fear into their hearts. I am sick of seeing our kind trying to be the cats meow now is the time to let out the lions roar.

Posted by Chris Marshall on 07/05/2009 @ 07:36PM PT
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Michael is the Communications Director for the Human Rights Program at Harvard Law School, and previously was Communications Director for Pax Christi USA, a progressive Catholic human rights organization.