Tim Hardaway's Changing Heart on Gay Rights?

Published September 14, 2009 @ 05:51PM PT

Retired NBA basketball player Tim Hardaway made headlines two years ago for one of the most homophobic screeds ever screeched by a professional athlete. Fast-forward two years, and Hardaway's foundation is about to throw a fundraiser for a prominent LGBT group that works to combat suicide among LGBT youth and young adults. A change of heart?

Perhaps. And this is the way it should be when someone of Hardaway's stature makes as big a mistake as he did in talking about all things LGBT.

In February 2007, Hardaway said this on a sports radio show:

Well, you know I hate gay people, so I let it be known. I don't like gay people and I don't like to be around gay people. I am homophobic. I don't like it. It shouldn't be in the world or in the United States.

Let it be known that Hardaway said this knowing the mic was on (unlike certain California state legislators peddling family values while spanking their lobbying friends in hotel rooms...). It was particularly offensive, since it was targeted in many respects toward a former NBA basketball player, John Amaechi, who came out of the closet as a gay man after retiring from professional basketball.

After saying these comments, and after the type of justified outrage that, say, comes after tea is taxed too high or some doofus wingnut shouts "You Lie" to the President on national television, Hardaway made a public apology and promised to make amends for any hurt that he caused.

Well, consider those wounds mending. The Miami New Times breaks the news that Hardaway will be sponsoring a fundraiser for the Trevor Project -- one of the most important LGBT organizations out there -- in Miami Beach this coming weekend. And there seems to be a heavy dose of genuineness in Hardaway's support. Per the Trevor Project's local committee chairman, David Wylie, "His foundation approached us and just said, 'Hey, is there any way we can help?' He wasn't looking for PR."

Good. Good for the Trevor Project. Good for Tim Hardaway. Good for LGBT rights. There's something to be said for folks who know when they've done wrong. And there's something to be said for folks who know how to forgive when people say stupid -- even downright mean -- things.

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Comments (3)

Tim Hardaway represents the change in improving attitudes regarding LGBT people, thus homophobia is unjustified. Preventing suicides by LGBT young people is very important because acceptance and tolerance is necessary to make those LGBT youth accept who they are. Tim Hardaway is doing the correct thing by donating to the Trevor Project because if it's one thing there's preventing, it's LGBT youth suicide. Congraluations to Hardaway for representing change.

Posted by Edwin Bonilla on 09/14/2009 @ 07:16PM PT
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Very fine move, and there are few worthier projects. Especially, if he will make an AD that black kids especially can see. ... and give the Trevor Project PHONE #.

Posted by Lee Dorsey on 09/14/2009 @ 09:54PM PT
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Nice to know that some folks can still change.

Posted by Thomas McHugh on 09/15/2009 @ 01:38PM 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.