Steven Davies is out – gay cricketer number one

1. careful now.

2. Why is a cricketer’s sexual preference of any interest to the public?
   If there is any gay cricketer and he is not announcing it in press conferences then what.
   That’s not the performance they have to display in the field.

3. It isn’t of any interest to the public. The significance is in the fact that Davies says he feels relieved at having made the announcement.

   Even though Davies’ sexuality is, on the face of it, a perfectly normal, unremarkable thing, it clearly doesn’t feel like that to him.

   In an ideal world, it would be neither here nor there that he’s gay, but how he (and doubtless others) felt before this announcement clearly indicates that we don’t live in that world.

4. + to your comment reply KC

5. Félicitation Steven
   Cela demande beaucoup de courage et c’est à ton honneur. Tu es un ‘modèle’ pour les jeunes qui ont peur de faire du sport en raison de leur différence.Merci pour eux.

6. This is top stuff. It’s ridiculous that it’s still considered an issue to be gay in the world of sport, but it seems that it is so I think it’s wonderful that Steve Davies has had the courage to come out. Hopefully this will encourage more gay sportsmen to come out, if they wish to, and will go some way to reducing the stigmatization of homosexuality in sport. Maybe.

   Just realised I’ve gone far too serious so I refer you to KC’s picture of Steve Davies’s’s’s hover caption.

7. Been reading around all the blogs and i would say 99% of all comments are positive. Okay some blogs are moderated but still i think this is a good sign of what he will expect as a reaction from the larger public. As Howard says, crazy that this is even an issue!

8. it’s partly of interest to the public because there are lots of young gay people out there who struggle with accepting their sexuality.

   The more celebrities and sports people who are openly gay and going about their life in a postive manner, the more visible it is that being gay is a perfectly normal thing, and the better life is for the next generation of teens accepting their sexuality.

9. Hooray/Who cares.

   Steven Davies is still a future Test wicketkeeper.

10. Does this imply that WG Grace wasn’t gay? Now that’s deeply troubling.

11. How dare you, Bert.My brother was straight as a road.

12. We did always wonder about EM tho’.

13. of course there’s implications that are just occuring to me. I hope Davies has a long career as part of the England team…but there are many countries that England could tour where homosexuality is a criminal offence (hell, in Pakistan it’s punishable by death I think)…even the ICC headquarters are in a place where it is illegal. I wonder how comfortable he would feel touring Sri Lanka for example or Bangladesh, which criminalises homosexuality. And equally how some of the more conservative/religious cultures would feel having him take part in tours (I can’t help thinking about Basil D’Oliveira).

    As a gay man myself though, i’m immensely happy to see barriers breaking down.

14. My reaction was ‘meh’ but Jakob’s post got me thinking – likely the home boards line will be similar to Sepp Blatter’s ‘explanation’ to homosexuals who complained the world cup was awarded to Quatar which would be (more or less) ‘please refrain from having sex while on tour’. Seems a bit unfair if he has another half but there you go.
    Oh and KC if you want to see an example of a sport which has a really backwards towards gays I refer you to the following article:
    http://www.heraldsun.com.au/sport/afl/stay-in-the-closet-jason-akermanis-tells-homosexuals/story-e6frf9ix-1225868871934

    1. But Aker always was a demented loon.

15. The fact that he is the first shows it is still perceived as an issue at the very least. So well done Steven Davies, as it is a brave thing for him to have done, and I hope he feels happier having come out, and inspires others to be open about it. Unless of course he genuinely is the only gay cricketer…

    Footballers are apparently still advised to stay firmly in the closet due to the abuse it is presumed they will receive from crowds. I don’t think this will be an issue with cricket supporters. Lots of people will be rooting for him. Ooo-er missus.

16. Jakob makes a valid point here. The ICC Anti-Racism & Diversity code only contains anti-racism language and does not mention any other form of diversity.

    Surely no national cricket board would seek to prevent a gay cricketer from touring? Surely a D’Oliveira-style stand-off is extremely unlikely in the ICC era. Surely common sense would prevail.

    But then, national cricket boards…ICC…common sense…

    Oh dear. It’s enough to make an atheist turn to prayer.

17. Dawg, You think it won’t be an issue for cricket supporters? What sort of cricket matches do you go to? Given the amount of crap I get as a fellow supporter for having the temerity to be a woman and some of the appalling stuff I’ve heard shouted at players (racist, homophobic, not to mention the rubbish Trescothick got for a medical condition ) don’t be too quick to think they’re so forward-thinking.

    That’s precisely why Steven Davies deserves the credit he does, that cannot have been an easy decision to make, even though it should have been the easiest in the world.

    It’s great to hear such supportive comments, but it will come down to whether we’re willing to challenge the drunk fucktard three rows in front who yells something at him when he misses a stumping.

    First comment in years and it’s about something serious. Damn it.

    1. I’ve never had the temerity to be anything, so well done for that. And you’re right about cricket crowds. But things will change (mainly through natural wastage, I reckon).

18. As it happens, my dad was the wicket-keeper in the mid-80s EM Forster period drama about gay men called ‘Maurice’. Was that the real precedent in English cricket?

19. “I was in a mid-80s EM Forster period drama about gay men.”

    “Who did you play?”

    “The wicketkeeper.”

20. Lemon Bella! You’re back. My wife heard Andrew Strauss’ name on telly t’other day and just said: “Strauss Cat.”

    Then she continued doing whatever she was doing (which involved being indifferent to cricket).

    1. I have always been here, I just decided to try out lurking. It’s a lot less effort than actually doing stuff.

       I’m glad Strauss Cat is the first thing some people think about when they see Andrew Strauss. I can report that both StrassCat and Meowcus Trescattick are doing well and continue to be thoroughly indifferent to everything but food and catnip.

21. Lemon Bella – they let women into cricket matches? Whatever next?

    Seriously though – odd stupid comments, quite possible I suppose but as to wider problems – I doubt it, if for no other reasons than a lot of his cricket will be played in the championship to crowds of 200 (11 awake).

22. Steven is so handsome and attractive,it;s great that he represents gay people in the macho arena of sport.

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