CBC Connect with Mark Kelley interviews Justin Bourne on Gay Athletes (Brendan Burke)

Following the ESPN story on the coming out of the son of Toronto Maple Leafs' GM Brian Burke, the CBC's Mark Kelley interviews Justin Bourne. Bourne wrote a column about homophobia in hockey called "It's time to end the use of gay slurs in hockey":

http://www.usatoday.com/sports/hockey/columnist/bourne/2009-11-02-hockey-cult...

(Actually had no idea this was public but I'd glad people are able to view it as the CBC's own video player is horrible and user-unfriendly)

Category:

News & Politics

Tags:

• Brendan Burke
• Gay
• Hockey
• CBC
• athletes

[emeralds222]

Great story... denigration of people leads not only to anti social results, but expensive problems like kids turning to drug addiction and other harmful means. Being inclusive is a much healthier path to take.

[twins1729]

Thanks so much for this video.

This makes me wonder, is hockey the only sport (at least out of the four major sports) that the players tend to use gay slurs constantly? In a way, I hope not. Hockey is my favorite sport, and being an active supporter of gay rights, it would disappoint me if football was gay slur free. Okay, maybe not disappoint me, but I hope someone understands where I'm coming from.

Well, again, thanks! I love Brendan Burke's story. :)

[poodtang1]

With all due respect it's not like it was for black people in the 60's. For many many straight people still few being gay as something abnormal, gross, weird, creepy

It's been much more difficult for gays then for black people speaking as a gay white man. At the same time it's easier for me to blend in with straight people bacause i don't come off as abviously gay, no offense.

And it's like this with many gay guys. You wouldn't know unless we wanted you too.

[tigergreg8]

So sad that the person they are talking about, Brendan Burke died at the age of 21 in a car accident. The passenger who was in the car with him also died. RIP Brendan.

[GoWestYoungMan]

Black people dealt with the same culture of intimidation back in the 1950s and 1960s.

[GoWestYoungMan]

It's not about being popular.

[SDC555]

You don't have to fit in to play sports. Sports teams have cliques just like any other type of group one might be involved with. You always have players who aren't part of the inner circle. That's ok. Some of the best players tend to stay on the outside. Not everybody playing sports is social or popular. It's false to think that if you're gay and on a sports team, you'll be on the outside looking in.