GayAgenda Speaks with John Amaechi

For those of you who don’t know, John Amaechi, is the 6 ft 10 in, 270 lb center who was signed with the Cleveland Cavaliers (basketball) in 1995. He played 28 games for the Cleveland Cavaliers during that season. From there, he went on to play for two years in Europe.

He returned to the USA to play for the Orlando Magic in 1999. With a solid 1999-2000 season, where he averaged 10.5 points in 21.1 minutes per contest, he gained notoriety for scoring the NBA’s first points in the year 2000. Later that same year, Amaechi turned down a $17 million contract offer from the Los Angeles Lakers in order to remain in Orlando for $600,000 per year. Amaechi went on to play for the Utah Jazz from 2001 to 2003. His final stint with the NBA was in Houston, where he played for the Rockets.

It was during his NBA career that John earned a degree in psychology and founded the ABC Foundation in his hometown of Manchester, England. The Foundation and its Amaechi Basketball Centre simply subscribe to Amaechi’s theory that “no child shall go uncoached: in life or in sport.”

More recently, Amaechi provided co-commentary for the BBC at the 2008 Olympic Games in Beijing. Today, Amaechi owns Animus Consulting, which provides motivational speakers, and is a partner in Animus Development, an executive training program.

Post NBA, Amaechi came out of retirement to represent England during the Commonwealth Games in Melbourne, helping the England national basketball team win the bronze medal. He also came out…as gay.

In February 2007, Amaechi spoke about his homosexuality on ESPN’s Outside the Lines program. He also released a book, Man in the Middle, published by ESPN Books, which discusses his career and life as a closeted professional athlete. Amaechi is the first NBA player to speak publicly about being gay. He has spoken about his sexuality on shows such as Oprah.

This year, Amaechi has made several appearances on Shirts & Skins, a reality series about a gay basketball team on LOGO Television. Amaechi acted as team “mentor” and “psychologist” to the San Francisco Rockdogs. He also shared his experiences on basketball, life, and coming out.

John was also kind enough to grant GayAgenda.com with an interview, which follows.

GA: In your interview with Oprah, you stated; “I knew that I had something of value to say, and I knew that I wanted to try and be, not necessarily a vanguard, but a role model. … I just didn’t think I would have the opportunity to have this kind of massive platform, but I’m really going to embrace that.” What have you done to embrace that?

JA: “I wrap my head around that, and keep it in my head at all times. I always think of myself as a role model at all times, not only when the camera is on.”

GA: Do you have any advice for someone who wants to become an activist and isn’t sure where to start?

JA: “A platform really isn’t required. Find a niche. Donate time at food banks and community centers. We disengage from each other so much. Small gestures produce grand results. When I met kids in Orlando, I would simply remember their names. It’s small gestures like that which go a long way.”

GA: What was your inspiration behind your book, “Man in the Middle”?

JA: “It is something I am passionate about. I wanted to become an agent for change.”

GA: I’m not asking you to name anyone specifically, but in general, you have mentioned you know other gay professional athletes who are not out. What have they told you is their reason for not coming out?

JA: “I know many, and the reasons vary. The answer is never simple, as for financial reasons. When you’re a professional athlete, you often become a one-dimensional character. It would be easy for people to define you by your sexuality. Many professional athletes have strong corporate ties they are afraid of losing. Also, athletes are typically ranked higher than politicians in popularity. They are role models for men whom women want to be with. That alone can make it very difficult to come out.”

GA: What advice do you have for athletes who may want to come out?

JA: “My advice is the same for a 15 year-old lesbian, as it is for a male professional athlete. Find one person, at least, who they can trust and be themselves with before coming out.”

GA: With the issues of gay marriage and civil rights being such hot topics, do you have any thoughts on the upcoming U.S. election?

JA: “As non-nuanced as it is, fundamentally I feel there is very poor dialogue. Neither candidate is being as fourth right as they should, however McCain is simply a poor candidate for a country under the gun. Obama provides the U.S. with a legitimate chance at gaining the respect of the world.”

GA: What is your fondest and worst memory of your NBA career?

JA: “My first season with the Orlando Magic is my fondest. The experience was unique and they were a great team. I really don’t have a worst memory however. Basketball has not been the highlight of my life.”

GA: Do you think race plays a specific role in sexuality?

JA: “I believe it depends on your environment. There is a lot to consider. It’s different for people in urban environments. Also churches play a large role in this issue. It’s very different in Eastern European countries than it is from the U.S. In other countries, black doesn’t necessarily tell you anything about a person.”

GA: What do you feel is the greatest issue facing the GLBT community today?

JA: “Apathy. So many in the community feel they have done enough, or enough has been done, so they just want to coast through life.”

GA: What do you think could be done to change the attitudes of homophobic people in our society?

JA: “Our presence. We need to be seen to become more than issues, or just the LGBT community, but rather a part of society.”

GA: Why do you think people bring religion into discussions of GLBT issues?

JA: “Because everyone wants the ultimate authority on their side. They want to believe how or what they feel is justified and correct.”

GA: What do you feel is the greatest disconnect within the GLBT community?

JA: “The GLB does not recognize the T. It’s a great shame.”

GA: Do you know any transgender persons?

JA: “Yes, several.”

GA: OK John, I want to get a little more person now. You have mentioned in previous interview that you are “somewhat of a loner”. Has that changed for you since coming out?

JA: “No, I’m still a loner. When I’m in public, a lot of people point and stare. Not so much because they recognize me, but because of my size. Also, as a psychologist, I am around people most of the time when I’m not at home, so I still very much appreciate my alone time.”

GA: What do you feel is your greatest attribute?

JA: “Empathy. My ability to connect with people and their struggles.”

GA: As you reflect on your life up to the present, what are you most grateful for?

JA: “My mother, a truly wonderful person in all aspects.”

GA: Going back for a moment to when you were on Oprah, she asked if you had a boyfriend and you said no. She mentioned something to the effect of “you will now”. Do you?

JA: “No (with a small laugh), I am not everyone’s cup of tea.”

GA: If you could be remembered for one thing, what would you want that to be?

JA: “Well, I don’t want to be remembered as a basketball player. What is really important is how you make people feel. If you can make people feel good, that is an enduring legacy.”

GA: And finally John, if you could deliver one message to the entire world, what would that be?

JA: “I don’t have one. When you try to address the ills of the world, especially by placing them into one category, you become a politician. I don’t want to be a politician.”

Thank you John for taking time to speak with us. You are an asset to the GLBT community and a gentleman in the greatest respect of the word. Our best wishes to you, your family and your future endeavors.

Want to learn more about John Amaechi? Check out his website by clicking here.

Beijing HIV Rate Higher than Predicted

According to a post on pinknews;

The number of gay men in the Chinese capital who have HIV is much larger than previously thought.

New figures from the Beijing Centres of Disease Control and Prevention indicate that ignorance upt o 5% of gay men in Beijing have HIV.

Difficulty in getting the message about safe sex across to closeted gay men are contributing factors.

Read more at pinknews.co.uk.

The Walk-In Closet: Homsexuality in Sports

Competing this year in Bejing are 10,708 athletes. Only 10 are openly gay and only one of them, Matthew Mitcham, is male.

Statistically, the percentage given in the Western world amongst a random sample is between 3 and 10%, with most people favoring a figure of around 5% or one in 20.

10 of 10,708 is clearly much lower than any of these. It works out at around 0.09%, a far lower percentage than any serious study would suggest. Most figures would predict the number of gay athletes to be above 500, so why is it only 10? Likewise, why has only one top flight English football player, Justin Fashanu, come out as gay?

There are a number of theories, some suggesting that homosexuality is less prevalent amongst top-class athletes than other professions, but most believe that athletes would prefer not to “come out”.

Particularly in team sports, gay athletes fear that the interaction between themselves and other competitors would be weakened if he/she was openly gay. For example, Graeme le Saux, a former Chelsea and England footballer who was not gay, but was widely believed to be, felt that he was treated differently by team-mates and opponents as a result of his alleged homosexuality.

Read the rest at bleacherreport.com.

Sex and the City: A Beijing Perspective

It was not just the guys. The women, too, seemed in thrall to their hormones, throwing around daring glances and dynamite smiles like confetti. No meal or coffee break was complete without a breathless conversation with a lithe long jumper from Cuba or an Amazonian badminton player from Sweden, the mutual longing so evident it was almost comical. It was an effort of will to keep everything in check until competition had finished. But, once we were eliminated from our respective competitions, we lunged at each other like suicidal fencers. There may have been a fair amount of gay sex going on, too - but given the notorious homophobia in sport it was rather more covert.

Read the rest at timesonline.co.uk.

Gays in Beijing are Staying in the Closet

The Beijing Olympics have not changed anything for Benjamin Han. He is still gay, still single and still compelled to hide his orientation from public view.

The 28-year-old employee of a large international public relations firm is one of an estimated 5 million to 10 million gay men in China who live, for the most part, in the shadows.

Homosexuality has only been legal for 11 years in China. Although the Chinese Psychiatric Association took it off the list of psychiatric disorders in 2001, same-sex unions are still considered immoral by the authorities.

The modernization of Beijing in preparation for the Olympics actually made things worse for gays. Several gay clubs were bulldozed during the frenzy of street-widening and high-rise building during the run-up to the games.

“It’s probably more restricted in Beijing than in other cities in the country,” said Han, sitting in a fashionable bar near his home in east Beijing. “In general, it is still very much a taboo topic. You don’t talk about it at work, you don’t talk about it with your family. You only talk about it when the other person knows something about it already and you really trust them.”

Read more at sfgate.com.

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