**Rainbow Flops: The GLBTQ Discussion Thread**

[SGT RJ]

Originally Posted by ITT666

There's several other's in this very thread, besides those two.

I bet there's more out there in the poker world, that we aren't aware of.

Part of the point of this thread.

This.

There are certainly players who are don't want to disclose to the poker world, or just don't see why it's necessary, but there are certainly a lot more LGBT players than most would assume.

Hardly surprising that some wouldn't want to disclose, given that the game is dominated by young males. How many people in other games/sports disclose?

Which is an entirely different issue, of course, and I do think we'll see an openly gay player in a major US sport within the next 30 years or so.

[livegrinder]

Originally Posted by SGT RJ

This.

There are certainly players who are don't want to disclose to the poker world, or just don't see why it's necessary, but there are certainly a lot more LGBT players than most would assume.

Hardly surprising that some wouldn't want to disclose, given that the game is dominated by young males. How many people in other games/sports disclose?

Which is an entirely different issue, of course, and I do think we'll see an openly gay player in a major US sport within the next 30 years or so.

Bets?!

[CalNaughtonRipken]

Originally Posted by SGT RJ

Which is an entirely different issue, of course, and I do think we'll see an openly gay player in a major US sport within the next 30 years or so.

Two time NFL Pro Bowl Tight End, 13 year member of the Washington Redskins and honoree of their Ring Of Fame, Jerry Smith took no action to hide his homosexuality during his career. He played from 1965-1977. Other gay NFL players of that era speak admiringly of the courageous way that Jerry Smith chose to live his life during an era where public hostility was likely far greater than today.

[livegrinder]

Cal, I've never heard of that person.

[Protential]

http://www.outsports.com/outathletes/

[tringlomane]

Originally Posted by livegrinder

Cal, I've never heard of that person.

He apparently didn't come "out" until after he retired as well from the sources I'm finding. I figured he would be more well-known if he came out as an active player. I didn't know who he was either, fwiw.

[ITT666]

What are some good gay/bisexual dating and/or hook up sites?

The only one I am really aware of is Gay Romeo/Planet Romeo (for gay men.) That one is pretty big in Asia I know, but I'm not sure how big it is in the U.S.

Any other good ones?

[redhat_jane]

Originally Posted by ITT666

What are some good gay/bisexual dating and/or hook up sites?

The only one I am really aware of is Gay Romeo/Planet Romeo (for gay men.) That one is pretty big in Asia I know, but I'm not sure how big it is in the U.S.

Any other good ones?

the Grindr app for iPhone is a pretty ridiculous feat of gay-hookup technology.

[Protential]

blendr/grindr, gay.com, craigslist, i know there are some other ones as well, prolly some that arn't as "sleazy".

[sirswish6]

Originally Posted by SGT RJ

This.

There are certainly players who are don't want to disclose to the poker world, or just don't see why it's necessary, but there are certainly a lot more LGBT players than most would assume.

Hardly surprising that some wouldn't want to disclose, given that the game is dominated by young males. How many people in other games/sports disclose?

Which is an entirely different issue, of course, and I do think we'll see an openly gay player in a major US sport within the next 30 years or so.

isnt Martina Navratilova gay?

[Bigoldnit]

Originally Posted by sirswish6

isnt Martina Navratilova gay?

Yup. There are actually quite a few out/or at least not really trying to hide it female athletes (Billie Jean King (tennis too), Sheryl Swopes (WNBA) was in a relationship w/ a woman for several years, several women on the US national soccer team, etc.), but I can't think of a well-known male athlete who came out while he was still playing... but maybe someone can correct me...

Also, on an unrelated note, I actually learned to play poker by playing in weekly freeroll tournaments at a gay sportsbar in my city... Nothing like playing cards w/ a bunch of queer folks while the tv's are showing football, the speakers are blasting Lady Gaga, and the ceiling has a spinning disco ball

[azrit1]

Drkamikaze- I'm a femme who is into butches. But I'm spoken for. We are on the tables but people don't "see us" because they assume we are straight. I have faced plenty of discrimination at the tables for being a woman or being a person of color. Last month a guy called me a "****** bitch" after I took a series of pots off of him. But even as an "out" femme, people at the tables don't know.

[azrit1]

Guess I should have known that "derogatory name for Blacks" would be edited out. I'm sure everyone understands anyway.

[ITT666]

But even as an "out" femme, people at the tables don't know.

Well this makes sense. It's similar to how most straight people probably have trouble identifying butch/masculine/bears when it comes to gay men.

The more you look and act like the way straight members of your gender look, the less likely they are to be able to pick you out as gay.

[CalNaughtonRipken]

Originally Posted by tringlomane

He apparently didn't come "out" until after he retired as well from the sources I'm finding. I figured he would be more well-known if he came out as an active player. I didn't know who he was either, fwiw.

Jerry Smith may not have "come out" formally but he didn't hide either. Many people in the DC area during his career were aware of Mr. Smith's lifestyle. For people under the age of 40 it may be difficult to believe that most celebrities lives weren't scrutinized remotely near the level that they are today. People could live a very public life yet maintain significant privacy.