Australian cricket icon Megan Schutt has bravely slammed the myths surrounding same sex relationships in women’s sport, condemning those who claim “coercion” is behind the higher rates of gay athletes in team sports.
Schutt is one of the Australian women’s cricket team’s most vocal openly gay players and in today’s issue of Insight Sport she has confronted the smearing and whispering campaign that plagues women’s team sports.
Schutt revealed when she came out as gay that male cricketers told her that was because she was in a team with many gay women — an offensive slur not just on her but on all gay people.
“Coercion – everyone in cricket is gay, that’s why you’re gay,” Schutt told Insight Sport.
Read the full story: Cricket star Megan Schutt slams bigots that say she was ‘coerced into being gay’
“That comes back to thinking that gay is a choice. Which, obviously, it is not.
“The coercion one used to piss me off the most, because it is also implying lesbians are predators and that we’re just out there to turn all these straight young girls into lesbians. That one infuriates me because that goes down to some really deeproots in thinking homosexuals are pedophiles.”
The cricket star also took aim at the players from NRL’s Manly Sea Eagles and the NBL’s Cairns Taipans who used religious beliefs as an excuse to boycott Pride round celebrations.
“I’m not going to lie, it makes me angry,” Schutt said.
Read the full story: Cricket star Megan Schutt slams bigots that say she was ‘coerced into being gay’
“It’s not that hard to be inclusive. A lot of it is hidden behind religion, and they can hide behind their little reasons, but it’s pure bigotry really.”
Schutt knows women’s sport is far more advanced and inclusive than men’s sport, but hopes the day will soon come where men feel safer to talk openly about their sexuality without fear.
“As I said, gay women have it easier and until men can feel comfortable that’s going to be the true barometer really,” Schutt said.
Read the full story: Cricket star Megan Schutt slams bigots that say she was ‘coerced into being gay’
