NFL Team to Draftee: Straight or Gay?

Take that Frank! HRC has been a joke for such a long time. They (Salmonese) lost my support and donations quite a while ago. It really didn't take long before it became apparent that Salmonese was ineffectual and out of his depth. While I don't hate him personally, I will never give HRC any donations as long as he is in a paid leadership position. We need a person with skills in swaying and educating our leaders, not a person that can just pose for pictures and sign his very nice and very fat paycheck.

Oh, one more thing. If Frank or anyone else here can name any laws passed since 1980 (when HRC was founded) that expanded government recognition of LGBT civil rights, I'd be happy to hear it. Since HRC was founded, both DADT and DOMA passed into law and no version of ENDA has ever made it to a President's desk. The last 18 months were the best chance we've ever had for progress on these three issues and now that we're into Congressional mid-term election season, that chance is fading fast. As for specific gaffes by the HRC, here's two: 1) The exclusion of SLDN/Aubrey Sarvis from recent HRC meetings on DADT with the White House. SLDN is *THE* foremost group for repeal of DADT. Sarvis is deeply involved with the issue and yet HRC felt no need to include anyone from his organization in their summit with the Obama Administration. 2) Remember how Joe Solomonese had to phone it in for the recent leadership summit on Signorile's show? He was in London. During prime DADT lobbying time.

Oh, I'm sorry. I thought it was HRC's job to secure support for the bill... Since they're (as you've just admitted) incapable of that at this time, it's up to us. As I've said already.

Johan, obviously you know the votes aren't there for passing ENDA. Short of HRC rigging elections to oust out non-supporters of equality, how has HRC dropped the ball. Please provide specific factual examples. If you can't, you are part of the problem also.

Until the Employment Non-Discrimination Act (you know, the one that HRC keeps dropping the ball on...) gets passed, it is still legal to ask about and make hiring/termination decisions based on a person's sexual orientation and gender identity. The solution to this is not outrage, it's action. Find out if your congresscritter supports ENDA. If he or she does, thank them and ask them to push harder for passage of a fully LGBT-inclusive ENDA. If he or she does not support ENDA, ask them why and then relay their answers to all of your family and friends. Then ask those people that care about you to call and push your representative to change her or his position.

@Scott in Sydney. You're absolutely correct! The only organization, public or private, that can 'legally' inquire into an applicants sexual orientation, is the military; and only that because our military is still segregated on that basis. With more and more professional athletes acknowledging their true sexual orientation; I can only conclude that American football, which is notoriously homophobic, is terrified at the prospect of a future star whose talents and achievements far outweigh those of his heterosexual teammates.

About last post: How about, "good ol' boys," but you got that.

No, they ask because football still operates with a good ‘ol boys mentality and they’re completely homophobic. You know, like back in the 50’s, where they’d say all gay men are fruits, sissies and pedophiles. I’m almost sure they don’t want any of their players coming out or supporting gays. It’s going to take some pro player and a huge monster lawsuit against them to force teams and managers to change their ways, or at least their rhetoric and questions. The law has provided too much cover and exceptions and looking the other way for too long. Problem is, whoever protests and sues will be blacklisted and there goes their livelihood.

I do not know US laws. However I would have thought asking such questions comes under exactly the same as asking your religious belief. An infringement on your equal rights.

They ask these types of questions not for the answers, but to see how they react when put in uncomfortable situations. If they blow up they could be a liability later.