LRC. This thread was initially titled, "Yared Nuguse is Gay: Hard launch post on Insta"
3/30 update: We are closing this thread to new posts. I did an ok job of following it for a few pages and moderating it but now am 10+ pages behind. The thread has served its purpose - the news has gotten out and people have reacted to it - we don't need pages and pages of the same discussion.
So what if he is....over 1 out of 8 people in the world is known to be gay, bisexual, transgender. We each have to live and die for ourselves, live your life!
1 in 8? Baloney.
1 in 8 is pretty standard. Doesn’t mean 1 in 8 is gay though (more like 1 in 15.)
Just means 1 in 8 is not 100% straight; there are a lot of bisexual women out there.
Athletics is meritocratic. Who crosses the line first wins.
DEI would mean that athletes would be assigned time handicaps and that certain athletes would be excluded because of quotas.
This isn't actually what DEI means. This is what right-wing, racial supremacy nutjobs want you to think DEI is. DEI is about creating an environment and systems to get more people of diverse backgrounds into a field with the assumption that great talent can come from anywhere. It is not about quotas, allowing under-qualified people in roles with specific qualifications, etc.
Nuguse, Nico, Cunningham, Hiltz and others coming out publicly is effectively a form of DEI as it encourages more athletes who identify as LGBTQ to continue to participate in sport. Stopping abuse and discrimination against LGBTQ athletes on athletics/running teams and in athletics/running forums (competitions, etc) is also a form of DEI because those athletes now have an environment in which they can succeed like other athletes.
The reality is that great talent can come from anywhere - regardless of race, sexuality, income, religion, etc. We should be creating environments that allow anyone to succeed if they have the drive and talent. That's how you create a truly successful running community long-term. The same can be said for any sport, business or institution.
When I was in high school 10+ years ago, the only gay runner I knew was Matt Llano - he was kind of a niche road runner and his representation still meant a lot. That said, it would’ve meant the world if there was an out Olympic medalist. Considering the current political climate, it feels harder to come out now than anytime in the last ~5 years. Hats off to Yared. I already liked him before this, now I like him even more.
So what if he is....over 1 out of 8 people in the world is known to be gay, bisexual, transgender. We each have to live and die for ourselves, live your life!
Does that mean every eighth poster here is either gay, bi, or trans?
No, it just means that not everybody on here is a studly, straight, alpha male , 140 lbs distance runner.
I gave your post an up arrow and agree with most of what you say. I disagree that DEI isn’t about quotas. I work for a Fortune 500 company that specifically states that 30% of new hires comply with DEI scorecard metrics, including race and sexual identity. Managers and supervisors annual bonuses are partly calculated by DEI hiring mandates. Other than that, I agree with your post.
Everyone saying "omg it was so obvious, everyone already knew" please shut up. Last month he was seen in the crowd at an indoor track&field event talking with an OnlyFans model (Sky Bri) and everyone assumed they were dating.
When I was in high school 10+ years ago, the only gay runner I knew was Matt Llano - he was kind of a niche road runner and his representation still meant a lot. That said, it would’ve meant the world if there was an out Olympic medalist. Considering the current political climate, it feels harder to come out now than anytime in the last ~5 years. Hats off to Yared. I already liked him before this, now I like him even more.
DEI would mean that athletes would be assigned time handicaps and that certain athletes would be excluded because of quotas.
This isn't actually what DEI means. This is what right-wing, racial supremacy nutjobs want you to think DEI is. DEI is about creating an environment and systems to get more people of diverse backgrounds into a field with the assumption that great talent can come from anywhere. It is not about quotas, allowing under-qualified people in roles with specific qualifications, etc.
It may not be what DEI is supposed to mean, but it's what MANY companies have turned it into.
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