I'd like to share a few things...
I'd like to talk to everyone for a second about Christopher Reeves. You know - Superman, the guy that got paralyzed and later died? Yeah - that guy.
The day he died, I became very upset. My feelings of great sadness even surprised myself. I wasn't a fan of Superman, or any of his movies really - but when I walked past the TV and learned of his death - I secretly shed a few quiet tears.
Why? - It took some thinking and then I really understood.
(please note - this is NOT for attention whoring - it is to prove a point)
I am a 34 year old man. When I was in highschool, I was 18 year old Johnny Football Hero. Captian of the defending New York State Class C champs. Even still I was extremely shy, awkward and ugly as sin. During my senior year our team was doing well again and made it back into the state playoffs to defend our title... After we defeated Saranac Lake in the State Regional, a bunch of teamates and I traveled to a local mall to discuss the game at the food court. While we we there, we got a good 'ol fashioned Upstate New York snowstorm.
On the way home - my friend (who had just got his license) was not familiar with driving in snow - crashed the car I was riding in into a telephone poll. I became paralyzed from the waist down. Nobody was drinking, drugging, goofing off - it was just a freak thing. From that point forward I was paraplegic, but after months and months of therapy - I was able to get out of the wheelchair and limp around with a cane. (still do to this day.)
Now about Mr. Reeves...
After Christopher Reeves' injury, whenever he would make an appearance, he would force people to at least acknowledge disabilites. Just his presence sparked discussions about stem cell research and new advancements to help "people like him." He forced people to listen. When he died, I realized that - that voice - his voice, the one that keep disability in the public eye was now silenced. Nobody was left to keep people talking - to keep hoping.
Now about publically gay atheletes...
I imagine for people who are gay, when public people come out, it's the same kind of feelings. Gay people that feel ashamed, ignored, or trodden on have someone to look up to, to listen for, to cheer for. Someone that has a voice for them. Is this correct?
Whether or not someone is gay (or not) is not something I personally care about - but I gather that is precisely why gay people want stories like this to be heard. Gay people (and disabled people, and many others) experience silent stigmas that cannot be explained to someone who hasn't expoerienced them before - and they want them to stop. Having a voice out there from a person "like you" is comforting and can give you strength and hope.
These two subjects are different in their own rights, but I hope I was able to shed some light as to why stories like this could be massively important to some...
If I am wrong, I apologize.
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Santa's 8-bit Xmas Hall of Heroes
bunnyboy, psychobear85, superbobby, captmorgandrinker, guillavoie, KHAN Games (backup from Jon Solo), fsped09 & zi
Edited: 04/30/2013
at 01:28 AM
by Commander Santa
