… Avery is straight though i think what devs fan wrote is a fail of a joke. Avery’s sloppy seconds era happened because of a model girlfriend… (elisha cuthbert) I believe.

We understand.

In a way, what you said was not a joke even, but a suggestion. You were suggesting or hinting that Avery might be gay. What is more objectionable? A joke that he might be gay, so that might be funny? Or a suggestion that he might be gay, so that might be revealing/ telling/ meaningful relevant?

I don’t know. Both are common enough occurrences. For instance, many parents wonder about that with their kids if the boys, for example, show certain effeminate characteristics or aren’t “doing boy things” etc, like playing tackle football in shards of glass.

Since we cannot simply tear down hundreds of years of social conditioning overnight, in popular culture, “gay”-ness has long been associated with being effeminate, flamboyant, weak, “like a girl,” etc. That stereotype will continue far into the future, I am sure, and that is unfortunate. If my casual observations are true, most gay men are in much better shape – and arguably more fit and muscular – than most other cross-sections of our society. So, those dudes are damn tough.

So, what about gay hockey players? Well, they’ll be like hockey players and they’ll be disciplined, conditioned, tough, or even brutal. And, if they play solid hockey, respect the game and its traditions, and fight hard and fair every night, then they will earn respect on the ice.

And that, I hope, is Avery’s point: if you want to be gay, be gay. So what? Nobody cares except for a few homophobes in the dressing room.

It’s tougher for kids, because they can’t “let their play do the talking for them” to show up any haters. I mean, kids hockey is pretty crappy sometimes and kids are more susceptible to social pressures about their burgeoning sexuality, etc.

So, even if you’re not the next Rocket Richard, I hope gay kids still get out there and maintain their confidence on the ice.