Full video of the press conference held by the Toronto Blue Jays and Yunel Escobar regarding the shortstop's "You are a faggot" eye black has been released. Watch Yunel try to explain his decision to don the gay Spanish slur after the jump.
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Posted on Tuesday
Gay & Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation (GLAAD) and the Toronto Blue Jays have released official statements regarding Yunel Escobar's gay slur painted into his eye black.
The Blue Jays released a statement last night, saying the team "(does) not support discrimination of any kind nor condone the message displayed by Yunel Escobar during Saturday’s game." In announcing Escobar's suspension and intent to work with GLAAD and You Can Play, the team today stated "The Blue Jays want to reaffirm that discrimination of any kind will not be tolerated. The club looks forward to supporting the efforts of You Can Play and GLAAD to help promote education for players and fans alike and to help keep language like this out of the game and society."
GLAAD President Herndon Graddick says, "Today's actions show that MLB and the Toronto Blue Jays are committed to creating an environment that all fans and families can enjoy, not a place where discriminatory language and anti-gay attitudes are accepted."
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Original Post
At a press conference held in New York this afternoon, Blue Jays shortstop Yunel Escobar has been suspended for three games after writing "Tu Ere Maricon" ("You are a faggot") in his eye black. Yunel apologized for the offensive gay slur painted into his eye black during a game against the Red Sox over the weekend and made a surprising pledge for penance?
So, what does Yunel have to say about his inflammatory misstep and how does he plan to atone?
"I'm sorry for the actions of the other day," Yunel said. "I'd like to ask for the forgiveness of fans. It was not something that was intended to be offensive. It's just something I put on my face as a joke. It was nothing intentionally offensive. I have nothing against homosexuals. I have friends who are gay."
"Honestly I'm going to be going forward with the three game suspension. The salary for those three games will be donated to You Can Play. I have much interest in meeting with Patrick Burke who is in charge of You Can Play once I return to Toronto."
"I'm sorry for what happened and I can guarantee this will not happen again in my career. It's a lesson I've learned and I will never commit again. I'm sorry for this. I didn't mean for this to be misinterpreted by the gay community. I apologize."
When asked what he meant by the saying:
"It's just something that's said amongst Latinos. It's not meant to be offensive. For us, it didn't have the significance to the way it's being interpreted right now... that's not the significance I put into it. It's a word used often on teams, it's a word without meaning in the way we use it."
When asked to explain the context about this joke:
"This is not the first time I've had something written beneath my eyes. It's a comedy joke I do with my teammates, I write something under my eyes. This one was not directed at anyone in particular, it was just something I put on my face."
"I didn't think I'd be here with so many cameras. I didn't see it as something bad at the time as it was interpreted. I agree with the suspension. I don't have any problem with that. I feel bad. I'm embarrassed."
How do you feel about the MLB and Toronto Blue Jays decision to suspend Yunel for three games due to the anti-gay slur? Does Yunel's promise to donate three games' worth of his salary to the LGBT sports organization You Can Play atone for his actions?
Comments (17)
... written by Lee Keels,
September 18, 2012
I love how they always respond with "I have friends who are gay"...it's the go-to defense line. Three days isn't enough. He should be out for the season.
+1
... written by Kacosk,
September 18, 2012
He's just a dumbass. A dumb, straight jock. Yes, a stereotype. But he played right into it, didn't he?
+1
... written by Jon-Jon,
September 18, 2012
I think it's not enough. 3 days? 3 months would be more appropriate.
+0
... written by serefin83,
September 18, 2012
Meh I don't know. I really think that donating 3 games worth of his money to a gay rights organization is a great idea and enough of an apology for me to accept.
+8
... written by Kovak ,
September 18, 2012
Fuck this guy. Seriously. My latino friends from Mexico know all to well that "maricon" is an offensive word for gay guys. He's an idiot but he's not that dumb!!!
+2
... written by tom stephens,
September 18, 2012
let's be forgiving, but, i think he knew exactly what that means. he says it doesn't mean anything where he comes from, but, basically, he was taunting the other team by calling them "fags". It is a lesson that he is learning and, hopefully, others will learn from. those terms are tossed around by straight people all the time and we just need to call stars and athletes on their shit. it's as bad as him having "nigger" under his eyes, but, we've come far enough to know that is wrong, no matter what.
+2
... written by Davo,
September 18, 2012
I think 3 game donation is fine ,, to a point they should have added a 100 hours community service with the gay community .
+2
... written by James71,
September 18, 2012
I think it is fair enough, I of course don't like seeing that being put out. Being a gay man that loves sports sometimes I feel we hold our athletes to such a high standard that they of course are bound to make mistakes. 3 games and the money goes to the LGBT organization that supports sports. We have to be tolerant and not so demanding every time someone calls us a fa***t. Screw'em and move on we have bigger fish to fry! Just basic equality is what we need to work towards not crying every time we get called a name! I'm not happy with his choice of words but it certainly is a season ending suspension. Give it a break.
+0
... written by detweiler,
September 18, 2012
@Lee Keels
To be fair, he was asked by a reporter whether he had friends who were gay. Didn't bring that up on his own.
He also stated that the guy who decorates his home as well as the person who cuts his hair are gay as well.
-1
... written by T. Richardson,
September 18, 2012
@detweiler
That was later in the press conference when a reporter followed up on Yunel's "I have gay friends" comment at the beginning of his apology, which he did bring up on his own.
-1
... written by Clayton P. King,
September 18, 2012
Most straight folks immediately fall back on the "I have gay friends" line. I think it's because there really is no good way to deal with the question. The guy's losing 3 games, and his salary is being donated to a good cause. Let's back off and leave him alone now. I've seen a whole lot worse and meaner things in the 33 years since I came out - this isn't even Romper Room level stuff.
-1
... written by Gerald Parrish,
September 18, 2012
If he said it then he meant it. That's all there is to it. He can apologize, donate money, whatever. The fact is, he's still a homophobe.
+2
... written by Pasqual ,
September 18, 2012
This highlights an urgent need to bring macho Hispanic culture up to speed. Maricon is tossed around too much by Latino men insecure with their own sexuality.
+1
... written by Matt Stevens,
September 18, 2012
HOW can he rightly comment that it is a "comedy" to use a negative slur? Is Nigger or Beaner or Spic or Wop or Rag Head comedic? The guy needs a class on how to communicate without degrading others. I agree that he should be made to work several months on weekends in the GAY community. Maybe he won't be offended when he is called dumb ass!
+0
... written by 9 South Cove Road @ScathinglyBlunt,
September 19, 2012
Is that a three-day ball suspension? I think it's great that Yunel is donating three-days salary to "You Can't Play".
+0
... written by 9 South Cove Road @ScathinglyBlunt,
September 19, 2012
Let's give Picayune L the benefit of the doubt; he was obviously the unsuspecting victim of a vulgar, and brutal man-hazing incident in the locker room - can you imagine his level of embarrassment when he, in front of millions of tele-scoped fans, sauntered out from left field? It was absolutely ghastly.
+0
... written by Belstaff se convertirá en su marca,
September 27, 2012
La chaqueta es ahora mucho más y crecer más familiar, sobre todo en los últimos años, muchas mujeres sus abrigos demasiado engorrosos marta modificados moda Chaquetas Belstaff en los meses de invierno. Chaquetas de cuero para mujer no es fácil mantener el calor, pero también puede realmente fashionable.They su forma de pensar y podemos personality.Now Las mujeres usan una variedad de tipos de chaquetas de cuero, chaquetas de chaquetas reversibles, abrigos, chaquetas ropa exterior para ver gamuza expresa.
