Standing up against discrimination

Apparently there has been a movement that I was unaware of until now. Heterosexual athletes are now joining in the fight against anti-gay discrimination in sports, and some athletes namely Sean Avery of the New York Rangers hockey team is going as far as offering personal support and visitation to any young athlete (fly out to their homes) who are thinking about or wanting to exposing their sexual orientation to their teammates.

Sean Avery joins a growing list of current and former athletes and sports administrators who make their voices heard and opinions known about the atrocities of discrimination. Such sports personalities include Charles Barkley, Steve Nash, Ohio State Football coach Jim Tressel, Toronto Maple Leafs GM Brian Burke and son Patrick, just to name a few.

Though these actions are very admirable and they deserve all the praise that comes forth to them, Pat Griffin makes a good point; all the names mentioned above are of male personalities. Where are the women athletes, coaches and administrators who could stand up publicly as their male counterparts are doing?

My questions are as follows:
1) Are women sorority more afraid to join in the public discourse of anti-gay discrimination?
2) Is there more a serious backlash for women if they joined such a movement?
3) Will society revert to the old way of thinking that female athletes themselves were either masculine or gay resulting from sports participation?

In response to questions 2 and 3; at the very least women have at their disposal the feminine apologetic, where their femininity can be emphasized with makeup etc. Men do not have that luxury of having a masculine apologetic or something to that nature to dispel homosexuality.

I totally agree that people who stand up sends a clear message that there are things that need to change for the better, so allowing inclusion in sports rather than exclusion.

Now I know everyone has their very own opinions on gay, lesbian, LGBT etc, we live in a free country after all. But seriously, who are we to judge and discriminate against anyone?