Michael Sam Puts Spotlight on Missouri's LGBT Laws

[William769]

While the state of Missouri celebrates that one of its most recent college football stars, Michael Sam, will remain in The Show Me State with the St. Louis Rams, his high-profile job may be a galvanizing force for securing LGBT rights in Missouri.

Sam, who will report to the team in July for training, may become a symbol for efforts to overturn Missouri's laws on marriage equality, or address its workplace antidiscrimination protections, and other LGBT rights issues, according to USA Today.

The state's current nondiscrimination act currently does not include protections for LGBT workers, according to the statewide equality organization, PROMO. The Missouri Nondiscrimination Act, or MONA, is up for consideration, and would extend the existing law to prohibit employment, housing, and public accommodation discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation and gender identity. The bill was the subject of a public hearing in March, but has yet to pass.

Dara Strickland, an attorney and the board president of the LGBT Community Center in St. Louis, said a gay person can apply for jobs in the state, but there "there's no protection for bwing asked, 'By the way, are you gay?' and being explicitly told, 'You know, we don't hire gay people.'"

http://www.advocate.com/sports/2014/05/12/michael-sam-puts-spotlight-missouris-lgbt-laws-0

[shenmue]

1. They look good together.

Love those smiles.

[William769]

2. Yes they do.

[joeybee12]

6. Like monks...

[RKP5637]

3. Very nice looking couple! n/t

[dilby]

4. Lets also remember he was drafted it does not mean he has a guaranteed spot on the team.

Being drafted in the 7th round means he is really going to have to excel to make it on the 53 man roaster that the Rams have. After the preseason if he is still on the team then I think people can celebrate.

[William769]

5. Celebrating, that horse has already left the barn.

Being picked is a milestone in itself.

[joeybee12]

7. I think if he hadn't come out he would have gone slightly higher...maybe 5th round...

He didn't have a good combine, but neither did lots of others, yet no one was talking about that, only about his...it was an excuse for some teams.

[dilby]

9. I think he was picked in the correct round, he is smaller and slower for the position

he is looking to play. They will probably have to move him to outside LB and even then he is going to have pickup his speed. The primary thing to try and avoid is a media circus like Tim Tebow brought with him to all his teams. Tim had a huge fan base that would have made sense to keep him on a team even with his mediocre play but the media circus made it so it was not worth the hassle.

[joeybee12]

11. Well, Timmeh certainly didn't deserve to go in the first round...

He probably shouldn't ahve been drafted at all except for his rabid fans and all the jersey sales that came with it.

[Iggo]

8. Phew! That was close!

For a minute there I thought a good thing might have happened for a gay person.

[dilby]

10. It's great he was drafted but I don't want to put all the hopes and dreams of gays in the NFL on

his shoulders. Him coming out and getting drafted is a huge leap for the gay community and if he works hard and gets a spot on the team that would be fantastic.

[Iggo]

12. It's great that he was drafted, no buts about it!

[sheshe2]

13. K&R~