As we discussed earlierNBC NFL analyst Tony Dungy expressed some terribly bigoted views. In January, NFL media summarily dragged Dungy all over social media for his horrible, horrible, bad, bad views on the trans community, including spreading already a myth debunked long ago that children identified as “hairy”, forcing schools to put litter boxes in elementary school bathrooms. It was a crappy rumor made up by the same people on the right who loathe government interference but want young girls to report their menstrual cycles to their schools and prevent families with trans children from parenting their own children. Even Joe Rogan admitted that the rumors were false. Dungy quickly deleted the tweet and apologized, but the damage was done.
Apparently embarrassing Rihanna in front of everyone on the internet wasn’t enough though, because now, months later, Dungy is back at it. This time, Dungy responded to a query on Twitter about why he isn’t more open about members of the Christian community sexually abusing children. Here’s how it went:
“Jesus saves is the best answer for them.”
Great advice from a man who apparently hasn’t bothered to understand anything about the trans community or the medicine and science involved in 1) identifying as trans, 2) helping a person decide whether or not to transition, and 3) determining how to transition . I feel safe if I reasonably assume that Dungy hasn’t thought too deeply about what life is like for trans people or the bigotry and hatred that many of them face on a daily basis. But Dungy feels it’s somehow his place to know and tell the world what’s best for trans people. I wish you the full confidence of Tony Dungy in sharing things he knows nothing about.
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Study from 2022 of suicide and young trans people showed that 82 percent of trans children had thought about suicide, and 40 percent had attempted it. In the meantime, another study presented to the American Academy of Pediatrics showed that there was a 60 percent reduction in moderate to severe depression among children who received trans-affirmation care. In short, there is actual scientific research showing that, where desirable, trans-affirmative care significantly improves the lives of those in the trans community.
Toss out a vague platitude like “Jesus saves” as some sort alternatives to medical care for trans people is arrogant, offensive and humiliating, and goes a long way towards showing how deeply Dungy thinks about anything. Does not believe that any one of the thousands (millions?) of trans people, over the centuries, who chose to end their lives rather than live the identity the world assigned them were Christians? Does he really think that people haven’t tried “Jesus Saves” from all kinds of things that cause personal pain? Does he not believe that the trans community prays? Or was he saved? Or does he have a fulfilling relationship with his own God, the same way he has with his own?
This was not the first time that Dungy has revealed that he is intolerant when it comes to the LGBTQ+ community. Outsports’ Cyd Zieglerwho has covered Dungy’s homophobia extensively, wrote this:
The public debate about Dungy’s anti-gay tendencies began in earnest in 2006.
Dungy was in charge that year fundraiser for the Indiana Family Institute, whose primary goal was to oppose same-sex marriage. An invitation to the event featured a picture of Dungy coaching an NFL game in his Colts gear, with assurances that an “opportunity to financially support the Indiana Family Institute” would be available.
“I appreciate the attitude [IFI is] I take and accept that position,” Dungy said during IFI fundraising the group’s opposition to same-sex marriage. “IFI says what the Lord says. You can take it and decide which way you want to be. I am on the Lord’s side.”
in 2013, when NBA player Jason Collins has publicly come out as gay, Dungy said he “doesn’t agree with Jason Collins’ lifestyle.”
Next year, after Michael Sam has publicly come out as gay and he was drawn by St. Louis RamsDungy said he wouldn’t want Sam on his team.
“I wouldn’t take it,” Dungy said the Rams drafted Sam. And wait… “I wouldn’t want to deal with all that. It’s not going to be entirely smooth sailing…things are going to happen.”
The fact that NBC is silent on Dungy’s homophobia and the transphobia is astounding, considering there are dozens of analysts in the NFL world who could do Dungy’s job better than he can in one country. Has there ever been a worse NFL game than the Jags-Chargers game Dungy and Al Michaels played together in January? Is Tony Dungy, the broadcaster, really so indispensable that even NBC is afraid commenting on his narrow-minded views?
NBC should have condemned Dungy’s intolerance long ago. It’s a blemish on the net that they don’t have.