Is Making 'Weak' Football Players Wear Lavender Jerseys As Punishment Homophobic?

There is an uproar over at Ohio State University after a football coach made players he percieved as 'weak' or not good enough wear lavender jerseys as form of shame, humiliation, and punishment. Some at the university view the coach's actions as homophobic.

"Regardless of the reason the shirt color was picked (be it lavender or purple or tutti-frutti), it clearly caused offense with the LGBT community," says Scarlet and Gay, the University's LGBT Alumni Association.

The coach has indeed apologized for the offence:

"Thank you for sharing your concerns regarding the purple mesh pullovers. The use if purple was never intended to offend anyone but since it has, we have taken steps to change the color. Please accept our sincere apologies. We have core values of respect and honor within our program, and these are two principles that are central to my personal life, my coaching philosophy, and to Ohio State and its athletics programs. Bias has absolutely no role in how we think or operate."

Is this in fact an offence to the gay community? Or just your typical football coach trying to encourage his players to do better?

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