Racist and homophobic tweets a stark reminder of prejudice

Nationals pitcher Sean Doolittle used social media this past week to express what Major League Baseball believes is the majority position on a rash of insensitive tweets sent by players before their major league careers.

“It’s been a tough couple of weeks for baseball on Twitter . . . to see racist and homophobic language coming from inside our league — a league I’m so proud to be a part of that I’ve worked really hard to make a more accepting and inclusive place for all our fans to enjoy,” Doolittle tweeted.

In a later tweet, Doolittle wrote, “Homophobic slurs are still used to make people feel soft or weak or otherwise inferior . . . Some of the strongest people I know are from the LGBTQIA community. It takes courage to be your true self when your identity has been used as an insult or a pejorative.”

Doolittle’s messages resulted in thousands of retweets.

In the last three weeks, three current players were discovered to have sent racially insensitive or homophobic tweets before joining major league teams: Brewers pitcher Josh Hader, Nationals shortstop Trea Turner and Braves pitcher Sean Newcomb. MLB has yet to determine if any action will be taken.

Yankees pitcher Sonny Gray, who deleted what could have been interpreted as a racist tweet to a minor league teammate in 2012, is not being scrutinized in the same manner as the other players, sources said. A Yankees spokesman said the matter has been handled internally.

Former major-leaguer Billy Bean is MLB’s ambassador of inclusion.

“My job is to change the culture, and part of that culture change is to make a strong point against comments if they come out on Twitter, whether they happened 10 years ago or not,’’ said Bean, who disclosed that he is gay in 1999, four years after the end of a six-year career.

“I think if you are a player who is playing with a similar story to the one that I had, there are multiple messages that say if it’s about baseball, if it’s about me being my best self, [other] players are ready and willing to play alongside that . . . I think how we act from this point forward, this is how we should be measured, and I think that we’ve shown that it’s a priority from the commissioner straight down. This is part of the MLB family and it’s an unfortunate situation, but if we don’t address it, then we’re being disrespectful to people of color, of women in the workplace, our fans and the LGBT community.

“We’re going to put every effort into making sure every one of our players understands that if you want to be a part of this great sport, the message is to be inclusive and accepting . . . ”

Players accused of inappropriate tweets undergo mandatory sensitivity training. Those alleged to have used homophobic language on the field, such as Blue Jays outfielder Kevin Pillar in 2017, are subject to suspension. Pillar was given two games.

In 2012, newly acquired Mets prospect Noah Syndergaard apologized for an insensitive tweet sent before his arrival from the Blue Jays’ system. No disciplinary action was reported.

The latest tweets come at a time when most teams are involved in community outreach programs stressing inclusion and acceptance of all people.

The Mets held their third annual Pride Night on Saturday during their game with the Braves. More than 4,000 members of the LGBT Network, which includes Long Island and Queens, were scheduled to attend. A portion of each ticket sale goes to the Network’s anti-bullying programs for schools on Long Island and in New York City, according to the Mets.

David Kilmnick, president and CEO of the organization, said the widespread condemnation of the offensive tweets tells him there will be wide acceptance of the first openly gay player in the major leagues.

“The swift reaction, people speaking about their outrage about it, I think could make it be another step toward helping the person helping the LGBT athlete come out . . . Billy and Major League Baseball have strategically gone into work with the ballclubs,” Kilmnick said. “They said its baseline is that Major League Baseball and all the teams are going to be a safe, inclusive place. I would say in a big way, Billy Bean and Major League Baseball are making a big dent.

“I think the next big step is someone having the courage and chutzpah, if you will, to come out while they’re playing and for people to see that people are people, athletes are athletes and that love is love. I’m sure there will be many more people lining up to support them than give them a hard time.”

Bean said that while he would welcome players of different sexual orientation into the league, that is not his mission. He said he has counseled non-playing personnel within MLB.

As to whether he believes there are closeted players, he said, “I’ve never walked up to a player and asked anybody. I would say that it would be rare or an oddity if there weren’t. Whether a player is willing to share that publicly or not doesn’t mean that they don’t exist.

“I don’t think that if one player comes out of 750 that we have solved the LGBT discrimination issues that are in places around the country,’’ he said. “I just think if we sit on our hands and wait for a player to prove how inclusive we are by coming out, then we’re being irresponsible. That decision is up to a player and it should not change the direction and the priority that we make about creating and sustaining and accepting a workplace for everyone who wants to be around the sport.”