The brother of the future Queen of England

[Martinus]

Unless you are a professional athlete.

You are not required to get married.  It is not like he is a red state politician or anything.  Besides he plays for the LA Galaxy nobody would notice.

Not sure I really see the difference. Things may be changing (slowly) but back when he started his career, being openly gay would spell the end of his career, both in terms of homophobia from fellow players and lack of sponsors/endorsements - how is that different from a red state politician?

Besides, it's not like he married just any beard - he married Posh Spice. For both of them this was a career/"power couple" move - so it could have just been a pact.

If you have to ask why sport celebrities choose to stay in the closet, ask yourself why people in the entertainment industry (arguably, the most gay-friendly industry) have to - from NPH or Ricky Martin who stayed in the closet for a long time, to Tom Cruise or John Travolta who are still there.

[jamesww]

Your inclusion of David Beckham makes it hard to figure out what team you are referring to.

Actually he has been rumoured to be gay for quite a while.

And 9/11 is rumoured to be an 'inside job'. 

[Valmy]

Not sure I really see the difference. Things may be changing (slowly) but back when he started his career, being openly gay would spell the end of his career, both in terms of homophobia from fellow players and lack of sponsors/endorsements - how is that different from a red state politician?

Red state politicians get married so they can parade their wife and kids to show how family values they are.  Sports stars do not need to do that.

[Valmy]

If you have to ask why sport celebrities choose to stay in the closet, ask yourself why people...Tom Cruise or John Travolta who are still there.

I mean presuming they are gay I do not know or really care.  Once you join the cult you are dead to me.

[Martinus]

Not sure I really see the difference. Things may be changing (slowly) but back when he started his career, being openly gay would spell the end of his career, both in terms of homophobia from fellow players and lack of sponsors/endorsements - how is that different from a red state politician?

Red state politicians get married so they can parade their wife and kids to show how family values they are.  Sports stars do not need to do that.

As I said, in his case it's more of a mutual benefit pact - both him and Posh parade each other, which raises their mutual profile.

[jamesww]

If you have to ask why sport celebrities choose to stay in the closet, ask yourself why people...Tom Cruise or John Travolta who are still there.

I mean presuming they are gay I do not know or really care.  Once you join the cult you are dead to me.

Yes, weird isn't it, that there might be something more important about a person than if they're gay or not. 

[Maximus]

Actually he has been rumoured to be gay for quite a while.

Yea, but so has everyone else.

[Valmy]

Yes, and most of them bat for the team. *cough*

Come to think of it none of those guys are nobles they are all knights.  Just FYI

[Martinus]

Actually he has been rumoured to be gay for quite a while.

Yea, but so has everyone else.

Not really.

[Zanza2]

As I said, in his case it's more of a mutual benefit pact - both him and Posh parade each other, which raises their mutual profile.

So how do you explain their four kids? Just to advance their career? That's just silly, even by your standards.

[Sahib]

Yes, and most of them bat for the team. *cough*

Come to think of it none of those guys are nobles they are all knights.  Just FYI

Aren't knights nobles. I mean that's how it used to be 

[Richard Hakluyt]

They are not peers though.

[The Brain]

They're here but they're not peer.

[Martinus]

They're here but they're not peer.

I love you.

[The Larch]

He is an upper-class Englishman, labels like gay or heterosexual have no meaning to that elite 

"Everybody knows that it doesn't count if it happens in boarding school."