Jackson Gay Class of 2020 - Player Profile | Perfect Game USA

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• SHOP 'GMA3' POWER HOUR ALS FOR LABOR DAY!OPEN MENUVIOSHOPCULTUREFAYWELLNSFOODLIVGSTYLETRAVELNEWSBOOK CLUBGMA3: WYNTKNEWSLETTERPRIVACY POLICYYOUR US STATE PRIVACY RIGHTSCHILDREN'S ONLE PRIVACY POLICYINTERT-BASED ADSTERMS OF USEDO NOT SELL MY INFOCONTACT USCOPYRIGHT © 2023 ABC NEWS INTER VENTUR. ALL RIGHTS RERVED.SEARCHLIVGABC NEWS' ALEX PEREZ ON G OUT: IT 'ALLOWED ME TO FD AND MARRY THE LOVE OF MY LIFE'8:43THE STORY OF THE PRI BYALEX PEREZVIO BYCHRIS CIRILLO AND TONY MORRISONOCTOBER 07, 2020, 4:09 AM•8 M READOCT. 11 IS NATNAL COMG OUT DAY. FOR MANY LGBTQ+ PEOPLE, G OUT VOLV SHARG THEIR SEXUAL ORIENTATN AND/OR GENR INTY FOR THE FIRST TIME. YOUNG PEOPLE SEARCH OF SUPPORT THEIR INTI N NTACT THE TREVOR PROJECT'S TREVORLIFELE 24/7 AT 1-866-488-7386 OR BY TEXTG START TO 678678.MY MEMORY OF THE DAY IS CRYSTAL CLEAR.I WAS FIFTH GRA, ENJOYG MY FAVORE PART OF THE SCHOOL DAY -- RECS! MONKEY BARS, EEZE TAG, DODGE BALL -- BASILLY ANYTHG THAT WOULD DISTRACT ME OM WHAT I THOUGHT AT THE TIME WAS BORG: STG AT MY SK.BUT THAT WAS THE FIRST YEAR I N REMEMBER FEELG A LTLE DIFFERENT.MY IENDS, WHO I'D KNOWN SCE KRGARTEN, AND I PRETTY MUCH AGREED ON EVERYTHG.WE ALL GOT NTENDO AT THE SAME TIME, DRSED SIARLY AND FOUND THE SAME THGS UNTERTG; WAS THE GLUE THAT HELD TOGETHER.THAT DAY, SEEMED LIKE I WAS THE ONLY ONE WHO WANTED TO GET THIS GAME OF DODGEBALL STARTED.THE GUYS -- MY IENDS AND FELLOW FIFTH GRARS -- WERE ALL HUDDLED UP.SO I JOED THE CIRCLE, TRYG TO FIGURE OUT WHAT EVERYONE WAS WHISPERG ABOUT.TURNS OUT, THEY WERE ALL ENAMORED WH A NEW FEMALE CLASSMATE WHO HAD TRANSFERRED TO OUR CLASS. HEARG THE OTHER BOYS, I KNEW IMMEDIATELY THERE WAS SOME SORT OF DISNNECT THAT I HAD NEVER TECTED BEFORE.THE ATTRACTN AND FEELGS THEY WERE SCRIBG WERE FOREIGN TO ME.BUT I KEPT MY MOUTH SHUT, MOSTLY FOR FEAR I'D OPEN MYSELF UP TO RIDICULE.EDOR’S PICKSABC NEWS’ G BENEZ WR LETTER TO HIS YOUNGER SELF FOR NATNAL COMG OUT DAY: 'IT WILL ALL BE OK'OCT 11, 2022ABC NEWS' BECKY WORLEY TO PARENTS ON NATNAL COMG OUT DAY: 'THIS DAY IS FOR YOU TOO'OCT 11, 2022ABC NEWS' JAM LONGMAN ON G OUT: 'I ULD NEVER IMAGE THEN THE LIFE I HAVE NOW'OCT 11, 2022I HAD BEEN LLED SISSY EARLIER THAT YEAR -- AND STUNG.BADLY.NOT BEG MYSELF THAT ONE RANDOM DAY FIFTH GRA WOULD BEE THE SHAKY FOUNDATN I WOULD LIVE NEARLY TWO S OF MY LIFE -- PRETENDG TO BE SOMETHG I WASN'T.I FEARED BEG THE BUTT OF JOK.I FEARED MY TRADNALLY CUBAN, MACHISTA FAY WOULD ABANDON ME.I FEARED REJECTN.THE WERE TOUGH THGS TO UNRSTAND AS A YOUNG ADULT, SO I DIDN'T EVEN TRY!I SIMPLY BSHED THAT TERNAL "WHO AM I?" NVERSATN UNR THE RPET FOR AS LONG AS POSSIBLE.ALONG THE WAY, AS I TRIED TO MAKE SENSE OF MY EMOTNS, I DATED AND GOT TO LOVE SOME TLY AMAZG WOMEN THAT TGHT ME SO MUCH ABOUT CHARACTER AND BEG TE TO ONELF.BY THE TIME I TURNED 24, THE TOLL OF PRETENDG TO BE SOMETHG I WASN'T HAD TURNED TO PURE AGONY.I ULD BARELY MTER THE FORCED S OR FAKE, CHEERY NVERSATNS.WHAT I THOUGHT WAS SOMETHG I ULD IGNORE FOR THE RT OF MY LIFE, LED ME TO A EP PRSN. I EVEN NSIRED THE UNTHKABLE.WHY WOULD I WANT TO GO ON LIVG A LIFE WHERE I ULD NEVER BE MYSELF?THE QUTN, FOR ONE VERY DARK PERD OF MY LIFE, WAS STUCK ON REPEAT MY MD.BUT THANKFULLY, I WAS ABLE TO HARNS THOSE DARK THOUGHTS.INSTEAD OF BEATG MYSELF UP, I MA THE NSC CISN TO TAKE STOCK OF ALL THE MANY THGS I HAD ACPLISHED.I HAD FIED THE ODDS GROWG UP A BLACK KID A RELATIVELY POOR, VLENT NEIGHBORHOOD, BEG THE FIRST ONE MY FAY TO ATTEND LLEGE AND PURSUE A REER -- NOT JT A JOB.IF I ULD CELEBRATE THE BS AND PIEC OF ME, WHY ULDN'T I CELEBRATE ALL OF ME?THAT WAS THE QUTN THAT WAS NOW STUCK ON REPEAT.SO, I WENT OUT ON A LIMB AND TOLD MY MOM FIRST."THOSE PEOPLE YOU SOMETIM TALK ABOUT MOM, WELL I'M ONE OF THEM," I SAID.BAFFLED, SCE I PROVID ZERO NTEXT, SHE REPLIED, "WHAT DO YOU MEAN? WHAT ARE YOU TALKG ABOUT? ARE YOU TROUBLE?"I PSED.SUDNLY THERE WAS A LUMP MY THROAT AND SEEMED MY VOICE HAD VANISHED.AFTER ABOUT 30 SENDS, AND MENTALLY JUMPG OFF OF MOUNT EVERT, I SQUEALED AS IF SOMEONE HAD H THE FAST-FORWARD BUTTON ON MY VOICE."I'M GAY, ONE OF THOSE PEOPLE. I'M A GAY MAN AND I N'T HOLD ANY MORE. I HAVE TO TELL YOU, MOM."SHE PSED AND STARTED TO TAKE EP BREATHS FOR ABOUT 10 SENDS -- WHICH FELT LIKE 10 YEARS -- AND THEN SHE SAID, "THAT DON'T CHANGE ANYTHG! YOU'RE MY SON.""I LOVE YOU AND WILL NEVER STOP LOVG YOU AND I'M HERE NO MATTER WHAT."SUDNLY EVERY SGLE SECURE, HORRIFYG, UNFORTABLE MOMENT I HAD UNTIL THAT POT FLASHED BEFORE ME. BUT THOSE MOMENTS SOMEHOW, STANTLY, DIDN'T MATTER ANYMORE.TEARS STREAMED DOWN MY FACE.MY SHOULRS SUDNLY FELT LIGHT.MY SPE SEEMED TO LENGTHEN.AND I SOMEHOW KNEW THAT MOMENT THAT EVEN IF NO ONE ELSE WERE EVER TO ACCEPT ME FOR WHO I AM, I HAD THE ACCEPTANCE OF THE PERSON THAT MATTERED MOST MY LIFE.AS I STARTED TO PEEL AWAY THE THICK ON I HAD BUILT AROUND MY LIFE, MY MDSET CHANGED.WHAT I ONCE THOUGHT WAS MY "PROBLEM" I NOW REALIZED WASN'T A PROBLEM AT ALL.'EVEN IF NO ONE ELSE WERE EVER TO ACCEPT ME FOR WHO I AM, I HAD THE ACCEPTANCE OF THE PERSON THAT MATTERED MOST MY LIFE.'WOULD I STILL BE REJECTED? Y.WOULD THERE STILL BE PEOPLE WHO WOULDN'T ACCEPT THE TE ME? Y.BUT MY LIVELIHOOD AND SELF-RPECT WAS NO LONGER ATTACHED TO WHAT THOSE PEOPLE BELIEVED OR DIDN'T BELIEVE ABOUT ME.MAKG THE CISN TO E OUT PROFOUNDLY CHANGED MY LIFE.IT EPENED MY RELATNSHIPS WH THE PEOPLE THAT MATTERED.IT REMOVED A BLDFOLD ALLOWG ME TO SEE THOSE MY LIFE WHO DIDN'T MATTER.COMG OUT ALLOWED ME TO FD AND MARRY THE LOVE OF MY LIFE.IT GAVE ME THE URAGE I NEED TO PURSUE A PETIVE REER AFTER SO MANY TOLD ME I WOULD FAIL.COMG OUT STRENGTHENED MY BOND WH MY MOTHER.AND G OUT ALSO HELPED ME NNECT WH WHAT I NOW LL MY "CHOSEN FAY" OF IENDS AND LOVED ON WHO HELP ME LIVE LIFE AND SE WAYS I NEVER THOUGHT WOULD BE POSSIBLE.COMG OUT IS A PROCS THAT HAPPENS ON YOUR TIMETABLE, NOT ANYONE ELSE'S.AND WHILE SOMETIM 'S EASY TO FOC ON THE DARK DAYS, YOU N'T STOP BELIEVG THAT THERE ARE BETTER DAYS AHEAD -- TST ME, THERE WILL BE BETTER DAYS.FOR A LONG TIME, I KICKED MYSELF FOR NOT BEG BRAVE ENOUGH TO BE TE TO ME WHEN I WAS WH THAT GROUP OF IENDS DURG RECS BACK FIFTH GRA.I FELT ALONE, LIKE AN ALIEN.NOW, I HOLD ON TO HOPE THAT AS MORE OF SHARE OUR STORI, A DAY WILL E WHEN NO ONE WILL EVER HAVE TO FEEL THAT WAY AGA.EDOR’S PICKSABC NEWS’ G BENEZ WR LETTER TO HIS YOUNGER SELF FOR NATNAL COMG OUT DAY: 'IT WILL ALL BE OK'OCT 11, 2022ABC NEWS' BECKY WORLEY TO PARENTS ON NATNAL COMG OUT DAY: 'THIS DAY IS FOR YOU TOO'OCT 11, 2022ABC NEWS' JAM LONGMAN ON G OUT: 'I ULD NEVER IMAGE THEN THE LIFE I HAVE NOW'OCT 11, 2022UP NEXT LIVG—WOMAN LEARNS T WHO WAS MISSG FOR 10 YEARS WAS FOUND ON LATE DAD'S BIRTHDAYSEPTEMBER 1, 2023FIRE PARTMENT ADOPTS PUPPY WHO WAS RCUED OM LOCKED, HOT RAUGT 31, 2023FROM THE NICU TO HBCUS: BALTIMORE TRIPLETS START LLEGE ATLANTAAUGT 30, 2023BRI SHAR MOM'S HILAR WEDDG PHOTO BOOK FAILAUGT 29, 2023UP NEXT LIVG—WOMAN LEARNS T WHO WAS MISSG FOR 10 YEARS WAS FOUND ON LATE DAD'S BIRTHDAYSEPTEMBER 1, 2023FIRE PARTMENT ADOPTS PUPPY WHO WAS RCUED OM LOCKED, HOT RAUGT 31, 2023FROM THE NICU TO HBCUS: BALTIMORE TRIPLETS START LLEGE ATLANTAAUGT 30, 2023BRI SHAR MOM'S HILAR WEDDG PHOTO BOOK FAILAUGT 29, 2023

SHOP 'GMA3' POWER HOUR ALS FOR LABOR DAY!OPEN MENUVIOSHOPCULTUREFAYWELLNSFOODLIVGSTYLETRAVELNEWSBOOK CLUBGMA3: WYNTKNEWSLETTERPRIVACY POLICYYOUR US STATE PRIVACY RIGHTSCHILDREN'S ONLE PRIVACY POLICYINTERT-BASED ADSTERMS OF USEDO NOT SELL MY INFOCONTACT USCOPYRIGHT © 2023 ABC NEWS INTER VENTUR. ALL RIGHTS RERVED.SEARCHLIVGABC NEWS' ALEX PEREZ ON G OUT: IT 'ALLOWED ME TO FD AND MARRY THE LOVE OF MY LIFE'8:43THE STORY OF THE PRI BYALEX PEREZVIO BYCHRIS CIRILLO AND TONY MORRISONOCTOBER 07, 2020, 4:09 AM•8 M READOCT. 11 IS NATNAL COMG OUT DAY. FOR MANY LGBTQ+ PEOPLE, G OUT VOLV SHARG THEIR SEXUAL ORIENTATN AND/OR GENR INTY FOR THE FIRST TIME. YOUNG PEOPLE SEARCH OF SUPPORT THEIR INTI N NTACT THE TREVOR PROJECT'S TREVORLIFELE 24/7 AT 1-866-488-7386 OR BY TEXTG START TO 678678.MY MEMORY OF THE DAY IS CRYSTAL CLEAR.I WAS FIFTH GRA, ENJOYG MY FAVORE PART OF THE SCHOOL DAY -- RECS! MONKEY BARS, EEZE TAG, DODGE BALL -- BASILLY ANYTHG THAT WOULD DISTRACT ME OM WHAT I THOUGHT AT THE TIME WAS BORG: STG AT MY SK.BUT THAT WAS THE FIRST YEAR I N REMEMBER FEELG A LTLE DIFFERENT.MY IENDS, WHO I'D KNOWN SCE KRGARTEN, AND I PRETTY MUCH AGREED ON EVERYTHG.WE ALL GOT NTENDO AT THE SAME TIME, DRSED SIARLY AND FOUND THE SAME THGS UNTERTG; WAS THE GLUE THAT HELD TOGETHER.THAT DAY, SEEMED LIKE I WAS THE ONLY ONE WHO WANTED TO GET THIS GAME OF DODGEBALL STARTED.THE GUYS -- MY IENDS AND FELLOW FIFTH GRARS -- WERE ALL HUDDLED UP.SO I JOED THE CIRCLE, TRYG TO FIGURE OUT WHAT EVERYONE WAS WHISPERG ABOUT.TURNS OUT, THEY WERE ALL ENAMORED WH A NEW FEMALE CLASSMATE WHO HAD TRANSFERRED TO OUR CLASS. HEARG THE OTHER BOYS, I KNEW IMMEDIATELY THERE WAS SOME SORT OF DISNNECT THAT I HAD NEVER TECTED BEFORE.THE ATTRACTN AND FEELGS THEY WERE SCRIBG WERE FOREIGN TO ME.BUT I KEPT MY MOUTH SHUT, MOSTLY FOR FEAR I'D OPEN MYSELF UP TO RIDICULE.EDOR’S PICKSABC NEWS’ G BENEZ WR LETTER TO HIS YOUNGER SELF FOR NATNAL COMG OUT DAY: 'IT WILL ALL BE OK'OCT 11, 2022ABC NEWS' BECKY WORLEY TO PARENTS ON NATNAL COMG OUT DAY: 'THIS DAY IS FOR YOU TOO'OCT 11, 2022ABC NEWS' JAM LONGMAN ON G OUT: 'I ULD NEVER IMAGE THEN THE LIFE I HAVE NOW'OCT 11, 2022I HAD BEEN LLED SISSY EARLIER THAT YEAR -- AND STUNG.BADLY.NOT BEG MYSELF THAT ONE RANDOM DAY FIFTH GRA WOULD BEE THE SHAKY FOUNDATN I WOULD LIVE NEARLY TWO S OF MY LIFE -- PRETENDG TO BE SOMETHG I WASN'T.I FEARED BEG THE BUTT OF JOK.I FEARED MY TRADNALLY CUBAN, MACHISTA FAY WOULD ABANDON ME.I FEARED REJECTN.THE WERE TOUGH THGS TO UNRSTAND AS A YOUNG ADULT, SO I DIDN'T EVEN TRY!I SIMPLY BSHED THAT TERNAL "WHO AM I?" NVERSATN UNR THE RPET FOR AS LONG AS POSSIBLE.ALONG THE WAY, AS I TRIED TO MAKE SENSE OF MY EMOTNS, I DATED AND GOT TO LOVE SOME TLY AMAZG WOMEN THAT TGHT ME SO MUCH ABOUT CHARACTER AND BEG TE TO ONELF.BY THE TIME I TURNED 24, THE TOLL OF PRETENDG TO BE SOMETHG I WASN'T HAD TURNED TO PURE AGONY.I ULD BARELY MTER THE FORCED S OR FAKE, CHEERY NVERSATNS.WHAT I THOUGHT WAS SOMETHG I ULD IGNORE FOR THE RT OF MY LIFE, LED ME TO A EP PRSN. I EVEN NSIRED THE UNTHKABLE.WHY WOULD I WANT TO GO ON LIVG A LIFE WHERE I ULD NEVER BE MYSELF?THE QUTN, FOR ONE VERY DARK PERD OF MY LIFE, WAS STUCK ON REPEAT MY MD.BUT THANKFULLY, I WAS ABLE TO HARNS THOSE DARK THOUGHTS.INSTEAD OF BEATG MYSELF UP, I MA THE NSC CISN TO TAKE STOCK OF ALL THE MANY THGS I HAD ACPLISHED.I HAD FIED THE ODDS GROWG UP A BLACK KID A RELATIVELY POOR, VLENT NEIGHBORHOOD, BEG THE FIRST ONE MY FAY TO ATTEND LLEGE AND PURSUE A REER -- NOT JT A JOB.IF I ULD CELEBRATE THE BS AND PIEC OF ME, WHY ULDN'T I CELEBRATE ALL OF ME?THAT WAS THE QUTN THAT WAS NOW STUCK ON REPEAT.SO, I WENT OUT ON A LIMB AND TOLD MY MOM FIRST."THOSE PEOPLE YOU SOMETIM TALK ABOUT MOM, WELL I'M ONE OF THEM," I SAID.BAFFLED, SCE I PROVID ZERO NTEXT, SHE REPLIED, "WHAT DO YOU MEAN? WHAT ARE YOU TALKG ABOUT? ARE YOU TROUBLE?"I PSED.SUDNLY THERE WAS A LUMP MY THROAT AND SEEMED MY VOICE HAD VANISHED.AFTER ABOUT 30 SENDS, AND MENTALLY JUMPG OFF OF MOUNT EVERT, I SQUEALED AS IF SOMEONE HAD H THE FAST-FORWARD BUTTON ON MY VOICE."I'M GAY, ONE OF THOSE PEOPLE. I'M A GAY MAN AND I N'T HOLD ANY MORE. I HAVE TO TELL YOU, MOM."SHE PSED AND STARTED TO TAKE EP BREATHS FOR ABOUT 10 SENDS -- WHICH FELT LIKE 10 YEARS -- AND THEN SHE SAID, "THAT DON'T CHANGE ANYTHG! YOU'RE MY SON.""I LOVE YOU AND WILL NEVER STOP LOVG YOU AND I'M HERE NO MATTER WHAT."SUDNLY EVERY SGLE SECURE, HORRIFYG, UNFORTABLE MOMENT I HAD UNTIL THAT POT FLASHED BEFORE ME. BUT THOSE MOMENTS SOMEHOW, STANTLY, DIDN'T MATTER ANYMORE.TEARS STREAMED DOWN MY FACE.MY SHOULRS SUDNLY FELT LIGHT.MY SPE SEEMED TO LENGTHEN.AND I SOMEHOW KNEW THAT MOMENT THAT EVEN IF NO ONE ELSE WERE EVER TO ACCEPT ME FOR WHO I AM, I HAD THE ACCEPTANCE OF THE PERSON THAT MATTERED MOST MY LIFE.AS I STARTED TO PEEL AWAY THE THICK ON I HAD BUILT AROUND MY LIFE, MY MDSET CHANGED.WHAT I ONCE THOUGHT WAS MY "PROBLEM" I NOW REALIZED WASN'T A PROBLEM AT ALL.'EVEN IF NO ONE ELSE WERE EVER TO ACCEPT ME FOR WHO I AM, I HAD THE ACCEPTANCE OF THE PERSON THAT MATTERED MOST MY LIFE.'WOULD I STILL BE REJECTED? Y.WOULD THERE STILL BE PEOPLE WHO WOULDN'T ACCEPT THE TE ME? Y.BUT MY LIVELIHOOD AND SELF-RPECT WAS NO LONGER ATTACHED TO WHAT THOSE PEOPLE BELIEVED OR DIDN'T BELIEVE ABOUT ME.MAKG THE CISN TO E OUT PROFOUNDLY CHANGED MY LIFE.IT EPENED MY RELATNSHIPS WH THE PEOPLE THAT MATTERED.IT REMOVED A BLDFOLD ALLOWG ME TO SEE THOSE MY LIFE WHO DIDN'T MATTER.COMG OUT ALLOWED ME TO FD AND MARRY THE LOVE OF MY LIFE.IT GAVE ME THE URAGE I NEED TO PURSUE A PETIVE REER AFTER SO MANY TOLD ME I WOULD FAIL.COMG OUT STRENGTHENED MY BOND WH MY MOTHER.AND G OUT ALSO HELPED ME NNECT WH WHAT I NOW LL MY "CHOSEN FAY" OF IENDS AND LOVED ON WHO HELP ME LIVE LIFE AND SE WAYS I NEVER THOUGHT WOULD BE POSSIBLE.COMG OUT IS A PROCS THAT HAPPENS ON YOUR TIMETABLE, NOT ANYONE ELSE'S.AND WHILE SOMETIM 'S EASY TO FOC ON THE DARK DAYS, YOU N'T STOP BELIEVG THAT THERE ARE BETTER DAYS AHEAD -- TST ME, THERE WILL BE BETTER DAYS.FOR A LONG TIME, I KICKED MYSELF FOR NOT BEG BRAVE ENOUGH TO BE TE TO ME WHEN I WAS WH THAT GROUP OF IENDS DURG RECS BACK FIFTH GRA.I FELT ALONE, LIKE AN ALIEN.NOW, I HOLD ON TO HOPE THAT AS MORE OF SHARE OUR STORI, A DAY WILL E WHEN NO ONE WILL EVER HAVE TO FEEL THAT WAY AGA.EDOR’S PICKSABC NEWS’ G BENEZ WR LETTER TO HIS YOUNGER SELF FOR NATNAL COMG OUT DAY: 'IT WILL ALL BE OK'OCT 11, 2022ABC NEWS' BECKY WORLEY TO PARENTS ON NATNAL COMG OUT DAY: 'THIS DAY IS FOR YOU TOO'OCT 11, 2022ABC NEWS' JAM LONGMAN ON G OUT: 'I ULD NEVER IMAGE THEN THE LIFE I HAVE NOW'OCT 11, 2022UP NEXT LIVG—WOMAN LEARNS T WHO WAS MISSG FOR 10 YEARS WAS FOUND ON LATE DAD'S BIRTHDAYSEPTEMBER 1, 2023FIRE PARTMENT ADOPTS PUPPY WHO WAS RCUED OM LOCKED, HOT RAUGT 31, 2023FROM THE NICU TO HBCUS: BALTIMORE TRIPLETS START LLEGE ATLANTAAUGT 30, 2023BRI SHAR MOM'S HILAR WEDDG PHOTO BOOK FAILAUGT 29, 2023UP NEXT LIVG—WOMAN LEARNS T WHO WAS MISSG FOR 10 YEARS WAS FOUND ON LATE DAD'S BIRTHDAYSEPTEMBER 1, 2023FIRE PARTMENT ADOPTS PUPPY WHO WAS RCUED OM LOCKED, HOT RAUGT 31, 2023FROM THE NICU TO HBCUS: BALTIMORE TRIPLETS START LLEGE ATLANTAAUGT 30, 2023BRI SHAR MOM'S HILAR WEDDG PHOTO BOOK FAILAUGT 29, 2023

Parker Gay is a 2025 RHP/3B wh a 6-1 215 lb. McCoy for The New York TimHis Sexualy Don’t Defe Him, but It Can Set Him ApartEric Bach is an openly gay broadster for the Frericksburg Natnals. Three years earlier, while he was studyg journalism at Michigan State Universy, he had publicly e out as gay an say he wrote for the time of the say, he braced for a backlash, but nothg materialized.

He worked his way up om ternships to full-time broadstg jobs, and while anyone wh an ter nnectn uld learn he was gay, nobody asked, and he did not say so aga publicly. It was bil and ugly, filled wh “every gay slur you uld thk of, ” Bach said. It was paful at the time — the worst thg that had happened to him as a gay man, he said — but has reced far enough to his memory that did not e to md an hourlong terview about his experienc as a gay broadster.

As far as Bach knows — and as far as many of his unterparts wh other teams are aware — there are no other openly gay broadsters the sport.

McCoy for The New York TimBorn to BroadstLong before he knew he was gay, Bach knew he wanted to be a sports father was a ach, and a love of sports ran through the fay.

”)He began to accept that he was gay durg his sophomore year of high school, but wh that acceptance me worry.

As a multisport athlete, Bach was often locker rooms filled wh chos of homophobic slurs and gay jok. ’”By the start of his sophomore year at Michigan State, Bach was ready to tell his parents that he was gay, tchg his father off guard but nfirmg what his mother had prevly assumed. He did each job to the bt of his abily, and his sexualy never me, he has found that there’s a difference between beg a gay man baseball and beg pletely fortable as one.

“I was sually like, ‘You know I’m gay, right? That uncertaty mak him feel self-nsc a way he believ is mon for gay people mostly straight spac. “I feel like that’s the burn a lot of gay people live wh — tryg to be perfect for straight people, ” he job requir equent teractn wh the players and the achg staff — addn to his duti as play-by-play announcer, Bach also is the ma public relatns ntact for the team — and he said he hadn’t fully relaxed any of them.

The environment is not hostile, but Bach never fets that he is the only openly gay person the room. Mrer/Frericksburg NatnalsThat feelg is somewhat “self-flicted, ” Bach said, but he believ the solutn is to brg more openly gay people to sports and create a safe environment for those who are already there but have felt necsary to hi their League Baseball has touted self as a place of clivy.

Billy Bean, an openly gay former player, was named the league’s first ambassador for cln 2014 and has sce been promoted to senr vice print and special assistant to Commissner Rob Maned. In Febary, Anrson Comás, a mor leaguer the Chigo Whe Sox anizatn, me out as gay wh a post on Instagram, and the announcement was met wh public support om his club and some people around the cints suggt there is more work to be done. The Boston Red Sox lled up a mor leaguer, Matt Dermody, who had posted an anti-gay msage on Twter 2021, and Anthony Bass, a reliever for the Toronto Blue Jays, reposted a vio on social media that lled for boytts of L.

“Those of that are this very small mory sports have to keep on havg the nversatns, keep on workg really ick’ hard to earn your spot this space, ” he aspir to be a gay person at home a big-league booth. McCoy for The New York TimA versn of this article appears prt on, Sectn A, Page 27 of the New York edn wh the headle: A Gay Broadster Climbs the Ladr, But It’s Been Lonely. Instanc the game where Alex is gay-d?

I've read somewhere around here that 'Alex is very obvly straight-d' but I've also read that Alex is most popular amongst gay male players of the game and I jt wanted to know if there are any specific stanc the game where Alex n be nsted to be gay-d? "I'm gay, one of those people.

I'm a gay man and I n't hold any more.