Former NBA player John Amaechi ma news recently when he announced that he is gay. But why do so many gay male athlet keep their sexual orientatn a secret? Is a fear of teammat, or of public reactn?
Contents:
- WHO IS KEEPG GAY ATHLET THE CLOSET?
- GAYS SPORTS: ON THE FIELD -- AND THE CLOSET
- AS PRI MONTH BEGS, ELE GAY MALE ATHLET REMA STUCK THE CLOSET
- WHY THERE ARE FEW OPENLY GAY ATHLET IN MEN'S PROFSNAL SPORTS
- AS LGBT RIGHTS PROGRS, WHY DO GAY ATHLET REMA THE CLOSET?
WHO IS KEEPG GAY ATHLET THE CLOSET?
* gay athletes in the closet *
Although we’re the 21st Century, some sportg arenas aren’t very fivg plac for an openly gay athlete. At stadiums throughout the world – although maly wtern society, pecially Europe – they tnt players, there are racist, homophobic chants, and tly disgtg language is ed.
He’s a solid player whout beg spectacular, but a lot of people know him solely for a hoax he tried to pull 2012, one that led people to believe that he was gay. In 2013, he me out of the closet, revealg he was gay and dog so beg one of football’s first openly self-acknowledged gay players.
Jt judgg by his look, his persona, the majory of people wouldn’t even enterta the fact that he uld be gay.
GAYS SPORTS: ON THE FIELD -- AND THE CLOSET
Gays sports: On the field -- and the closet * gay athletes in the closet *
Dpe him beg Brish, news that he was out still reached a lot of people, people who probably already had an klg that he was gay. But while they were datg, his former assistant and roommate me out and alleged that Aaron was gay. He revealed to the world that he was gay an terview wh Sports Illtrated, and asked people to rpect his privacy.
He’s been scribed as a “game changer” for team sports, and for homosexual people sports general. Perkz/@rlnassib/@rkrelentls)When Kansas State offensive tackle and NFL hopeful Stt Frantz me out to the natn as gay, he shared that his teammat (to whom he'd e out earlier) had warmly received the news, a sign the most alpha of locker rooms may fally be ready for equaly. Here's a list of players llege and pro ball who have proved you n be gay or bi and still n the gntlet.
AS PRI MONTH BEGS, ELE GAY MALE ATHLET REMA STUCK THE CLOSET
Two athlet recently g out has highlighted the arth of openly gay players the world of U.S. men's profsnal sports, often dubbed "the last closet" for s lack of LGBTQ reprentatn. * gay athletes in the closet *
Roy "Sugar Bear" Simmons, an offensive leman for the New York Giants and Washgton Redsks, beme the send NFL player ever to publicly reveal he was gay. So Coach Vce Lombardi knew McDonald was gay when he took over learship of the team 1969, but ma clear there would be no discrimatn his locker room, those close to the legend say. Cornerback Wa Davis, who played preason wh the Tennsee Tans, Seattle Seahawks and Washgton Redsks and spent two seasons wh NFL Europe teams Berl Thunr and Barcelona Dragons, me out as gay 2012, nearly a after his retirement.
He would later nfirm his sexualy on CNN and s down wh ESPN to discs the challeng of growg up gay Jamai and playg football while closeted. He later cled to sign wh the Tennsee Tans and Dallas Cowboys before g out as gay at 24, he told Philalphia Magaze revealed to the magaze that he'd dated a male cheerlear at Purdue who had threatened to out him then. He would later move to San Francis and jo the Fog, a gay gby team, and pen a g-out blog post 2015.
WHY THERE ARE FEW OPENLY GAY ATHLET IN MEN'S PROFSNAL SPORTS
Wyatt Pertet, a special teams player and receiver for Capal Universy, will be a sophomore this season.
The Bachelor star and former football player (who was signed by the San Diego Chargers as an undrafted ee agent and was on the practice squad of the Oakland Rairs and the Philalphia Eagl) me out as gay April of 2021, sayg he had fally e to terms wh his sexualy and the "next step all of this was sort of lettg people know. "He wanted everyone to know he was "still the same Colton everybody met on TV" and is "proud to be gay. The Rairs leman ma NFL history durg Pri Month 2021 when he me out as gay a heartfelt Instagram post, beg the first active NFL player to e out as member of the LGBTQ+ muny.
The Hampton Universy player ma history October of 2022 when he me out as gay an Instagram Story post, beg the first out gay football player at a Historilly Black College or Universy. Chilean basketball player Daniel Ars revealed he was gay an emotnal letter posted to Instagram and clared he was ready to live "proud and ee. Havg suffered homophobic jok while growg up as a rult of playg the sport, he was a b harned to any negative receptn onle.
AS LGBT RIGHTS PROGRS, WHY DO GAY ATHLET REMA THE CLOSET?
"I feel sorry for people like that who are close-md and still thk 's offensive to be lled gay -- bee 's not.
When Swiss profsnal volleyball player Dennis Del Valle revealed he was gay this year, the Puerto Rin native thought he was dog for himself. When ternatnal soccer start Beattie me out as gay, he was only the third man Brish profsnal sports to do so.
The WNBA and the NWSL, particular, have a number of openly gay athlet, yet they are often the subject of abe or risn.