J.K. Rowlg rponds to gay Dumbledore ntroversy | CNN

Contents:

• GAY ATHLETE FOUND HIS NICHE AND HIS HBAND THROUGH ROWG
• GAY ROWER, NOW AT UNIVERSY OF ALABAMA, WATCHED ‘BROKEBACK MOUNTA’ AND ME OUT TO PARENTS NEXT DAY
• J.K. ROWLG RPONDS TO GAY DUMBLEDORE NTROVERSY
• THIS GAY LLEGE ROWG ACH HAS HAD 9 ATHLET E OUT TO HIM

GAY ATHLETE FOUND HIS NICHE AND HIS HBAND THROUGH ROWG

I have a much different life than what I thought was possible for growg up whout any gay fluenc or role mols.

And sce I didn’t have a lot of iends growg up, I assumed that much of what was available did not apply to me bee I am gay. To this day I am still cur why was important to announce to strangers I was gay when walkg to a classroom, a locker room or a dg room. Whout knowg a sgle thg about beg gay and never havg met an openly gay man, I feared beg gay om as long as I n remember.

My experienc told me that was bad to be gay. By the time I graduated llege, HIV transmissn had h s height wh the gay muny. Still, I had never met an openly gay man or talked to anyone about HIV or AIDS.

GAY ROWER, NOW AT UNIVERSY OF ALABAMA, WATCHED ‘BROKEBACK MOUNTA’ AND ME OUT TO PARENTS NEXT DAY

If I was gay, then the thought of sex translated to a ath sentence. And if I was gay, I knew I uld blend and hi my achievements.

We all took re of each other, looked out for one other, and supported each other ways I thought were not for me bee I was gay. And was then when I first sheepishly showed up at gay night club on a random Saturday night and danced all night the middle of the dance floor wh my ey closed.

As a new gay man, I uld not draw om the same experienc nor make the same jok and still protect my inty.

J.K. ROWLG RPONDS TO GAY DUMBLEDORE NTROVERSY

The team began 1991 wh eight gay nners lookg for a cross-trag activy, some old rented equipment, and a lot of enthiasm. Gay rower, now at Universy of Alabama, watched ‘Brokeback Mounta’ and me out to parents next day. I figured out I was gay when I was about 11 or 12 years old growg up Albany, N.

When I started rowg seventh gra, I was lookg for a new outlet to try and distract myself and not thk about the possibily of beg gay. I heard, “sup faggot, ” to which his teammate rpond wh, “not much how ‘bout you, gay boy?

The two ma characters uld not al wh the fact that they were gay, so they married women, had children and were pletely miserable. The next day, I sat my fay down and told them I was gay.

THIS GAY LLEGE ROWG ACH HAS HAD 9 ATHLET E OUT TO HIM

Rumors startg gog around my high school that I was still close wh my ex-girliend bee I was gay. Now, livg as an openly gay male at Alabama, I uld not be more proud of how far I have e and what I have acplished. I always pictured beg a gay athlete as somethg that ma me different and herently not as good or “normal” as my other teammat.

The Gay + Lbian Rowg Feratn is a worldwi onle, clive muny for lgbtq+ outdoor and door rowers, xi, ach, and race officials. On the other hand, many gay men n’t fill up their Speedo drawer enough.