For llege rowg pta, g out as gay showed thenticy - Outsports

Contents:

• GAY ATHLETE FOUND HIS NICHE AND HIS HBAND THROUGH ROWG
• THIS GAY LLEGE ROWG ACH HAS HAD 9 ATHLET E OUT TO HIM
• FOR LLEGE ROWG PTA, G OUT AS GAY SHOWED POWER OF THENTICY
• KEV MAXEN BE FIRST MALE ACH A US MEN’S PROFSNAL SPORTS LEAGUE TO PUBLICLY E OUT AS GAY

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. If I was gay, then the thought of sex translated to a ath sentence.

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

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.

Wrten By Charley Sullivan, openly gay rowg ach at the Universy of MichiganEvery four years, when the Olympics roll around, llege rowg ach get exced. Men's Pair London, learned to row begng his sophomore year at the Universy of Michigan, where I ach), we are always on the lookout for those guys who may have swam or played basketball or such high school, and who have the right stuff — long arms and legs, big lungs and jt enough sany to try a sport that tras about 100 mut for each mute of petn — to make as a llege, wh other ach, I was ecstatic when the USA Men’s Four won a bronze medal London. Face , as a society, Amerins are generally pdish about seeg men’s crotch, and we thk that showg off your stuff is a sure sign you’re gay.

FOR LLEGE ROWG PTA, G OUT AS GAY SHOWED POWER OF THENTICY

Speedos had bee “gay. Publicly thankg a gay man and feelg flattered that he spent so much blogospace discsg your crotch whout feelg the need to be fensive?

Read Sullivan's 2011 article for Outsports about beg an openly gay ach. But durg his time as a llege stunt, his inty as a gay man is what gave him the most difficulty.

When Malik was home om break as a hman, his parents found pictur of him onle wh other gay people. But I end up kd of dog the plete oppose, and wound up jt beg more gay than ever.

KEV MAXEN BE FIRST MALE ACH A US MEN’S PROFSNAL SPORTS LEAGUE TO PUBLICLY E OUT AS GAY

The awkward dance ntued until this quarante perd, when Malik vised his parents, and spoke wh his mother and nt about beg gay.