Last week a well respected 25-year-old American soccer player came out of the closet, got lots of press attention, and promptly retired from the sport.
Don’t get me wrong, it was incredibly brave for Robbie Rogers to come out of the closet… but then he quit. So we are still looking at a total lack of gay men — out gay men — in professional sports.
Now like many people in North America, outside of David Beckham’s underwear ads, I don’t follow soccer much, but this guy is known and liked and respected. So this is big news in professional athlete world. And he did it gracefully, in an eloquent blog post:
“Football was my escape, my purpose, my identity. Football hid my secret, gave me more joy than I could ever have imagined….. I realized I could only truly enjoy my life once I was honest. . . . My secret is gone, I am a free man, I can move on and live my life as my creator intended.”
Rogers then said he was going to “step away” from the game… but would the game welcome him back now?
Many athletes tweeted words of support, and I believe they were being truthful, and yet the easy way to be inclusive is to be inclusive in theory. Some legendary athletes have come out over time — Martina Navratilova, Gareth Thomas, Billy Bean – as well as some younger generation athletes like skater Johnny Weir — but no current major professional team players are out.
The pro leagues, such as the soccer association when Rogers came out, are saying that out athletes will be welcomed, so why hasn’t someone come out? No matter what percentage of the population is gay, with the thousands of professional jocks in baseball, football, basketball, soccer, hockey, ping pong, bowling, there have to be hundreds of gay men, so why hasn’t someone come out?
Oh yeah, Scott Norton, a professional bowler, came out last year and kissed his husband at a tournament. Bowling leads the way… Come on, pro sports.. catch up!
Angie Uncovered
02/26/2013
You’re absolutely right. I believe the words of encouragement were sincere, though I also believe that the current atmosphere would cause them to receive more threats, pressure from owners and teammates to quit, etc. As much as I would like to see what you’re asking for, athletes that feel comfortable continuing in their sport post-declaration, I wouldn’t want to see anyone go through the inevitable negativity our world (still very much in the dark) would surely visit upon them.
brahm (alfred lives here)
03/01/2013
A good point, it would be a rough ride for the first ones to come out, like it was for trailblazers like Ellen DeGeneres and Neil Patrick Harris… but then it would become the new normal, a non-issue as it should be.
Kath
02/26/2013
Someday, someway, things will change. I think sports may be one of the last areas to accept gays, even though I’m sure the number of gay athletes is much higher than we think.
brahm (alfred lives here)
03/01/2013
I agree, I think there must be gay athletes… but they don’t feel comfortable coming out, which sends a message to kids that there is shame with being gay and or being out… when these walls finally come down will be a huge step forward.
Lance
02/27/2013
there are six different headlines at six different online news sources right now about whether or not NFL teams can ask Man’ti Te’o if he’s gay. Really? No you can’t. Next story, please.
Before I became more of an active champion of equal rights and LGBT issues I used to say “who cares about a person’s sexuality”. I still feel that way, but those who are out or are struggling with it deserve support, cpmpassion and understanding regardless of how straight I am.
Seeveral pro athletes have come out after their careers were over, like Dave Kopek, an NFL player in the 1970s. It’s doubtful anyone will come out during there playing career. For one, the media is flat out stupid and they will ask the wrong questions, and sensationalize everything instead of doing the right things.
It’s none of our business who is gay, in and out of sports. But if that information is offered by someone, it still doesn’t matter as long as they play the games the right way.
brahm (alfred lives here)
03/01/2013
While I agree that it is not anyone’s business, and people can most certainly keep their private lives private, I think the lack of out gay athletes — especially as we are seeing evolution with the military and marriage equality — indicates a shame or stigma especially to young kids, and bigots everywhere. Athletes coming out will change that perception.
Andrea
02/28/2013
yeah this is a problem for sure. it’s odd how we’re working so hard on the military (which is important), but not on pro sports. of course, this is a world where poor performance gets them called “girls.” so there’s that. ugg.
brahm (alfred lives here)
03/01/2013
Ooh, good point — if a hyper masculinized institution like the military can catch up and be more open, why can’t professional sports?