Open to the Public

Michael Sam, a Missouri defensive lineman, came out as a gay man. This made history: Sam is the first Division 1 college football player to come out as gay. He is expected to become a top pick in this year's NFL Draft. 

Coming from Hitchcock, Texas, a small southern town, he grew up with many hurdles to cross. Sam is the seventh of eight children; three of his siblings have died, and two brothers are in jail. He was briefly homeless, living in a backseat of a car. His family life isn't the best, so when he does visit his hometown, he stays with friends. In a New York Times' article, Sam said he saw sports as a "salvation." He needed sports to stay out of trouble. 

I think his honesty is so brave, and yet I am still worried for his safety. The New York Times' states, "Now he is posed to become a trailblazer in a violent and macho world that will scrutinize his every action and turn his private life into a very public debate." This macho world has already started the criticism, for example, "I'm sorry but there's no room for Jason Collins and Michael Sam playing a man sport ain't nothing manly about being a fag." Sam's own father was quoted saying, "I don't want my grandkids raised in that kind of environment," and "As a black man, we have so many hurdles to cross. This is just one he has to cross." Even though his father is deeply religious, a deacon at a Baptist church, he could support his own son for coming out as gay. 

In a CBS Sports article, the author explains why gay men don't come out in pro sports: ". . .They can't play in the NFL, the MBA or Major League Baseball - not without fear of being ostracized in a culture where anti gay sentiment is so prominent that [Yunel Escobar] wrote a homosexual slur on his own face." Also, a man who plays sports professionally has to put on a tough, aggressive persona. It is often believed that homosexuality goes hand-in-hand with femininity. PolicyMic, an online news blog, talks about why being a gay athlete is so taboo: "It is an unsaid rule, inextricably connected to cultural notions of masculinity, that pro athletes should be straight, and if they are not heterosexual in private then they will pretend to be publicly." I think it's really sad that in 2014 gay athletes feel like they can't come out as openly gay. Especially since gay marriage is becoming legal in so many states and countries across the world, gay athletes should feel safe enough to come out. 

Majority of the responses to Sam's story have been nothing but praise, which is something that I hope will continue. Sam has stated that he told his teammates and coaches before coming out publicly and they were all supportive. Other people on Facebook and Twitter have been giving him praise for his honesty and bravery. I think that Sam is such an inspiration to all athletes who are gay, lesbian, bisexual or transgender.