#LGBTQ+ Hero of the Week – Carl Nassib

“I will do my best to cultivate a culture that’s accepting and compassionate”

Blackpool footballer Jake Daniels hit the headlines a few weeks ago as the first UK male professional footballer to come out publicly as gay in over 30 years.

As the first in our LGBTQ+ Hero series, I wanted to draw attention to a man who came out a year ago, in a sport I am hugely passionate about. American football is one of the toughest sports, where strength, machismo and testosterone are at the forefront in locker rooms, stadium arenas and televisions globally. It had been perceived as one of the last sports to embrace change. Some college football teams continued to field all-white players until the late Sixties and Colin Kaepernick’s knee during the national anthem to protest against racial injustice effectively ended his career. Teams were worried about taking on a figure who challenged perceived convention. The masculine environment makes it particularly difficult for a player to come out.

Carl Nassib, a defensive end for the Las Vegas Raiders, made history last year to come out as the first openly gay active player in NFL history, drawing widespread praise and support from the NFL community. Nassib announced: “I have agonized over this moment for the last 15 years.” He spoke about his part “to cultivate a culture that’s accepting and compassionate”, announcing he was donating $100,000 to The Trevor Project, a crisis intervention and suicide prevention organization for young LGBTQ people. The Raiders immediately announced their support and matched his donation.

Of the NFL, Nassib said from the moment of his announcement, “I was greeted with the utmost respect and acceptance.”

Hall of fame quarterback Warren Moon tweeted: “Really proud of Carl Nassib. The first active football player to ever do so. I played with several guys who never were comfortable enough to go public. They were great teammates, & obviously very talented.”

While his announcement has paved the way for others to follow, a year on, we are yet to see another active NFL player follow in his footsteps. There is still clearly much work to do.

Words by Gareth Evans

#pridemonth #lgbtqhero #pridehero #nfl #carlnassib

Photograph: NYTimes.com

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