Conner Mertens becomes the first active college football player to come out

Conner Mertens

College football player Conner Mertens, of the Willamette University football team, last night came out to the world in a letter he posted to his Twitter account.

The letter was directed to his small hometown of Kennewick, Washington.

“You are not alone. You do not need to come out but you do need to know that you do not have to go at this by yourself. The aloneness you’re feeling is temporary and it will get better. This place is changing…changing for the better. I made the decision that if I could prevent one person from feeling that self-hatred, loneliness, desperation and a thousand other emotions that I felt, I would. I will be damned if I let anyone tell you that you are wrong or weird or not normal.

“Love yourself and allow others to love you. Be who you are and know you’re not alone.”