Tag: coming out

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Sixteen years ago today: Ellen DeGeneres comes out

Sixteen years ago today, Ellen DeGeneres became even more famous than her comedy as she became one of the highest profile Hollywood personalities to come out.

In the 1980s she was the first female comedian to be asked to join Johnny Carson on the couch of The Tonight Show. 

Her sitcom “Ellen” was a huge success up to April 30, 1997 when both she and her character publicly came out. Although the show was renewed for one more season, “parental advisory” warnings were aired before each episode.

She didn’t work for almost three years, but then the country began to slowing “evolve” on the issue of acceptance of gays. 

The turning point for her reemergence can probably be credited to her very successful hosting gig for the 2001 Primetime Emmy Awards.  “What would bug the Taliban more than seeing a gay woman in a suit surrounded by Jews?” she asked during the show. Upbeat and funny, she received rave reviews and found a new fanbase.

And with 2003 giving her the twin showcases of both “Finding Nemo” and her self-titled talk show, Ellen found that the courage to be yourself can lead to happiness.

Let’s hear it for Ellen!

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Nike looks to endorse 1st major league “out” athlete

The first openly gay pro athlete, whether he be in football, baseball, or basketball could very well land sponsorship deals worth millions of dollars.  And a promise from Nike is already on the table, Bloomberg reports:

Nike asked former Phoenix Suns executive (and openly gay) Rick Welts to deliver a message to anyone thinking about becoming the first openly gay athlete in major U.S. team sports — the company wants him as an endorser.

“They made it clear to me Nike would embrace it,” Welts, 60, now president of the National Basketball Association’s Golden State Warriors, said in a telephone interview. “The player who does it, they’re going to be amazed at the additional opportunities that are put on the table, not the ones that are taken off.”

Nike isn’t the only one who sees the upside of coming out.  Dallas Mavericks owner Mark Cuban called the opportunity “a marketing goldmine for all involved.”

Gay marketing strategist Bob Witeck agreed: “the first openly gay team-sport athlete — provided he’s a recognizable name — would earn millions in endorsements and speaking engagements…”

Just this week, the National Hockey League aligned itself with gay-rights organization You Can Play Project, an organization that promotes equality in sports, to develop “what appears to be the most comprehensive measure by a major men’s league in support of gay rights,” according to The New York Times.

(via Towleroad)

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Brendon Ayanbadejo: Possibly four players considering coming out on same day

Brendon Ayanbadejo appeared on MSNBC with Thomas Roberts to discuss his release from the Baltimore Ravens plus his comments about multiple NFL players possibly coming out on a single day.

In an interview with the Baltimore Sun, Brendon had said there are players – possibly four – in the NFL considering coming out at the same time to take the pressure off one player:

“I think it [an openly gay player] will happen sooner than you think. We’re in talks with a handful of players who are considering it. There are up to four players being talked to right now and they’re trying to be organized so they can come out on the same day together. It would make a major splash and take the pressure off one guy. It would be a monumental day if a handful or a few guys come out.

“Of course, there would be backlash. If they could share the backlash, it would be more positive. It’s cool. It’s exciting. We’re in talks with a few guys who are considering it. The NFL and organizations are already being proactive and open if a player does it and if something negative happens. We’ll see what happens.”

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Out professional boxer Orlando Cruz wins 2nd match since coming out

Featherweight pro boxer Orlando Cruz has won his second match since coming out.

From Blabbeando:

During the fight he wore a multicolor boxing kilt with Puerto Rican flags on both sides. One of the flags was red, white and blue, the other flag’s stripes reflected the color of the rainbow as a sign of gay pride. This is the second fight he wins after becoming the first active professional boxer to ever come out as a gay man back in October.

As in the last fight, his mother was at the side of the boxing ring shouting encouragement throughout the fight. The venue was filled to capacity and attendees seemed to be overwhelmingly on Cruz’s side throughout the fight.

After the match, Cruz tweeted: “To my work team, Puerto Rico, the LGBT community, my people from Quintana and my family: Thanks for being there and being part of my life. I love you and carry you with me.”

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I’ve loved you since you were born – Dad

How sweet and wonderful is this?

A letter posted on the Facebook page of FCKH8 is going viral today.  Here’s the text of the note:

Nate,

I overheard your phone conversation with Mike last night about your plans to come out to me. The only thing I need you to plan is to bring home OJ and bread after class. We are out, like you now.

I’ve known you were gay since you were six, I’ve love you since you were born.

– Dad

P.S. Your mom and I think you and Mike make a cute couple.
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Pennsylvania’s Brian Sims talks “out athletes” based on his own experience

Openly gay Pennsylvania state legislator Brian Sims recently spoke to ESPN about 49ers Chris Culliver’s pre-Super Bowl homophobic comments.

Brian Sims, the only college football captain to ever come out, said he was happy there was so much backlash against Culliver’s remarks during Super Bowl media day.

“Everyone should be allowed to speak their mind, but in this case, it was wholly ignorant and wholly stupid,” said Sims, who recently was elected as the State Representative for the 182nd District of the Pennsylvania House of Representatives. “This is not acceptable in the workplace and shouldn’t be acceptable in sports.”

Excerpt from Brian’s interview with ESPN:

What was your first reaction to the Culliver quotes?

“I had two reactions. The first was to laugh. I remember that Charles Barkley had this great line where he said any time someone talks about not wanting a gay teammate hasn’t been looking. There are gay guys in every locker room. That’s the idiocy of what Culliver said. I also thought it wasn’t fair to his teammates to imply that what he was thinking was the norm. That has not been my experience.”

The story goes that you came out to your college football team. Is that true?

The truth is I was gay my whole life. I had dated girls in high school. I think I knew I wasn’t straight long before I knew I was gay. I knew by the time I got to college that I was gay. My team actually came to me to ask me whether I was gay. They wanted to talk about it. They asked me about the struggle and when I was going to tell people. I didn’t go through the same struggles as people today. Today, you have 14-15-16 year olds so confident and secure in their sexuality. I was not. I wasn’t a gay 17-year-old ready to come out to the world. When I got to college, I realized I was gay. I just didn’t know how to go about it. My college didn’t have a LGBT group to give me the language to come out. It was my quarterback who asked me first.”

Do you hope for the day when the topic of sexuality isn’t discussed?

“I do hope there is a time when you don’t have to discuss it but still wants to discuss it. I live in a neighborhood in Philadelphia called ‘Gayborhood.’ It’s next to Chinatown and the Italian area of town. I don’t want to speak on behalf of all Italians but they’ve been discriminated before but they still love their culture, heritage and solidarity. I want us to reach a time when race and sexuality isn’t a negative factor. Sports teams need some bad ass gay men and women’s teams need lesbians to come out. It’s going to be a good thing.”

Read the full interview at ESPN.

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High school senior produces documentary based on 10 coming out stories of men aged 15 to 82

Devon Yaffe, a high school senior in L.A., recently completed his Senior Project, a 90-minute documentary in which ten gay men talk about their experiences growing up and coming out.

Writes Devon: “After finding out I could choose any topic for my Senior Project, I decided on one that was closer to home: Overcoming Adversities as a Gay Teen. As a member of this ever growing community I planned to branch out to the gay community in order to hear the stories of gay youth. This documentary tells the story of ten gay males, ages ranging from 15-82. We find out how each of them overcame their adversities as a gay teen throughout each generation. Please enjoy.”

I’ve watched much of it and while simple in format, the men’s stories are powerful in their telling.

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NJ High school senior comes out to his class, standing ovation

Jacob Rudolph, a high school senior in Parsippany, New Jersey, comes out to his entire class at their awards ceremony (Class Clown, Most Likely to Succeed, etc.).

Says Jacob in the clip, as he accepted the award for “Best Actor”:

“Sure I’ve been in a few plays and musicals, but more importantly, I’ve been acting every single day of my life. You see, I’ve been acting as someone I’m not. Most of you see me every day. You see me acting the part of ‘straight’ Jacob, when I am in fact LGBT (Lesbian/Gay/Bisexual/Transgender).

“Unlike millions of other LGBT teens who have had to act every day to avoid verbal harassment and physical violence, I’m not going to do it anymore. It’s time to end the hate in our society and accept the people for who they are regardless of their sex, race, orientation, or whatever else may be holding back love and friendship. So take me leave me or move me out of the way. Because I am what I am, and that’s how I’m going to act from now on.”

Cue the standing ovation.

Forward, kids.

(from Towleroad)