grim amusements / April 28, 2010 / the only openly gay male athlete:
Mind, the SI article is slightly misleadingly titled. After all, there are openly gay male athletes in minor sports like swimming and skating. And there was, briefly, one openly gay male athlete in European soccer, which is about as major as it gets. Justin Fashanu came out in 1988; he also committed suicide in 1998. But when you're talking about major team sports -- at least, team sports which are major in their own countries, which soccer isn't here -- then, yes, Thomas seems to be about it for now.
I've said it before, and I'll say it again: there are only a couple of ways that a male athlete in a major sport in this country will come out.
Mind, the SI article is slightly misleadingly titled. After all, there are openly gay male athletes in minor sports like swimming and skating. And there was, briefly, one openly gay male athlete in European soccer, which is about as major as it gets. Justin Fashanu came out in 1988; he also committed suicide in 1998. But when you're talking about major team sports -- at least, team sports which are major in their own countries, which soccer isn't here -- then, yes, Thomas seems to be about it for now.
Tags: