Thought y'all might like this

[ThorsHammer]

I'm straight, but thought this was a good story and something that might be of interest to you. I'm also an athlete, and wouldn't have a problem with a gay teammate.


http://sports.espn.go.com/ncaa/news/story?id=2069239&num=0
Excerpt:

....Andrew Goldstein, leaning back in a commanding corner seat, surveys the scene and smiles. Even though he has a test tomorrow on the daunting structure of cells, he is happy to be here, hanging with his teammates. The All-American goalie, the guy everyone calls "Goldie," fits right in.

The fact that he's publicly gay – an unprecedented turn of events in its own way – doesn't seem to matter. Goldstein, who graduates in two weeks, routinely faced blurring, hard rubber balls that approached 100 miles an hour during his distinguished four-year collegiate career. And yet, his courage cannot be measured by the 110 saves he recorded this season.

There are a handful of gay professional athletes – David Kopay, Billy Bean, Esera Tuaolo – who came out after their careers ended. There are a number of talented gay collegiate athletes, some who play individual sports at the Division I level (such as California gymnast Graham Ackerman), others from team sports at the Division II and III levels.

But Andrew Goldstein, according to those who document these things, is the most accomplished male, team-sport athlete in North America to be openly gay during his playing career. He revealed his sexuality to his team after the 2003 season, and an online essay that appeared on Outsport.com elevated his story to national prominence.

Yet as Goldstein points out, "gay All-American" is a phrase that is still contradictory for some.

"All-American is what you think of, you know, the three kids, the white picket fence, All-American," Goldstein said. "And gay does not fit into that. So it's nice for me to hear 'gay All-American,' and to think it's just the same as 'All-American.'".....
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More at: http://sports.espn.go.com/ncaa/news/story?id=2069239&num=0

They also have some related stories linked as well, such as the "Ring of Fire" boxer.

[Rainbowreflect]

1. Thanks for sharing this.

I honestly cannot imagine how hard that must have been for him.
I would believe that every person who is brave enough to come out like he did makes it that much easier for the next person. IMHO

[Rowdyboy]

2. What a wonderfully positive story....Thank you so much for

sharing it. I'm not into sports very much, but this kid's personal story is fascinating.

Again, thanks...

[kweerwolf]

3. That is truly an interesting article ...

... I've seen the flip side of the coin and several years ago dated a former professional sports player for about six months. He was definitely not out of the closet (at least not beyond a small circle of friends) and I saw the toll it took on him in terms of alcoholism, substance abuse and other self-destructive ways. On some level I don't think he ever reconciled the macho world of sports with the idea that he was making love with another man at night.

It's great to see athletes like Goldstein are breaking away from that type of life.

[swimmernsecretsea]

4. Wonderful, inspirational story

For many reasons.

[ThorsHammer]

5. No problem, glad y'all liked it

I thought it was very impressive for a young man like him, who is still actively playing, to do something like this. The Mass. HS football player they referenced also did the same, and got a blurb in SI's "Life of Reilly" section a few years back. Much like Goldstein, he was scared of what his teammates would think, but they ended up rallying around him. As a straight guy, I can't imagine how they felt to do this, but it definitely took a lot of courage Every little case like this adds up, and having a superstar (NBA, NFL, MLB) come out would probably accelarate the acceptance on a national level. Sooner or later everyone is going to know someone gay and realize that they are just normal people too. I just wish society would get over it on the whole and start focusing on actual problems that do impact people, like poverty, war, etc.

[dsc]

6. What a great story

I am very impressed with that young man. He deserves kudos for being so brave and so talented. And now he may literally wind up curing cancer (could it get any better than that).

[Duncan Grant]

7. kick

Great post! Thanks! :thumbsup: :kick:

[xchrom]

8. thanks!

great story.