Carl Nassib of the Las Vegas Raiders became the first active NFL professional to come out as gay. A step that is fundamentally to be welcomed, but can still be described as very courageous today. A comment.
The world is changing. What was unthinkable a few years ago is now at least partially possible. With Carl Nassib, the NFL has its first openly gay player in the league.
His coming out is of course very welcome. It gives him the opportunity to live his life without having to hide in any way – even publicly. But there is so much more!
Nassib himself said in his Twitter video: “I just believe that it is important to be visible and to show yourself. At the same time, I hope that videos like this and this whole coming-out process are superfluous. But until then far, I do my best to exemplify a culture of acceptance and compassion. ” It’s a statement that hits the nail on the head.
In today’s world it is unfortunately still not a matter of course to come out as homosexual, at least not in men’s professional sport. With women you are much further along. More and more players in team sports like the WNBA for example or in global women’s football have dared to take the step and it is widely accepted and viewed as the normality that it is.
Open homosexuality in men’s team sport is a taboo
In men’s team sport, however, people are much more cautious about this topic. Actually, the only thing that comes to mind is Jason Collins, who came out as an active NBA professional in 2013. And Michael Sam, who came out before the 2014 NFL Draft but was still drafted. However, he never made it into the league – for sporting reasons mind you.
It was only recently that there was again a discussion in this country about whether a professional athlete should come out in a team sport. The former national soccer player Philipp Lahm had spoken out against it in his book and expressed the fear that at least some viewers might react negatively to it.
This danger is undoubtedly also in the USA, which is almost 50 percent Republican and therefore anything but tolerant. The NFL officially stands for diversity, but has numerous team owners as well as coaches and players who are more conservative. This is currently expressed in the corona vaccination motivation and with regard to homosexuality, a fundamental openness to the world should not necessarily be taken for granted.
Certainly no one will openly oppose Nassib, their own fear of public headwinds is likely to be too great – after all, society is already so far advanced in this regard to crack down on hatred, not just on social media. But the general interaction with him – whether by teammates, opponents or spectators – will now show whether the sports world is really ripe for a male homosexual player in the largest sports league in the world.
Nassib’s Outing: Breakthrough Moment in Sports
If it is, and if Nassib – as he is – is positively received by everyone, it would be a landmark moment in the history of the sport. Because then it would be a clear signal to all other sports and leagues – not only to those in the USA – that the diversity that is demonstrated by leagues and associations in many places is not just an empty message, but a profound conviction.
And for all the other homosexual athletes, it would be a clear signal that it is absolutely okay to come out and live your life like anyone else. Without hide and seek.
One can only hope that this will be crowned with success in the rather difficult political environment in the USA. By then at the latest, the country could again serve as a glowing example for positive change. And send a sign to the world that the team sport, so loved by everyone, stands emphatically and with full conviction for diversity, tolerance and against all forms of hatred. And that the LGBTQ + community is fully accepted and warmly welcomed everywhere.
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