Current Events > How many active gay male athletes are in America?

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Just saw a topic about an openly gay guy in soccer. How many others openly gay male athletes are there in America? By active I mean they are on a roster and playing. Not someone who is retired or not on any team in their league.
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Honestly, probably 5-10%. But coming out publicly is still considered a poison pill, not because of the general population, but because of the locker room. These players may be ostracized by teammates, devalued by the league, labeled a "distraction", or not signed at all. Once more players are out, this will not be the case, but there are very few that want that kind of publicity.

On that note, it's also a privacy issue. Some don't want their names splashed all over the media, they just want to do their jobs.
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DarthGravid posted...

Honestly, probably 5-10%. But coming out publicly is still considered a poison pill, not because of the general population, but because of the locker room. These players may be ostracized by teammates, devalued by the league, labeled a "distraction", or not signed at all. Once more players are out, this will not be the case, but there are very few that want that kind of publicity.

On that note, it's also a privacy issue. Some don't want their names splashed all over the media, they just want to do their jobs.

I meant openly gay in the title. Of course there may be closeted players but I was looking for other out athletes. Since that is a more definitive number with no speculation. Your 5-10% is a lot of speculation of closeted athletes without proof.
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MisterPorn posted...

DarthGravid posted...

Honestly, probably 5-10%. But coming out publicly is still considered a poison pill, not because of the general population, but because of the locker room. These players may be ostracized by teammates, devalued by the league, labeled a "distraction", or not signed at all. Once more players are out, this will not be the case, but there are very few that want that kind of publicity.

On that note, it's also a privacy issue. Some don't want their names splashed all over the media, they just want to do their jobs.

I meant openly gay in the title. Of course there may be closeted players but I was looking for other out athletes. Since that is a more definitive number with no speculation. Your 5-10% is a lot of speculation of closeted athletes without proof.

It's an estimate. As far as open, there are only a handful.
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DarthGravid posted...

It's an estimate. As far as open, there are only a handful.

Active openly gay male players currently on a roster? Give some names since it can be easy to just look them up and see how well they are playing.
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All athletes are pretty active
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https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_LGBT_sportspeople

This is the best I could do on short notice. Not all are active, not all are American. Most are Olympians.
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nicklebro posted...

All athletes are pretty active

Active or retired is the terms I am using. An athlete that isn't active is either retired or a free agent. I think the answer is zero since that is what the other topic basically said but wanted to see if I created one the contrarians would come out to list some.
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DarthGravid posted...

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_LGBT_sportspeople

This is the best I could do on short notice. Not all are active, not all are American. Most are Olympians.

I saw Jason Collins as the first pic and closed that thread. There is probably a lot of retired people on that list.
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I'm almost positive that the soccer player for MN United is the only openly gay player on a pro sports team in the US. It doesn't tend to go too well for them. Michael Sam's draft stock dropped after he came out. Was projected to be a 2nd-3rd round pick initially before coming out and ended up being drafted very late in the 7th round.

I'm sure the vast majority of gay athletes are well aware they are better off staying in the closet publicly. I'm sure some teammates are well aware though. The world just isn't ready for it so much unfortunately. We have seen nothing close to a big time player in their prime come out. It has mostly just been fringe players near the end of their careers.

Michael Sam made a big mistake by coming out before the draft. It put a lot of pressure on him to perform and he became an overnight celebrity then he couldn't even last a full season on a practice squad.

I really wish it wasn't this way, but it is. It will be a while until the public at large can just accept a gay athlete in a normal way. MLS barely counts and that MN United player isn't even a regular starter.
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MisterPorn posted...

DarthGravid posted...

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_LGBT_sportspeople

This is the best I could do on short notice. Not all are active, not all are American. Most are Olympians.

I saw Jason Collins as the first pic and closed that thread. There is probably a lot of retired people on that list.

Yes, I said that. I'm done. I should have smelled this bait from miles away. Good day, sir.
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probably way more than mainstream society realizes

professional athletes at the top of the industry got plenty of reason to stay on the down low
and with a fat income they can easily afford to hide it

MisterPorn posted...

nicklebro posted...

All athletes are pretty active

Active or retired is the terms I am using. An athlete that isn't active is either retired or a free agent. I think the answer is zero since that is what the other topic basically said but wanted to see if I created one the contrarians would come out to list some.

You obviously never saw Albert Haynesworth play football.
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Its not possible to tell because some probably try to keep their lives private
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DarthGravid posted...

MisterPorn posted...

DarthGravid posted...

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_LGBT_sportspeople

This is the best I could do on short notice. Not all are active, not all are American. Most are Olympians.

I saw Jason Collins as the first pic and closed that thread. There is probably a lot of retired people on that list.

Yes, I said that. I'm done. I should have smelled this bait from miles away. Good day, sir.

lol what. Jason Collins has been retired for like 4 years now to see him at the top of the list made me realize it wasn't worth my time.
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you can't always tell, so how would I know? Was that the right answer? Yup.
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