The Closet is for Skeletons and Clearly You're Still Alive

This is a shout out and a word of encouragement to those athletes who are hiding their sexuality from coaches, teammates, and the world. Speaking from experience, I know the struggle that comes with being gay and the hardships of ridicule and grotesque looks from those confuting bystanders. The taunts and threats are formidable, but your fear and suppressed feelings will eat away at you way more than those ignorant few preventing you.

Rene Portland, former Penn State women's basketball coach, was one of those few who tormented many of her athletes to stay in the closet or forbid contact with a lesbian. She pushed her beliefs onto her players, yet in a pep talk before a game she hypocritically states, "celebrate who you are." How can non-heterosexual women celebrate themselves when a mentor is tearing them down.

Well guess what? Times are changing, and we are fortunate to be living in a time when the once tolerated are now doing the toleration. More and more athletes are coming out to their coaches and teammates and every person that is doing that is paving the way for future generations to live a life of happiness and without fear and discrimination. Athletes who come out of the closet are breaking grounds to set a new foundation for acceptance and understanding that no matter what sexual orientation you claim you are still a human being. There needs to be more role models for children, so they do not have to feel scared and potentially hurt themselves mentally and even physically.

The change we need for an accepting world begins with you, with every athlete, to either come out and be proud of who you are or to support those who are lesbian, gay, transgender, or bisexual. I promise you it will be worth it.

Need some help...here is an article you may find useful.

Alejandra Fregoso

Kin 338I Sect. 6