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October 16, 2003
Gay athletes keep sexuality secret for years
By Branden C
Peterson
 hether
it’s in the locker room or on the playing field, being an athlete and being
gay are two traits many athletes find tough to combine.
Athletes, students, administrators, gay
activists and scholars filled Coffman Union’s theater Wednesday night as
three openly gay athletes spoke about the homophobia they faced growing up,
and how it kept their secret locked up for so long.
Harvard University softball coach Jenny
Allard, former professional football player Esera Tuaolo and former
University of Florida softball player Andrea Zimbardi were the guest
speakers for the event, sponsored by the University’s Tucker Center for
Research on Girls and Women in Sport.
The three said they hid homosexual feelings
from coaches and teammates for years and that their lives changed once they
stepped forward with their sexuality.
Homophobia in sports causes some
student-athletes to keep their sexuality a secret, they said. Their teams’
discomfort with homosexuality and lack of respect for gays made them remain
secretive.
Tuaolo, a former player for the Green Bay
Packers and Minnesota Vikings, said the harassment he received for being
gay grew every year as he played in high school, college and professionally.
It was not until 2002, after a nine-year
professional career, that he publicly expressed his sexuality.
Many student-athletes said society is
becoming more accepting of gay athletes, but being gay is a more difficult
challenge for men than women.
Society will accept couples of two women much
easier than male couples, Concordia University (St. Paul) football player
Wesley Hill said. Hill, a junior wide receiver and defensive back, said
comments players and coaches make in the locker room or the weight room
make it tough for players to express their sexuality.
“In football, or sports in general, it’s
about being macho,” Hill said. “It’d be hard to be the first to come out.”
Mary Jo Kane, the Tucker Center’s director,
moderated the event, and said homophobia is one of the barriers
discouraging gays and lesbians from participating in sports.
Kane said although homosexuality is still
taboo in sports, she hopes discussions can provide a safe space where
student athletes, coaches and others can be open and honest on the delicate
topic.
Melissa Roche, a senior rowing team member,
said it would not be a big issue if one of her teammates came forward as a
lesbian. She agreed that female athletes can step forward on their teams
much more easily than males can on men’s teams.
Girls are more accepting of homosexuality,
she said.
University men’s gymnastics coach Fred
Roethlisberger said that during his 33 years of coaching, he has coached
approximately five gymnasts who, for the first time, have told others they
were gay. This never caused problems to his teams, he said.
“Their sexuality didn’t really affect anyone
else,” Roethlisberger said. Sexual orientation is a personal issue that
rarely surfaces, he said.
Although she is confident there are probably
girls on her team who have homosexual feelings, University rowing coach
Wendy Davis said it is much easier to come out now than years ago.
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