US Soccer Player Robbie Rogers Opens Up About Being Gay. Gets Twitter Support.

The emotional pain described here is visceral. Yet it’s all too
common a heartbreak for athletes and many others. When the news came in about Robbie Rogers, people held their breath, wondering if he would continue to play. 
  
David Testo, a former professional soccer player, announced he was gay in 2011 shortly after his playing career ended. And as he paged through his messages from friends and family members, he quickly learned the news that stunned much of the global soccer community: Robbie Rogers, a former midfielder for the United States national team who most recently played in England, had revealed in a blog post that he was gay, too. 

Testo’s first thought, he said, was pride. But then he wondered if Rogers, who is 25, would do what Testo, and many others, chose not to: become one of the rare openly gay male athletes to actively participate in a high-profile professional team sport. 

“Deep down, that’s what I was hoping for,”Testo said. “It’s what we’re
all waiting for.” 

If Rogers returns to the game, he almost surely would have “a target on his back,”Testo said, noting that soccer — like society at large, he added — has made progress, but is far from universal acceptance of homosexuality. Buzinksi agreed and said it was “absolutely depressing” that someone might feel pushed away from a sport he loves. 

“It just shows that sports is the final closet in society,” Buzinksi said. “We’ve made huge strides in terms of support of gay athletes, and homophobia is no longer cool in sports. But the closet is very much in existence.” 

[Full Article at The New York Times]


 But here’s the uplifting part of the story. Some of Rogers’s teammates rallied behind him on Friday via Twitter.

 Stuart Holden✔@stuholden Much love and respect to my boy @robbierogers ! Proud to be your friend bro

  Oguchi  Onyewu✔@OguchiOnyewu5 Extremely proud of the courage from @robbierogers . Truth is not always easy to display, but truly strong people always find a way #RESPECT

  Sacha Kljestan✔@SachaKljestan 100 percent love and support for one of my best friends Robbie Rogers. You will be missed on the pitch. Amazing talent, amazing person.

  Taylor Twellman✔@TaylorTwellman Fully support @robbierogers as he steps away from the game and comes out about being gay. #respect
 
Kasey  Keller✔@KaseyKeller18 The bravery of Robbie Rogers in commendable, I hope he realizes that he doesn't need to retire. He will be more supported than he knows.

  Brad Evans✔@brad_evans3 My dude @robbierogers much love and respect. Very proud to be your friend. Roomies/brothers for life.… http://instagr.am/p/VxBu0EM5FT/


 And one very hopeful message from former U.S. defender Eddie Pope: Brave men like you will make it so that one day there's no need for an announcement. That day can't arrive soon enough.

No, it can’t.