Kentucky high school basketball player Dalton Maldonado already wasn’t having the greatest day — his Betsy Layne High School team had just suffered a harsh defeat during a tournament. But he never could have anticipated the string of events that would come next.
As the players lined up to shake hands, he heard someone on the opposing team clearly say to him “Hey No. 3, I hear you’re a faggot.”
This kind of slur isn’t anything unusual among teenagers, but Dalton was already struggling with his sexuality. He’d told a few of his teammates he was gay, and just that week he’d come out to his parents. The comment pierced him, and he noticed many pairs of eyes fixed on him waiting for a response.
“Yeah baby, can I have your number?” he sharply shot back. “Put up a strong front,” he told himself. “Don’t let them know they hurt you.”
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Once he was back in the locker room, though, his strong exterior gave way to the well of emotion. He broke down crying, and after his teammates tried to console him, told them, “I’m gay, I’m gay, okay?”
He hadn’t intended to come out this way, but the genie was out of the bottle. And while his team stepped up to offer support, an entirely different situation awaited him outside.
As Dalton’s team boarded the bus, the opposing team shouted “faggot,” egging him to come out and face them. Several players even followed the bus as it made its way back to the hotel — something his coach and tournament officials didn’t take lightly.
The team’s floor on their hotel was put on lockdown, but Dalton chose to finish out the tournament.
“If we would’ve went home it would’ve looked like I was ashamed of who I am, and I’m not ashamed of who I am. I can stand up for myself, and I had my teammates and coaches by my side. I knew we would be okay. God wouldn’t let anything happen to us. We had come three hours to a tournament and we were finally playing as a team and coming together,” he told Outsports.
They finished the tournament with police escorts, and Dalton felt it was important to share his story to help others in the same position.
“I feel like this can help other young athletes, help them come out. My freshman year I didn’t think I would ever come out. Now here I am telling the world.”
AtticusBennett
good for him. and shame on the worthless parents of the bigoted kids who harassed him.
Aaron Prince
Molly Sue Prince and Christina Lynn Prince read this
Paul Tidd
I knew that we had the power to summon demons! *reads article* That was a deceptive title.
Darrin Willoughby
Such a shame but I’m proud of him and his teammates. ð??
Cam
So the main point of this story is, one kid was gay, and had to have police protections because dozens of other kids wanted to attack and brutalize him for that one reason.
Giancarlo85
@Cam: Yeah that’s exactly it. Sometimes we want to think we’re making progress in society, but with a story like this I think otherwise. But yea, this was Kentucky… so it doesn’t really surprise me.
AtticusBennett
meanwhile, bigots keep saying that the absence of Christianity is why there are so many guys in big coastal cities. you see, there are fewer christians there, so there are more gays. Klingenschmitt said this.
hilarious eh? it’s that fewer bibles meant that more people “were recruited to be gay”, as he insists, but that all the gays fled from bible-thumping backwaters for the enlightened coastal cities. #DUH
Giancarlo85
@AtticusBennett: That’s odd. I even see ACCEPTING Christian churches in cities like West Hollywood. Of course those bigots will say those aren’t real Christian churches. LOL.
Christina Lynn Prince
God people are so mean
Christina Lynn Prince
Good job for his teammates
AtticusBennett
@Giancarlo85: yeah. i’m writing a piece write now about the church i was raised in (united church of canada)
i came out to my congregation as a teenager. it only made them love me more, and support the rest of our community more.
had a gay minister, too, in a still 98% straight congregation. many church members have joined my family and i marching in pride every year, too!
and yet, when i mention this, even self-hating homosexual christians (matt moore, grady smith, etc) say “well, that’s not real, that’s not the real gospel”
RIIIIGHT. my church is flawed, yet YOURS means your shitty anti-gay family won’t understand love and accept you. Got it.
Masc Pride
I love how his melodramatic story comes with model shots! It’s almost like he’s been waiting for something just like this to happen.
MarionPaige
A gay victim story is which the gay lived. Where’s the Drama? It’ll never sell
Kelly Townsend
It sucks that at such a vulnerable time like sharing your inner self, people can be such fucktards. But I am glad he came out, and hope many more athletes have the courage that this young man obviously has.
AtticusBennett
@Masc Pride: awwwww how’ve ya been closet case? did you tell your dad how masc you are? did it makes him slightly less ashamed of you than usual? no? didn’t think so 😀
Giancarlo85
@AtticusBennett: I was gonna comment on his username but I’m not lol. I’m just wonder how much contempt he has for fem guys.
AtticusBennett
@Giancarlo85: tonnes. and he’s 100% closeted – a stereotypical internet troll with no balls and, no doubt, a family at home who wishes they didn’t have to call him Son.
they’re all the same. “i’m so masc!” show us and prove it? “no! i’m too cowardly!”
guys like him always comment anonymously – they’re such complete wimps.
Mathieu Brian Mieling
Awwww
Evji108
@Masc Pride:
Model Shots? One is a standard sports press release photo and the other is him sitting on some steps, likely from facebook. Your unsympathetic snarky comment shows what a sad self-hating troll you are. Anybody that has to call themselves “masc pride” is hiding a scared little girl inside. You’d crumple like a prom dress in the rain in the same situation as Dalton Maldonado just went through.
Giancarlo85
@AtticusBennett: Has he posted on here before?
DistingueTraces
POLICE FUCKING ESCORTS
Jesus
Xzamilio
@Paul Tidd: Save the humor for open mic night down at the local swimmin’ hole, Jethro.
Giancarlo85
@Evji108: Yeah, that’s what I’m feeling. Snarky and sad. Dalton had to go through a lot… and when I see people putting down other gay people I just roll my eyes. Masc pride is probably deeply in the closet.
Xzamilio
Not shocked in the least. When you have a civilization and a culture that takes pride in their aggressive ignorance, things like “diversity”, “change”, and “progress” are like saying “Nazis and Communism.”
@Masc Pride: No, you don’t get to put that on him, dude. You don’t wait for someone to assault you unless you’re masochistic, and such isn’t the case here. I wish more of us could have had the same kind of courage he had at that age… because I sure as hell didn’t. And you sure as hell don’t.
Masc Pride
@AtticusBennett: Hey Crazy! I see you’ve opted against your Prozac today.
@Giancarlo85: Yet you still felt the need to comment on the comment you were not planning to make. Interesting. Where exactly did I say anything about contempt for fem gays? Judgmental much?
Giancarlo85
@Masc Pride: I was holding back and still am.
Why are you displaying “masc pride”? What is the point of that?
ingyaom
If anyone had tried that $h!+ @ my high school, they would have been suspended or maybe even expelled. Isn’t there any adult supervision there? Did the visiting team’s coach contact the principal?
Cam
@Masc Pride:
Anybody notice that he couldn’t defend his comment so he just rattled off a few tired insults?
As for you being proud of being masculine………sure you are sweety.
chstennis54
@Masc Pride: Shut it down, asshole.
Molly Sue Prince
People are so mean
Merv
@AtticusBennett:
“shame on the worthless parents of the bigoted kids who harassed him.”
I blame the kids themselves. They have enough information these days to make the right decision. Besides, we don’t even know the parents are bigots or even negligent. Sometimes kids turn out bad even when parents make every effort to raise them right.
Realitycheck
I hope Dalton and his coach press criminal assault charges against the other team.
AtticusBennett
@Cam: best part: he can’t even prove his own self-proclaimed “masc”-ness.
maybe one day he’ll show us all who he is, in all his “masc” glory? unlikely. it’s a lie. like his life.
Jeff Bynum
Brave man, you have just escalated yourself to, I’m not gonna take it, hope more guys get your message you are validation that our struggle was worth it, live your life to the fullest never let anybody tell you you have no worth, you are much stronger and braver than they will ever be
Masc Pride
@Giancarlo85: Because there’s no reason not to. Get over your control issues.
@Cam: Like you? I already know you’re an expert in self-loathing.
@chstennis54: Make me, f@g.
Captain Obvious
I hope the people who keep proclaiming that it’s so much easier to come out now and that kids don’t have any homophobia will read this and wake up.
In some areas it’s easier than others. There are still plenty of people who need support and don’t have it quite as easy.
The fact that someone from an opposing team at a different school “heard” that he was gay makes it pretty clear that someone from his school was spreading it for a negative reaction and bullying.
Homophobia is not even close to over. Hell I even got called f@g in Los Angeles by some random guy in a sports car driving down Santa Monica. It’s everywhere and hiding in gay ghettos proclaiming everything has changed doesn’t solve anything.
NoCagada
@Masc Pride: Why are you so angry, Miss Sugar Puff?
grrrrandy
@ Masc Pride
Nice, trash a kid who just had the courage to come-out in a hostile sports environment.
Seriously, who the fuck trolls a gay internet news site?
Get your life in order, you goddamn weirdo.
Mark Reimer
Atta Boi! (y)
polarisfashion
I’m glad his team supported him. This story could have a turn for the worse, much worse.
Tyson Bandy
ð??¢ð???
Cole Steele
He can come to me… I’ll take care of him. Big meanies hatin’ on boo boo.
Masc Pride
@NoCagada: Not angry at all. Had a great day, how about you?
@grrrrandy: You call running back to a locker room to cry courage? You gotta admit the kid is a bit dramatic:
“I’m gay, I’m gay, okay?”
*end scene*
jwtraveler
@Cam: @Giancarlo85: No, I think the moral of the story is that he had the support of his team and coaches. Time after time we see that when people have family members, friends, co-workers, classmates, etc., who are gay and out, they are more accepting and less homophobic. The best way to end homophobia is to COME OUT.
Giancarlo85
@Masc Pride: I was controlling you? Where lol? Masc pride is not necessary.
David Andrew Roubideaux
He totally has my support!
Kevan1
Wow what courage, and how cute is he? How great his Couch and teammates are.
Kevan1
Cam, DistingueTraces, AtticusBennett, MarionPaige
It would appear you are self loathing gays yourself. Remember there is an old saying about those who wine the loudest “The squeaky wheel needs oiling.” You people are the reason for that comment. I hope you can work out your own true feelings. I really feel for those like you. No one cares for your sad backward thoughts. Grow up be more God like. Love your fellow man. Grow up before it is your soul that is in real trouble and leave those who care about there fellow man alone. Sadly some of us have more patients and hope for people who are lost in hate as you guys appear too be. Just saying, grow up and be real men.
Chris
The silver lining here is that, even though he felt forced to come out by circumstances and that sort of force is victimizing, his coach and team rallied around him. Not too long ago, that would not have happened.
The fact that the police provided protection is itself noteworthy. Once upon a time, he would have been seen as bringing it down on himself.
Where others see bigotry (which I also see), I also see progress — and in a state like Kentucky.
I wish this young man a lot of happiness in his life.
Johnathan-Perry O'Brien
Be proud of who you are
dwbyers1960
@Christina Lynn Prince: You don’t know God.
Giancarlo85
@Kevan1: Nobody needs your religion. And I think they are doing fine. I don’t see where they are self loathing. Especially cam and atticus. They know who they are.
Saint Law
@Giancarlo85: It aint masculine and don’t have any pride. But apart from that the user name is perfect.
Saint Law
@Masc Pride: “Not angry at all. Had a great day.”
Not even ‘you’ believe that.
musctop
@Masc Pride: Yeah. Tell your story taking your pants down, princess.
Cam
@Kevan1: said……”Cam, DistingueTraces, AtticusBennett, MarionPaige
It would appear you are self loathing gays yourself. Remember there is an old saying about those who wine the loudest “The squeaky wheel needs oiling.” You people are the reason for that comment.”
_____________________
LOL!! I love it when trolls not only try to come on here and attack LGBT’s for speaking up, but when they also show how stupid they are.
The saying is, “The squeaky Wheel GETS the grease”. In other words, it is a saying telling people that if you do not speak up, complain, point out hypocrisy, whatever, that nothing will get done.
Maybe if you right wingers stopped cutting funds to education and attacking a college degree as evil you wouldn’t expose your own stupidity so easily.
Shelli Pitman Phelps
I hope the parents and the kids involved get judged as harshly as the boy trying to live his life honestly.
Giancarlo85
@Saint Law: LOL… when I see the name musctop I see this:
http://www.troll.me/images/really-fat-guy-on-computer/pszemek-troll-level-99.jpg
AtticusBennett
@Kevan1: awww, nice words from a cowardly internet troll. grow a pair, wimp 😀
Dan Cencak
Betsy Lane H.S.? really? I know what you’re all thinking ’cause I am. 😉
Masc Pride
@Giancarlo85: Trying to dictate what my screen name should be is a control issue. You will just have to get over it.
@Saint Law: “It aint masculine and don’t have any pride.” Is that Ebonics? At least “it” can speak proper English.
@musctop: You first, buddy!
Masc Pride
I love how AtticusCrazy and Cam form the same “self-loathing troll” counterargument for just about everything. I’ve seen spambots leave less repetitive comments!
adex2491
Stories like this are exactly why I work so hard to make a change in how homosexuality is depicted in the media. It’s why I wrote my book and show. I can only pray that I’m actually helping someone… As long as that happens, I’ve done my job.
I hope my book, GRIP, can help someone.
http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00QPIPJWU
Giancarlo85
@Masc Pride: No control issue lol. Get over what? I’m just posting what you really are lol.
Leonard Woodrow
It is sad to see such ignorance still surviving, especially in young people. These louts are shaming the name of sport.
DistingueTraces
@Kevan1: What?
Cam
@Masc Pride: said… “I love how AtticusCrazy and Cam form the same “self-loathing troll” counterargument for just about everything. I’ve seen spambots leave less repetitive comments!”
_________________
Trust me, if any of you ever came in here with a different argument I’m sure there would be plenty to say that’s different.
Until that happens……..
TSizzle
@AtticusBennett: What makes you think their parents are the problem. Those kids could have learned that from other friends. What is it with you and always going after the parents. Do you have parent issues?
TSizzle
@Masc Pride: Is it possible that those are his senior portraits. #DUH
Holly Koskinen
This is old news
Yeezhah Vìlzhìi
More power to you!
Dave Basora
The follow up to this I read said there was no evidence of the players following the bus. Have there been any further updates?
Brendan Francis
He is really hot jail bait
Maggie Brown
Looks like Jake Bass.
Sluggo2007
For God’s sake, it’s fucking Kentucky!!!!! What do you expect?