Minor league baseball player Kieran Lovegrove has just come out as bisexual and he’s encouraging other closeted players to reach out to him if they need support.
In an interview with ESPN, the 27-year-old pitcher said he hopes to shine a light on the difficulty of being in the closet in professional baseball.
“Baseball is a game of statistics,” Lovegrove said. “And if you want to tell me that I’m the only queer person in baseball, I’m just not going to agree with you.”
Lovegrove, who just finished a season with the Rocket City Trash Pandas, is now one of only two publicly out LGBTQ players in professional baseball, following Salem-Keizer Volcanoes third baseman Bryan Ruby, who came out last month.
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He went on to say that, before coming out to the people closest to him in 2019, he suffered from depression, anxiety, and alcoholism, and that felt the need to keep his bisexuality a secret from his teammates.
But not anymore.
Lovegrove, who has been with his girlfriend, Celia, since 2018, says he hopes that by sharing his story, it helps other closeted players to find the courage they need to share theirs as well.
“Someone is terrified because it’s a terrifying prospect to come out,” he says. “I do encourage any one of them to reach out to me.”
Scroll down for pics from Lovegrove’s Instagram page…
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Cam
Congrats to him!
Max
he’s got a cute smile.
Troyfight
…a pitcher and a catcher….mmm heck yeah
Bengali
People who aren’t part of LGBTQABCDEFGHIJKLMN… community to not understand the internal struggle we face when coming to terms with our sexuality. To those who say, “Who cares?” and “Why do we have to hear about someone’s sexuality?” are simply clueless as to what it means to someone to truly embrace who they really are.
I applaud him for his courage.
FYI: Not mocking the LGBTQ communities many letters. Well, okay. I guess I am.
I get being inclusive but the lengthy “alphabet” we are supposed to embrace has gotten just too silly.
Donston
I don’t see what any of this comment has to do with the “article” or comments thus far.
I applaud this player for trying to be more honest/open. It must be a relief. But I do think folks need to be careful with presenting “coming out”/adhering to whatever identities as a cure-all. It can often work as a temporary bandage and can make it easier to be yourself. But it’s not something that just fixes everything.
There’s a decent percentage of out queers who are anti-gay, transphobic, femme-phobic, misogynistic, misandrist, who promote toxic masculinity, promote hetero superiority/homo inferiority, contend with internalized phobias, are cultural and sociological leeches, still indulge a lot of manipulation when it comes to their lifestyle, preferences, where they are in the gender, sexual, affection, romantic, emotion, commitment spectrum. People do need to learn that being “out” doesn’t suddenly make you honest, doesn’t suddenly make you a better person, doesn’t suddenly get rid of all your resentments or traumas or insecurities or addiction or mental health struggles. Being “out” is a step in the process. It’s not the entire process.
woodroad34
I’m a little confused….”bisexual” and yet only pictures of him with women (not sure if the dog is male or female), he has a girl friend–no boy friend; so it’s just sex? Sounds like he’s just horny and his Kinsey scale is more firmly in the heterosexual side.
Donston
He could have had a boyfriend at some point or had one or two side boyfriends while in his hetero relationship. While there are plenty of folks who publicly embrace a “bi” identity but never have anything beyond commitments to one particular sex. And, despite what identities someone presents, you never really know the dimensions of anyone’s sexuality, lifestyle, motivations, struggles, where they are in the gender, sexual, affection, romantic, emotion, commitment spectrum. He probably “came out” mostly for his own relief, which is what “coming out” should be about. You can’t really decide anyone else’s journey. It is kinda annoying how some folks only want to “come out” when they’re in hetero commitments, but it is what it is. As long as he doesn’t become one of those queers in a hetero commitment or who has hetero ambitions who is constantly hyping up their queerness, who constantly remind everyone that they’re not hetero, who is constantly looking for gay attention, who is constantly leeching off of queers, who covertly pushes hetero superiority then it’s all good.
bivector
Does anyone post pictures of all of their exes? Usually you’ve only got photos of the person you’re dating.
Donston
Bivictor, there is no confirmation that he’s ever had a legit boyfriend or is interested in one. You’re being almost as presumptuous and problematic as woodroad34. There are plenty of bi identifying folks who have only had commitments with one sex.
At the end of the day, “bi”, just like all the other identities, is something people choose to embrace or not embrace. It doesn’t even tell you all that much about the dimensions of people’s sexuality. And it definitely doesn’t tell you about their dating history, their relationship ambitions, or where they are in the overall gender and orientation spectrum.
SDR94103
nobody gives a crap.
bivector
I do
MISTERJETT
I DO
Prinny
Yay a heterosexual with a dick fetish
Dack52
cute guy, wish him well, high praises for broaching the unmentionable in professional sports…and as with most bi guys, he is with a girlfriend.
Essie
He is 27 years old and still in the MINOR leagues!! His coming out will go mostly unnoticed by the mainstream media. But, congrats to him anyway.
Caine
Saying you are bisexual is like saying you are versatile when you are a bottom.
PerhapsYesNoMaybe
Handsome. Good for him for being his authentic self.
frankcar1965
Bi is just one stop on the way to gay! He’ll be fully gay soon, don’t worry, they’re always like this.
russell_harris
I respect him for his bravery and his girlfriend for loving him enough to understand.
Saki
wonderful smile