President Joe Biden has posted a message to tell newly-out athletes Carl Nassib and Kumi Yokoyama how proud he is of them.
“To Carl Nassib and Kumi Yokoyama – two prominent, inspiring athletes who came out this week: I’m so proud of your courage. Because of you, countless kids around the world are seeing themselves in a new light today.”
To Carl Nassib and Kumi Yokoyama – two prominent, inspiring athletes who came out this week: I’m so proud of your courage. Because of you, countless kids around the world are seeing themselves in a new light today.
— President Biden (@POTUS) June 23, 2021
Biden’s message has had over 53k likes at the time of writing and prompted many grateful messages.
I don’t think people are appreciating how amazing it is that the PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES is congratulating LGBT+ people on coming out. This would be unheard of twenty years ago, or hell, last year during the Trump administration. Keep being awesome, @POTUS
— Kerbal Engineering Systems (@KerbalSystems) June 23, 2021
Related: Carl Nassib: What you need to know about the first active NFL player to come out as gay
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Las Vegas Raiders football player Carl Nassib, 28, came out as gay Monday via a video he posted to his Instagram account. It made him the first active NFL player to come out.
Soccer player Kumi Yokoyama, 27 said they are trans in a video talk on former teammate Yuki Nagasato’s YouTube channel. Yokoyama is Japanese and plays defense for the Washington Spirit, a team in the US National Women’s Soccer League.
View this post on Instagram
Yokoyama said they felt more able to be who they are once they began playing in the US (Japan does not legally recognize trans people).
“I’m coming out now,” Yokoyama said. “In the future, I want to quit soccer and live as a man.”
Washington Spirit tweeted its support and said Yokoyama uses they/them pronouns.
Kumi uses they/them pronouns…and don’t forget it!
— Washington Spirit (@WashSpirit) June 19, 2021
Related: International soccer star Kumi Yokoyuma comes out as transgender
Yokoyama responded to Biden’s tweet with a simple, “Thank you so much.”
Thank you so much 😭😭😭 https://t.co/Sx088EURck
— Kumi Yokoyama/横山 久美 (@yoko10_official) June 23, 2021
Meanwhile, Michael Sam, who was drafted to the NFL in 2014 after coming out as gay but was never rostered, has also commented on Nassib’s coming out. He highlighted Nassib’s $100,000 donation to the Trevor Project.
View this post on Instagram
In a Twitter post yesterday, Sam said, “Carl Nassib thank you for owning your truth and especially your donation to the @TrevorProject. LBGTQ people are more likely to commit suicide than heterosexuals. I hope and pray people will take note to this. Thank you again Carl and look forward to seeing you play on the field.”
Carl Nassib thank you for owning your truth and especially your donation to the @TrevorProject. LBGTQ people are more likely to commit suicide than heterosexuals. I hope and pray people will take note to this. Thank you again Carl and look forward to seeing you play on the field.
— Michael Sam (@MichaelSam52) June 22, 2021
As the first active NFL player to come out, Nassib’s announcement prompted a wave of reaction around the world. This included many supportive messages from other athletes players, politicians and celebrities.
It was also the subject of discussion on The View yesterday. However, one co-host had to quickly apologize after realizing her attempt at humor was misjudged.
Joy Behar cracked a school yard-level crack about football and Nassib’s coming out.
“After they said ‘penetration in the end zone’ they lose me,” Behar said.
The joke landed with a thud. Ana Navarro placed her fingers in her ears while Megan McCain looked leaden-faced.
Attempting to claw back the damage, Behar later said, “I just long for the day when you can just be gay in the world, and it doesn’t become a big deal. By the way, that inappropriate joke I made for daytime television? Scratch it. Make believe I never said it.”
Joy Behar tries to walk it back at the end of the segment.
By the way, that inappropriate joke I made for daytime television, scratch it. Make believe I never said it.” pic.twitter.com/z4klo7CXBc
— Justin Baragona (@justinbaragona) June 22, 2021
JB
“Make believe I never said it”??? Seriously??? How about a sincere apology instead, Joy Behar? Jokes like this, and much much worse, are why people are afraid to come out. As the good liberal you claim to be, instead of joking about Carl and this watershed moment in gay and sports history, you should be celebrating it!
Cam
Nice to have a President that acknowledges us and celebrates us instead of announcing he’s going to appoint judges to take away our rights and kicking us out of the military.
WSnyder
It is great to see POTUS acknowledge both of these powerful coming out events.
We all know the prior POTUS would never have done so since he was also pushing an anti-Trans agenda for the military. [Even now, numerous GOP controlled State legislations are enacting anti-Trans laws in HS and Collegiate sports in their states].
PS – It’s awesome that Carl’s jersey is now one of the most sought-after in the country.