Last week, soccer player Collin Martin made a big announcement on Twitter, just hours before his team hosted their Pride Night:
“I am announcing for the first time publicly that I am an openly gay player in Major League Soccer,” Martin wrote. “June is Pride month, and I am proud to be playing for Pride, and to be playing as an out gay man.”
Martin never ended up taking the field during that game (rude), but on Wednesday he made his athletic debut as an out and proud gay man.
While he was on the bench for most of the game, in the 79th minute he was sent out onto the field.
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And the crowd. Went. Wild.
Martin received a standing ovation, and the moment could be felt reverberating across the stadium.
Sports reporter Jeff Reuter tweeted: “A standing ovation as Collin Martin is announced. Goosebumps.”
A standing ovation as Collin Martin is announced. Goosebumps. #MINvTOR
— Jeff Rueter (@jeffrueter) July 5, 2018
After the game, he added: “After the final whistle, every #MNUFC player and coach drifted towards Martin for high-fives and hugs. Great to see the team supporting the midfielder.”
After the final whistle, every #MNUFC player and coach drifted towards Martin for high-fives and hugs. Great to see the team supporting the midfielder.
— Jeff Rueter (@jeffrueter) July 5, 2018
@LGBT.Soccer posted: “The crowd roars as @martcw12 takes the pitch for his first match as a publicly out gay man”.
The crowd roars as @martcw12 takes the pitch for his first match as a publicly out gay man
— LGBT.Soccer ????? (@LGBTSoccer) July 5, 2018
And new anchor Kevin Jesus posted a big rainbow heart, captioning it: “HUGE! A standing ovation for @martcw12 who enters tonight’s @MNUFC vs @torontofc game… first time he’s stepped on the field since coming out last week. No doubt the #LGBTQ community and allies are all supporting him. So awesome.”
HUGE! A standing ovation for @martcw12 who enters tonight's @MNUFC vs @torontofc game… first time he's stepped on the field since coming out last week. No doubt the #LGBTQ community and allies are all supporting him. So awesome. @MLS pic.twitter.com/9bIPzdqW7y
— Kevin Jesus (@GlobalJesus) July 5, 2018
Congrats, Collin!
badpappy
Good for you, Collin! You deserve the applause!
Alex
I get such a knot in my stomach over stories like this. Like, I’m so happy for him and so glad that his team and the crowd are so supportive. But it reminds me how bizarre it is that simply loving people of the same gender is something that requires great courage to admit and announce, because so much of the world still thinks it’s something that should be kept quiet at best and actively persecuted at worse. I mean, I’ve been alive long enough to know how it is (and to deal with homophobia directly myself as a gay-married person) but sometimes I just still have moments of feeling that it’s super bizarre that it’s even an issue. Of all the things worth getting angry about in the world, WHY is being gay such a big deal to people? It’s surreal. So, congrats to Collin, but the fact that this is a big deal shows we still have a long way to go.
jtinva
Alex, YES YES YES!
I 100% agree with you on this. I felt so perplexed that a stadium would need to make such a big deal about this news. Unfortunately it IS a big deal, because homophobia is so rampant in professional sports, which is very sad.
Kieran
I understand your point, and we do have a long way to go, but moments like this are the only way to get there. Breaking down stereotypes about gays, breaking down taboos and prejudice…..who better to do that than a courageous professional athlete who happens to be gay?
christianroth
This was a BIG deal as it was a first – frankly, I think the crowd were responding to his bravery – to be honest and open, even though it could end your career takes balls – in any profession, and not necessarily just in relation to coming out. And yes @Alex it proves there is a long way to go till even the expression itself ‘coming out’ or being ‘outed’ are defunct
rbernard
I completely agree with you. When you think about all the substantial problems in the world, why should people get so bent out of shape over two people who simply love each other? My husband and I will have been together for 40 years this September and have encountered blowback mostly when we were living in the south, where religion is ubiquitous in the culture. I watch a lot of coming out YouTubes and consistently, the kids that have the roughest times coming out of the closet, are the ones that were raised in religious families. Kids raised in non-religious families, more often than not, have a much easier time. You have to be taught to hate gay people, it is not inherent. Religion demonizes gay folks and it stems from misreading of texts in the bible to justify a preacher’s or priest’s own personal prejudices.
Coxhere
Alex, here I am agreeing with another one of your posts!
“. . . .WHY is being gay such a big deal to people?” I think that it’s, in part, because every last one of us have the potential to think, feel, and behave in “Gay Ways.” Add to this truth that many, MANY human brains seem to be wired such that there are untold numbers of black-and-white-literalists. And for these hard wired types, there can be no in-between, no grays of any shade situations. Thus, when reality that includes so many shades of gray come, unsolicitedly, into hard wired brains, all hell breaks loose! If hard wired’s say that they are 100% hetro (and they’re not) but have a situational, “gray-area,” (Gay thought or feeling [or even action! Gawd help them!]) persecution, oppression, judgement, blaming, physical harming that can include even murder will torrentially ensue.
artoir
You go boy! It really has to take some guts to do this from a professional/celebrity standpoint. I can’t say KUDOS loud enough! It just warms my innards!
Heywood Jablowme
So… what was the score of the game? I’m guessing 0-0 as usual? Soccer is sexy but it doesn’t make much sense.
dwes09
Think of it as Basketball where the teams are shorter, more racially diverse and scoring is practically impossible. A team scoring more than a few goals in a game is indeed rare. As rare as a basketball game where both teams score less than 75 points each. Or like Ice Hockey where there is more skin showing and less violence.
If you are looking for a sport that makes no sense, try curling or cricket.
Brexit
Actually it was 4-3 to Minnesota. Now if you want me to explain what that means…. Sorry! Football (it’s never soccer except to you Yanks or should I say North Americans) is sexy, makes sense and can be exciting and, yes, sometimes lacking goals can seem boring. To dwes09, cricket makes perfect sense but the long form game (4 or 5 days) can be tedious except to the purists. The T-20 format lasts about as long as a baseball match and is a lot more exciting.
ingyaom
A proud moment in gay sports history!
PLAYS WELL WITH OTHERS
WOW! a freaking glimmer of hope!! You go Colin! And to the inevitable hating trolls bound to crawl out from under their putrid rocks and spew hatred: FU!!
jestgr
Are there no videos of the event? I would have liked to see this.
silveroracle
Yep, that would’ve been worth seeing.
Congratulations!
Kieran
@jestgr If queerty hade a “like” feature I’d give your comment a thumb’s up.