As our society has become more accepting of homosexuality in nearly every aspect of life, there has been one part of society that is still resistant to accepting a gay or lesbian within its confined circles, sports.
Although players have come out in the past, there has yet to be an athlete who has reveled his or her homosexuality while competing in sports. For newly acquired Fire player, Robbie Rogers, he choose to admit to being gay on his personal blog and take a step away from the game he loved so much.
"For the past 25 year I have been afraid, afraid to show whom I really was because of fear," Rogers wrote. "Fear that judgment and rejection would hold me back from my dreams and aspirations. Fear that my loved ones would be farthest from me if they knew my secret. Fear that my secret would get in the way of my dreams."
Rogers, 25, recently was acquired in a trade by the Fire from the Columbus Crew. Rogers played five seasons in MLS and made 18 appearances with the U.S. Men's National Team. On his blog, he wrote that it was a hard decision to come out to his family and peers after being taught homosexuality was wrong.
"I always thought I could hide this secret," Rogers wrote. "Football was my escape, my purpose, my identity. Football hid my secret, gave me more joy than I could have ever imagined… I will always be thankful for my career. I will remember Beijing, The MLS Cup, and most of all my teammates. I will never forget the friends I have made a long the way and the friends that supported me once they knew my secret."
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