If you hear a rumbling sound, and a lot of choking and gasps, that’s the reaction of right-wingnuttia digesting the information shared this afternoon by Las Vegas Raiders defensive end Carl Nassib that he’s gay. Nassib is also donating $100,000 to the Trevor Project, which helps suicidal LGBTQ teens. Shortly after Nassib made his announcement, the NFL made theirs.
.@Raiders DE Carl Nassib announced today that he’s gay. He also shared he's donating $100,000 to the @TrevorProject, a suicide prevention organization for LGBTQ youth.
The NFL family is proud of you, Carl. ❤️ pic.twitter.com/HXbcBuLg2X
— NFL (@NFL) June 21, 2021
Reaction to Nassib’s announcement was immediate throughout the NFL and sports world overall.
In a statement, NFL commissioner Roger Goodell said the league “is proud of Carl for courageously sharing his truth today.”
“Representation matters,” Goodell said. “We share his hope that someday soon statements like his will no longer be newsworthy as we march toward full equality for the LGBTQ+ community. We wish Carl the best of luck this coming season.”
NFLPA executive director DeMaurice Smith added: “Our union supports Carl and his work with the Trevor Project is proof that he — like our membership — is about making his community and this world a better place not for themselves, but for others.”
After Nassib’s announcement, Raiders owner Mark Davis told ESPN, “It’s 2021. All the more power to Carl. It doesn’t change my opinion of him as a person or as a Raider.” Coach Jon Gruden added via text message to ESPN: “I learned a long time ago what makes a man different is what makes him great.”
Mike Pence was already having a rotten day. He must be climbing the walls right about now, while Mother draws the blackout curtains and unplugs all the TVs and phones, so no more bad news can slip through.
The Pences are a perfect couple to mention in conjunction with this announcement, because they would seriously ask and expect Nassib and all the other gay people in the world to deny who they are and pretend to be somebody else in deference to some outmoded, medieval notion of both Christianity and morality.
It is Nassib who has done the Christian thing here. With his announcement he made being gay that much more acceptable and he made a very generous donation to a group that helps troubled LGBTQ teens. That is called talking the talk and walking the walk.
The times they are a changin.’
