Derrick Gordon, NCAA Division 1 Basketball Player, Comes Out
Derrick Gordon, a star college basketball player for UMass, has come out as gay—making him what's believed to be the first openly gay player in the NCAA' s Division 1.
Outsports interviewed Gordon, who only came out to his coach and teammates last week:
As he shared with them his story of isolation, there wasn’t a dry eye in the room. While it had been easy for some of the young men to tease someone they thought was gay – and someone who denied it – the impact of their actions hit home when Gordon revealed the speculation was true, and that the teasing nearly drove him from the team.
Trying to keep his sexuality secret consumed Gordon, especially when a fan would recognize him at a gay bar, or a suggestive photo would pop up on Instagram. "I know what it's like to cry yourself to sleep. To have a girlfriend... just to impress your friends," says Gordon. "I know what that's like. Nobody should have to live like that—that's a fake way of living and I'm not a fake person."
Watch the full interview below.