Carl Nassib Becomes 1st Active Openly Gay NFL Player
June 21, 2021 (New York, NY) — Athlete Ally responded today to news that Carl Nassib of the Las Vegas Raiders has announced that he is gay, making him the first ever active NFL player to come out as gay. In his announcement on Instagram, Nassib also pledged a $100,000 donation to The Trevor Project.
“I just think that representation and visibility are so important,” Nassib said in his video post. “I actually hope that one day, videos like this and the whole coming-out process are just not necessary. But until then, I’m going to do my best and do my part to cultivate a culture that’s accepting, that’s compassionate and I’m going to start by donating $100,000 to the Trevor Project.”
“Carl Nassib has made history today as the first active openly gay NFL player,” said Hudson Taylor, Founder and Executive Director of Athlete Ally. “It is never easy to be the first, but thanks to Carl’s courage, he certainly won’t be the last. Because of him and others who have paved the way like Michael Sam, Ryan Russell, Robbie Rogers, Jason Collins, Layshia Clarendon, Billie Jean King and Chris Mosier, LGBTQI+ athletes and fans know that there is a place for them in sports, and that they should never have to choose between being their authentic self and playing the sport they love.”
Press inquiries: press@athleteally.org