Write your search in the input below and press enter.
Esc to close.

The Sports Doc Chalk Talk with Dr. Chris Stankovich

Peak Performance:
Not Just for Sports, for Life

  • Products
    • Toolkits
    • Audio
    • Videos
    • Books
    • Apps
  • Services
  • Chalk Talk
    • Recent
    • Athletes
    • Coaching
    • Sports Parenting
    • Sports Administrators
    • Life
    • Administrators
  • About Dr. Stankovich
  • Testimonials
  • Contact
  • Products
    • Toolkits
    • Audio
    • Books
    • Videos
    • Apps
  • Services
  • Chalk Talk
  • About Dr. Stankovich
  • Testimonials
  • Contact

Hello. Sign In

My Account
  • Login
  • Register
0
The Sports Doc Chalk Talk
Subscribe
The Sports Doc Chalk Talk with Dr. Chris Stankovich
  • Recent
  • Athletes
  • Coaching
  • Sports Parenting
  • Life
  • Administrators
Home / Blog / Kwame Harris’ Boyfriend Dispute May Open Door for Other Gay Athletes to Emerge

Kwame Harris’ Boyfriend Dispute May Open Door for Other Gay Athletes to Emerge

By: Dr. Chris Stankovich | @DrStankovich | Jan 31, 2013

No Comments

ap-rams-49ers-1_1_r200

Granted, it was an unfortunate relationship dispute that essentially “outed” former NFL player Kwame Harris to the world, but the story is arguably a watershed moment nonetheless.  Harris was reported to have assaulted his former boyfriend, unintentionally revealing to the world that Harris is gay. To many people (including me), learning Harris is gay is not a big deal — but when placed in the sports-world context it is quite a story indeed.  You see, to date very few male athletes have come out, and this number dwindles even more when talking about men currently playing and/or from the big 4 sports (football, baseball, basketball, and hockey).

Whatever the reason, women athletes have come out in a disproportionate number when compared to their male counterparts.  In fact, on the surface it would appear that there are not any gay male athletes when you try thinking of a gay football, basketball, baseball, or hockey player.  Obviously, this is not the case as there are many gay male athletes from these sports — even if you don’t know about them.

For years now I have met and worked with closeted gay male athletes, and I have long wondered when the day would come that gay men would feel comfortable coming out with respect to their sexuality.  Of course, no person is required to talk about their sexual preference, but similar to society at-large, I suspected it was only a matter of time before gay male athletes would decide to come out.  Granted, Harris didn’t officially “come out,” but the fact that the story is now bouncing around in cyberspace for the world to read about will likely prompt other gay male athletes to re-think their own situations and the pros and cons to revealing their own sexual preferences.

Some gay male athletes may open up and talk about their sexuality for their own self-liberation, while others will eventually disclose their sexual preference so that they may serve as positive role models for other young male athletes who struggle being gay while involved in a traditional, machismo American sports culture.  Personally, I hope this story about Harris does indeed help more gay male athletes open up, as I have witnessed firsthand some of the struggles gay men in sports have experienced having to constantly hide their sexuality from the world.  Living a super-secretive life, lying about girlfriends, and doing countless other things to hide their sexuality has caused enough anxiety, depression, substance abuse, and even suicidal thinking.  Whatever one’s sexual preference is, we should all be able to live our lives with happiness and acceptance.

While it’s unfortunate a relationship dispute is what made Kwame Harris’ sexuality a national story, it might also be the prompt other gay male athletes are looking for when considering their own decision about whether to make their sexuality public.  The hope is that as we become a more understanding and accepting society, we show those same values in the sports-world.

www.drstankovich.com 

 

 

athletes, gay, harris, homosexuality, kwame, psychology, sport, Stress

  • Author
  • Comments
  • Details
Get to Know the Author

Dr. Chris Stankovich

Dr. Stankovich has written/co-written five books, including Positive Transitions for Student Athletes, The ParentsPlaybook, Mind of Steel.

Latest Blog Posts

  • August 9, 2022 Oklahoma Little League Player Displays Class & Maturity for All Kids to Model
  • August 3, 2022 Developing Mental Toughness: Train Your Mind to be Stronger than Your Emotions
  • July 21, 2022 Coaches Don’t Need to Use Intimidation to Get Kids to Play their Best
  • July 14, 2022 Improving Youth Sports: Insights from a Former Pro Athlete
  • July 13, 2022 Watch for the Aha Moment When Teaching Skills to Kids

Comments are closed.

PREVIOUS POST

The NFL, Head Traumas, and Lacking Sport Psychology Services

NEXT POST

Super Bowl Ads Can Be Funny, But Do They Psychologically “Work?”

Category

Amateur , Athletes , Athletic Counseling , College , Leadership , Leadership and Role Modeling , Off Field Issues , Pro and College Sports , Sport Psychology , Sport Sociology , Sports Administrators , Sports Culture and Society , Sports Leadership , Sports Media , Sports Parenting , Sports Performance Science , Stress , Uncategorized

Tags

athletes, gay, harris, homosexuality, kwame, psychology, sport, Stress

  • Recent Posts
  • Most Read
  • Oklahoma Little League Player Displays Class & Maturity for All Kids to Model
  • Developing Mental Toughness: Train Your Mind to be Stronger than Your Emotions
  • Coaches Don't Need to Use Intimidation to Get Kids to Play their Best
  • Improving Youth Sports: Insights from a Former Pro Athlete
  • Watch for the Aha Moment When Teaching Skills to Kids
  • Show Kids How Much You Care Before You Teach Them What You Know
  • Kids Want to Play Sports, But Adults Can Sometimes Make this Difficult
  • Do Big College Athletic Programs Send Misleading Messages to Kids?
  • Developing Mental Toughness: Train Your Mind to be Stronger than Your Emotions
  • Oklahoma Little League Player Displays Class & Maturity for All Kids to Model
  • The Sports Doc on TV

    Catch Dr. Stankovich’s tv, radio, and print interviews and columns here!

    Dr. Chris Stankovich Watch Videos
  • Sport Performance Assessment

    Dr. Chris Stankovich Quickly and accurately test your level of mental toughness in just a few minutes using the Sport Performance Assessment.

    (SPA), an easy-to-use sport psychology system specially designed to help you REACH YOUR FULL ATHLETIC POTENTIAL.

    learn more
  • SportsSuccess360

    Life strategies for performance and character development for coaches, parents, and student athletes competing in youth and interscholastic sports.

    Life Strategies learn more
  • Contact Dr. Stankovich

    1395 Grandview Avenue Suite 6, Columbus OH 43212

    (614) 561-4482
    Media & General Inquiries
    information@drstankovich.com
    Sales & Product Support
    sales@drstankovich.com
  • About Dr. Stankovich

    • Media
    • Blog
    • Testimonials
  • Products

    • Toolkits
    • Videos
    • Books
    • Audio
    • iPhone Apps
  • Services

    • Athlete Performance Training
    • Parent Community Forum
    • Coach Education & Development
    • Athletic Crisis Response and Intervention
    • Drug & Alcohol Assessment
    • Life Success Programs
    • Counseling & Consulting Services
  • Blog
  • YouTube
  • twitter
  • facebook

All rights reserved © 2022 Advanced Human Performance Systems™

↓ ↓