The 28-year-old defensive end said in an Instagram video, "representation and visibility are so important. I actually hope that one day, videos like this and the whole coming out process are just not necessary."
Carl Nassib, who plays defensive end for the Las Vegas Raiders, became the first active NFL player to come out as gay after making the announcement on social media Monday – just in time for Pride Month.
“I just wanted to take a quick moment to say that I’m gay,” the 28-year-old professional athlete said in an Instagram video. “I've been meaning to do this for a while now, but I finally feel comfortable enough to get it off my chest. I really have the best life, I've got the best family, friends and job a guy could ask for.”
He made the announcement despite being a “pretty private person” because “representation and visibility are so important,” the defensive lineman explained, adding, “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.”
Which is why Nassib followed up his coming out by announcing that he has donated $100,000 to the Trevor Project, a nonprofit group whose mission is to prevent suicides among LGBTQ youth.
“The Trevor Project is grateful to Carl Nassib for living his truth and supporting LGBTQ youth,” The Trevor Project’s director, Amit Paley, said in a statement responding to Nassib’s announcement. “Coming out is an intensely personal decision, and it can be an incredibly scary and difficult one to make. We hope that Carl’s historic representation in the NFL will inspire young LGBTQ athletes across the country to live their truth and pursue their dreams.”
More than 1.8 million LGBTQ youth in America between the ages of 13 to 24 – or 42% of all LGBTQ youth in America – seriously consider suicide every year, and at least one attempts suicide every 45 seconds, according to the Trevor Project. At least half of those who do consider suicide are transgender or nonbinary, the nonprofit said.
Many in the NFL commended Nassib’s decision to come out. NFL commissioner Roger Goodell said the league "is proud of Carl for courageously sharing his truth today” and that “representation matters."
Raiders owner Mark Davis told ESPN, “It's 2021. All the more power to Carl.”
