ABSTRACT
Because, in most sports, being gay still carries a stigma – a negative imputation attaching to a person’s reputation (from the Greek stigmatos, for a mark made by a pointed instrument). As Esera Tuaolo declared in his first post-coming out press conference: “If I would’ve come out in my early career in the NFL, I don’t think I would have had the opportunity to play for nine years. I think my career would have been cut short. And also, I think it would’ve been dangerous for me” (quoted in Steele, 2002).
