Conner Mertens came out to his college football team. Now he comes out publicly.
A place kicker at Willamette University in Oregon, Mertens came out as bisexual to his team. He now comes out publicly in hopes of inspiring other LGBT athletes to come out and be true to themselves...
"I had a smile on my face all the time as a kid, but I was dying on the inside. In my hometown, you have to fit in or you'll be exiled. If somebody had come out that I looked up to in the town, I would have been a lot happier...
"You are not alone. You do not need to come out but you do need to know that you do not have to go at this by yourself. The aloneness you're feeling is temporary and it will get better. This place is changing...changing for the better. I made the decision that if I could prevent one person from feeling that self-hatred, loneliness, desperation and a thousand other emotions that I felt, I would. I will be damned if I let anyone tell you that you are wrong or weird or not normal.
"Love yourself and allow others to love you. Be who you are and know you're not alone."
http://www.outsports.com/2014/1/28/5348936/conner-mertens-willamette-football-kicker
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Never forget that the world is changing. We sometimes get stuck remembering our setbacks and feel like we'll never achieve equality. But we will. We are getting closer each day, due in large part to our everyday heroes.
So here's to you kid... Together we can make the world a happier, kinder place for our fellow LGBTers.