Megan Rapinoe: The World Needs More Gay Athletes

Earlier this week, Olympic soccer star Megan Rapinoe told the world that she was gay. Now she’s urging other athletes to do the same.

Rapinoe toldOut Magazine that the sports world is a little homophobic and that several players are afraid of the backlash they would receive if they admitted that they were gay.

Rapinoe said:

“I feel like sports in general are still homophobic, in the sense that not a lot of people are out. I feel everyone is really craving [for] people to come out. People want — they need — to see that there are people like me playing soccer for the good ol’ U.S. of A.”

Rapinoe was a vital part of the USA’s Women’s Soccer Team’s trip to the World Cup last year and is expected to be a major factor in this year’s Olympics.

Rapinoe said:

“And I still am totally obsessed with the Olympics — I love it, everything around it,… to have the opportunity to be a part of that, to represent your country is just amazing. It’s pretty amazing to have one of your childhood dreams come true.”

Do you think the sports world is homophobic? Will Megan Rapinoe inspire other athletes to come out of the closet?

Rapinoe isn’t the only gay celebrity leading the way in her profession. Singer Frank Ocean recently came out of the closet, admitting that he was sexually attracted to men. Ocean, who is part of the group Odd Future, is regarded as the first hip-hop star to come out of the closet.