Michael Sam: ‘Gay doesn’t define me’
By Nick Levine
American football star Michael Sam has insisted he should be judged solely on his sporting ability, not on his sexuality.
The National Football League (NFL) prospect took the sports world by storm earlier this month (February 9) when he came out, and has received considerable press attention ever since.
During a press conference earlier today (February 21), he said: “I just wish you guys would see me as Michael Sam the football player, not Michael Sam the gay football player.”
Described by one journalist as a “trailblazer”, Sam replied: “A trailblazer? I feel like I’m Michael Sam.”
If selected by an NFL team to play in the upcoming season, Michael Sam will become the first openly gay player to compete in any of North America’s four major professional sports leagues – football, baseball, basketball and hockey.