>> COLLEGE FOOTBALL HAS A LONG HISTORY OF POPULARITY IN THE
UNITED STATES, BUT DESPITE ITS SUCCESS, FOOTBALL HASN'T BEEN
FOR EVERYONE, GAY AND BISEXUAL PLAYERS HAVE ONLY RECENTLY
STARTED COMING OUT WITHIN THE LAST FIVE YEARS, WITH ONLY SEVEN
CURRENTLY PLAYING THIS SEASON, AND ONE OF THEM IS AT AMHERST
COLLEGE.
"CONNECTING POINT'S" ROSS LIPPMAN SHARES HIS STORY.
>> THERE ARE 900 COLLEGE FOOTBALL PROGRAMS IN THE COUNTRY
TODAY.
AMHERST COLLEGE IS ONE OF THE OLDEST.
>> THAT A BOY.
STAY SQUARE.
>> THERE ARE OVER 81,000 COLLEGE FOOTBALL PLAYERS.
AVERY IS ONE OF THE RAREST.
>> TWO-YEAR CAPTAIN WHICH DOESN'T HAPPEN VERY OFTEN
>> GO.
GO.
GOOD.
BECAUSE HE IS SUCH A GREAT PLAYER, SUCH A GREAT PERSON AND
REALLY A QUIET LEADER.
>> MORE SPECIFICALLY, AVERY IS ONE OF SEVEN.
>> I FEEL LIKE IT IS KIND OF ALWAYS IN THE BACK OF YOUR MIND.
I PROBABLY FIRST STARTED THINKING ABOUT IT AROUND LIKE
SIXTH OR SEVENTH GRADE AND TRIED TO SUPPRESS AS MANY PEOPLE DO,
SAY IT MIGHT BE A PHASE.
I PROBABLY STARTED FULLY ACCEPTING MYSELF AROUND
SOPHOMORE YEAR HERE AT COLLEGE.
>> IN JULY HE JOINED SIX OTHER ACTIVE COLLEGE FOOTBALL PLAYERS
TO BE OPENLY GAY OR BISEXUAL, PENNING A PIECE FOR
OUTSPORTS.COM, YEARS OF BEING AN ATHLETE BEING HIS IDENTITY, HE
REALIZES HE IS MUCH MORE, HE IS A STUDENT, A SON, A BROTHER, AND
A GAY MAN.
>> WHEN I FIRST CAME OUT PUBLICLY WAS DEFINITELY A HUGE
WEIGHT OFF MY SHOULDERS.
I RECEIVED POSITIVE ACTIONS AND AFFIRMATIONS.
I RESPECT THE LOVE THEY HAVE FOR ME.
IT IS JUST FREEING TO NOT HAVE TO HIDE ANYTHING.
>> YOU ARE THAT FLAT DEFENDER.
OKAY?
I WASN'T WORRIED AT ALL ABOUT HOW OUR TEAM WOULD RESPOND.
I KNEW THEY WOULD EMBRACE HIM AND THAT HAPPENED AND THAT MAKES
ME FEEL REALLY GOOD.
>> IT'S SENIOR DAY AT AMHERST.
AVERY'S LAST HOME GAME.
THE SENIORS ARE BEING HONORED IN A PREGAME CEREMONY ALONGSIDE
THEIR FAMILIES.
FLYING IN TO SEE HER FIRST GAME THIS YEAR FROM CHICAGO --
>> THEY CALL ME T.O. >> IS THE FIRST PERSON AVERY
CAME OUT TO.
HIS MOM.
>> THANK YOU.
>> RHONDA BROWN.
>> HONESTLY, I NEVER REALLY THOUGHT ABOUT IT.
I'M GOING TO BE HONEST.
I THINK AT SOME POINT WHEN MY KIDS WERE YOUNGER, I THOUGHT ONE
OF MY CHILDREN IS GOING TO BE GAY.
AND THAT'S ALL I THOUGHT.
I DON'T KNOW WHY I THOUGHT THAT, BUT I JUST DID.
I DIDN'T THINK IT WAS AVERY, FOR SURE.
>> MY STOMACH WAS TURNING IN A BUNCH OF DIFFERENT WAYS.
JUST I WAS VERY ANXIOUS AT HER RESPONSE.
BUT SHE RESPONDED VERY WELL.
SHE HUGGED ME IMMEDIATELY.
I FEEL LIKE FROM THEN ON WE HAVE HAD A CLOSER BOND AND
RELATIONSHIP.
>> AVERY IS ALWAYS GOING TO BE VERY STOIC AND SERIOUS.
>> NO.
I'M NOT TAKING A SELFIE.
THIS IS NOT POP WARNER FOOTBALL.
I'M NOT DOING THAT.
>> GOOD LUCK, GUYS.
HE HAS NOT CHANGED ONE BIT WITH ME, BUT WHAT I HAVE NOTICED IS
THAT HE IS HAPPY.
YOU KNOW WHAT I MEAN?
I FEEL LIKE HE CAN BREATHE.
WHEN I LOOK AT PICTURES OF HIM WHEN HE WAS YOUNGER, I THINK TO
MYSELF HE MIGHT HAVE BEEN HIDING SOMETHING, THAT MAKES ME SAD.
THAT IS THE ONLY THING THAT MAKES ME SAD.
ALL RIGHT, ALL RIGHT, GO!
GO!
FIRST DOWN.
>> NOW AVERY IS HOPING TO MAKE SURE OTHER ATHLETES DON'T FEEL
LIKE THEY NEED TO HIDE WHO THEY ARE IN A SPORT WHERE IT HAS ONLY
BEEN FIVE YEARS SINCE THE FIRST OPEN PLAYER CAME OUT.
>> HAVING OPEN DISCUSSION AND DIALOGUE ABOUT THESE THINGS
HELPS.
I FEEL LIKE FOR ME, A LOT OF PEOPLE I HAVE BEEN AROUND ARE
VERY HETERO NORMATIVE AND DON'T HAVE GAY FRIENDS.
TO SEE ME WHO PRESENTS IN A WAY THAT IS NO DIFFERENT THAN
ANYBODY ELSE, FOR THEM TO SEE ME, THEY ARE LIKE, OH, HE DOES
THIS, HE PLAYS FOOTBALL AND SUCCESSFUL IN FOOTBALL, BUT HE
IS GAY, TOO.
WHY WOULD I CARE ABOUT ANYBODY ELSE.
>> WE WANT TO BE AS INCLUSIVE AS POSSIBLE.
YOU WANT TO GROW THE GAME OF FOOTBALL.
YOU WANT TO CONTINUE IT.
WE ABSOLUTELY NEED TO COME OUT AND OPENLY STATE THAT WE LOVE
YOU. >> AND IT IS LOVE THAT HAS
CARRIED AVERY TO THE END OF HIS FOOTBALL CAREER.
LOVE FOR THE GAME.
LOVE FOR HIS TEAMMATES.
AND MOST IMPORTANTLY -- >> ALL RIGHT.
ALL RIGHT.
NICE JOB.
>> HIS MOM.
>> SHE'S BEEN A DRIVING FORCE IN A LOT OF THINGS IN MY LIFE.
SHE IS THE REASON WHY I PLAY SPORTS, WHY I HAVE BEEN ON THE
TEAMS WE'VE BEEN TO, THE SCHOOLS I'VE BEEN AND PUT IN THE
POSITION TO BE HERE ULTIMATELY.
>> I'M SO IMPRESSED WITH HIM AS A YOUNG MAN AND I THINK BECAUSE
HE HAS SUCH A STRONG FOUNDATION, I THINK HE CAN DO ANYTHING.