NFL Hall of Famer Michael Irvin Offers Support to Marriage Equality, Gays in Pro Sports
NFL Hall of Famer and former Dallas Cowboy Michael Irvin appears on one cover of OUT's new 'straight ally' sports issue (rugby icon and anti-bullying champion Ben Cohen appears on another. See, AFTER THE JUMP), and offers his support of marriage equality inside:
"I don’t see how any African-American with any inkling of history can say that you don’t have the right to live your life how you want to live your life," says Irvin. "When we start talking about equality and everybody being treated equally, I don’t want to know an African-American who will say everybody doesn’t deserve equality.”
Irvin discusses finding out his brother Vaughn was gay when he saw him walking down the street near their home in women's clothes. He attributes some of his bad behavior during his years as a Cowboy to his resistance to that:
“Maybe some of the issues I’ve had with so many women—just bringing women around so everybody can see—maybe that’s residual of the fear I had that, if my brother is wearing ladies’ clothes, am I going to be doing that? Is it genetic? I’m certainly not making excuses for my bad decisions. But I had to dive inside of me to find out why I was making these decisions, and that came up.”
Irvin also discusses the lack of openly gay athletes in pro sports:
“If I’m not gay and I am afraid to mention it, I can only imagine what an athlete must be going through if he is gay....If anyone comes out in those top four major sports, I will absolutely support him. I think growth comes when we share. Until we do that, we’re going to be stuck in the Dark Ages about a lot of things. When a guy steps up and says, ‘This is who I am,’ I guarantee you I’ll give him 100% support."
Check out the cover with Ben Cohen, AFTER THE JUMP...
Read Irvin's full story here.
awesome, bravo and thank you.
Posted by: shane | Jul 12, 2011 12:26:41 PM
Dear Michael Irvin,
You are very brave, but more importantly, please do me in the butt.
Posted by: Eric26 | Jul 12, 2011 12:33:24 PM
First thing - Good for Michael Irving, I appreciate his support, especially since sports remains such a bastion of homophobia. When the day comes that a current professional player comes out, he will need this kind of support.
However, why why why do they have him topless on the cover posed like that. I have nothing against eye candy, but it should be in its proper place. I worry that having guys looking slutty at the same time that they are fighting homophobia just reinforces negative stereotypes. It reminds me of some of those cringe inducing No H8 posters.
Maybe I'm worrying over nothing.
Posted by: JR | Jul 12, 2011 12:39:33 PM
Mr Irvin's body is amazing for a man that is 45 yrs old. Wow! Photoshop or not. Bravo for your advocacy.
Posted by: Brian in Texas | Jul 12, 2011 12:48:53 PM
JR, he's like that because that's what Michael wanted. He wanted to be provocative. I talk about it in my piece on Outsports.com - I had the same thought as you, but Michael wanted to get people talking...
Posted by: Cyd | Jul 12, 2011 12:49:44 PM
Wow, and he plays for the Dallas Cowboys? New York has homophobic David Tyree and Texas has this guy, oh the irony!
That pic most certainly is a touch down, in my field!
Posted by: NY2.0 | Jul 12, 2011 12:50:51 PM
@JR
Just like any magazine the goal is to put an arresting, eye catching photo on the front cover to increase newsstand sales. A recent Rolling Stone issue that famously ended the career of General McChrystal had Lady Gaga on the front cover in a G-String and machine gun bra. Out is no different.
Posted by: Brian in Texas | Jul 12, 2011 12:51:44 PM
He seems to saying in the photo: "Damn, gay people - one minute I'm offering you support, the next you want me to pose shirtless on the cover of your magazine. I guess."
My point is he should have been styled differently for the photo. Our straight allies shouldn't have to be made to pose half-naked on the cover of our magazines.
Posted by: Jackson | Jul 12, 2011 12:53:44 PM
Well. Out of all the NFL icons this is the last one I'd expect to show support for Gay folks civil rights. Michael used to be so wild and brazen and super macho. Well, I am pleasantly stunned.
Oh, and NY2.0,
remember former New York Giants Michael Strayhan and Will Demps have been supportive of civil rights for Gays for a while. Hell, Plaxico Burress may have changed in favor of civil rights for Gays--jail can do that to you.
Posted by: Derrick from Philly | Jul 12, 2011 1:00:14 PM
Another great ally to have! :) Thank you!
Posted by: luminum | Jul 12, 2011 1:02:07 PM
Eric26...you're a pig.
Posted by: uffda | Jul 12, 2011 1:07:35 PM
Thoughtful, honest and sincere. Irvin rocks. He's more of a man than most.
Posted by: Troy | Jul 12, 2011 1:07:59 PM
MichAEl Irvin? MICHAEL IRVIN?
You mean Michael caught-in-the-hotel-with-hookers-and cocaine Michael Irvin?
Color me surprised.
Uh, Derrick, what's Philly got for us? Donavan McNabb or Michael Vick coming out for marriage equality. Rarely does a past or present Dallas Cowboy do something without a response from Philadelphia or Washington DC
Posted by: Chitown Kev | Jul 12, 2011 1:24:12 PM
@Uffda
And the problem with that?
(uh, and that might get a certain former QB of the Dallas Cowboys angry, LOL)
Posted by: Chitown Kev | Jul 12, 2011 1:26:03 PM
"Our straight allies shouldn't have to be made to pose half-naked on the cover of our magazines."
Yep, JR. I'm sure they held him down and forced him to pose like that for this cover. I really doubt that this cover was done without Michael Irvin's consent and approval. And I'm glad he's got enough self-esteem to do so.
Now, someone, get me the salts. I've got the vapors.
Posted by: fritzrth | Jul 12, 2011 1:35:33 PM
Glad he is showing full support for such an important issue!
Posted by: Real | Jul 12, 2011 1:39:27 PM
At out.com they have interviews with Michael Irvin, Ben Cohen, Hudson Taylor, Mike Chabala, and Nick Youngquest.
I know they aren't as high profile, but Scott Fujita and Brendon Ayanbadejo also come to mind as pretty great allies in sports too.
Posted by: MatthewCA81 | Jul 12, 2011 1:52:24 PM
"Rarely does a past or present Dallas Cowboy do something without a response from Philadelphia or Washington DC"
Now, Chi Kev, you know that when Irving was still playing I hated him more than I hated Papa George Bush. Hell, he might as well have been a member of the Ku Klux Klan to me. But now all is forgiven.
As far as the Philadelphia Eagles coming out for civil rights for Gays...PLEASE!!! we just got finished discussing Desean Jackson. I can't take it again.
But no football team can top the Chicago Bears for paying attention to the sensibilities of Gay football fans. Remember two years ago when David Hester showed his two mountains of chocolate glory on TV screens across this country? Now, that was a treat.
Hey, wait a minute--I believe that was a Philadelphia Eagle who yanked Hester's pants down. So, there, my Eagles did make their contribution to Gay happiness.
By the way, Mr Irving's body aint bad for a 45 year old, is it?
Posted by: Derrick from Philly | Jul 12, 2011 2:09:41 PM
@Chitown:
And YOU are clutching your pearls about a man drinking and partying? REALLY?
Child, please. We want to hear your drooling comments about Ben Cohen. We all KNOW you loooove some white bears..
Posted by: King Drive | Jul 12, 2011 2:32:20 PM
Michael Irving says wonderful things. Thank you.
He looks hot, that body - wow! I don't mind his pic on the cover.
Ben Cohen's cover pic is also very good, also such a handsome guy, just like MI.
Posted by: Matt26 | Jul 12, 2011 3:15:06 PM
@Fritzrth: I didn't make that comment...
Posted by: JR | Jul 12, 2011 4:05:08 PM
Thank you Mr. Irvin. That just made my day.
Posted by: dh | Jul 12, 2011 4:12:24 PM
Michael Irvin and Ben Cohen and my heros.
And I promise to turn around and be someone else's hero by way of my support for them....whatever the issue.
Thank you, gents.
Rick
Posted by: Rick | Jul 12, 2011 5:39:14 PM
Thank you Mr. Irvin for supporting gay rights.
Posted by: Mel Smith | Jul 12, 2011 5:43:20 PM
I applaud Michael Irvin's support of equal rights.
I still have to take a double-take at part of his explanation: First, he says he found out his brother was gay when he saw him in women's clothing.
Does he realize that seeing a man in women's clothing does not in any way mean that he is gay, but rather that he may be transgendered or a cross-dresser (heterosexual or otherwise) or even may be on his way to a costume party, etc., etc. etc.
Did he ever, in fact, verify that his brother IS gay? Does he at this point even understand what sexual orientation is?
Then he says that he wondered if his brother is wearing women's clothing, does that mean that he will do the same.
I've never understood people who make such statements. When I saw my brother get a tattoo, I never once asked myself whether this means I will get a tattoo. Perhaps this is indicative of the level of misinformation he was exposed to.
The important thing, of course, is that he believes in and actively supports equality. I'm very glad to have him on board. I just wonder whether he understands yet who gay people are.
Posted by: GregV | Jul 12, 2011 6:45:20 PM