• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Skip to footer
  • Advertise
  • Contact Us
  • About Towleroad
  • Towleroad on Social Media
  • Privacy Policy

Towleroad Gay News

Gay Blog Towleroad: More than gay news | gay men

  • Travel
  • Sports
  • Law/Justice
  • Celebrities
  • Film/TV/Stream
  • Republicans
  • Madonna
  • Books
  • Men
  • Trans Rights
  • Tech/Science
  • Royals
  • Monkeypox
  • Fun With The Familia! Madonna Lets Loose In Italy To Celebrate Her & Son Rocco’s Birthdays
  • Viola Davis joins ‘Hunger Games’ prequel in ‘cruel,’ ‘fearsome’ role
  • NFL World Reacts To The Carl Nassib Signing News

College Soccer Player Comes Out In Rural Idaho

Sean Mandell October 26, 2015 Leave a Comment

mccoy2

A freshman soccer player at North Idaho College has shared his story of how he came out to his family in central Montana and, most recently, to his teammates in Idaho.

Macoy McLaughlin wrote about his coming out in an open letter posted on OutSports. As many know, coming out seldom happens once, but is rather something that one does repeatedly throughout life. For Macoy, coming out to his family was the first step, which he took in February. While he never doubted that his family loved and accepted him, he still had some trepidation:

“I felt foolish because I knew they loved me. I was their son and there was nothing I could do to change their love for me. Yet the fear of change was holding me back. I don’t adapt well to change, so I was petrified of the possibility that my family, the people I love the most, would change even though I had no reason to think so.”

comes outBut Macoy also grew up in central Montana which he says “isn’t the ideal place to be different from others.” He “couldn’t stand the thought of being different from everyone else” and allowing his identity be reduced to one “lone factor.” As McLaughlin says, “Being gay isn’t the only thing that makes me who I am.”

After coming out to his family, who loved and embraced him, he faced coming out to his new friends and teammates at college, a challenge he found daunting:

“I was in constant fear that I wouldn’t be seen as equal to my new teammates and other students, and that I wouldn’t be accepted for being gay. I just assumed everyone would take it badly, instead of realizing the truth: Some will take it well and only a few others won’t.”

After beginning to come out to his close friends at school, Macoy decided it was time to come out to his teammates:

“My next challenge would be my team. They aren’t just teammates, they are my brothers. Being an athlete and gay isn’t exactly the ideal situation to some. One by one I told them, and eventually everyone knew including the coaches.

The results have been astounding, and I have never been happier to call a group of guys my team.

I have been unbelievably blessed with an overly accepting family, team and group of friends. Saying I’m unbelievably blessed is an understatement, and I will never be able to thank those people enough. The feeling of being accepted after hiding a large aspect of my life and not being able to talk about it is something indescribable.”

Macoy now hopes that he can help other LGBT athletes and inspire them to come out:

“After not being able to talk about my true self for so long, I now want to help push the next domino and reach out to any LGBT athletes who need help. With this story I hope to assure them that they do not have to walk alone on this journey. The pain and the trouble don’t define the rest of life, it goes on. You are you, and that is the greatest thing you can ever be. Make these moments of impact your own, and define yourself to be the happiest you can be. You deserve it.

With this post I now feel fully liberated. I know that this is the beginning of the rest of my life, a life that I am proud of. I know that I will continue to come out for the rest of my life, and I will no longer be ashamed of who I am or whom I love.”

Congratulations, Macoy!

You can read Macoy’s full letter HERE. And check out a few more photos via Macoy’s Instagram below:

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Macoy McLaughlin (@macoymclaughlin)

 

https://instagram.com/p/yGEfcPEI06/

 

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Macoy McLaughlin (@macoymclaughlin)

(Top photo via OutSports)

Topics: Actor, Coming Out, Sports, towleroad More Posts About: I'm Gay, Idaho, Montana, soccer

Related Posts
  • New Documents On Foiled Patriot Front Attack Of Idaho LGBTQ Pride Event Show FBI Monitored Multiple Hate Groups A Year Prior
  • Chase Chrisley Posts Cryptic Message About ‘Getting Through’ Tough Situations After Todd Allegedly Paid Blackmailer
  • ‘Historic’ equal pay deal for US men and women soccer teams
  • Viola Davis joins ‘Hunger Games’ prequel in ‘cruel,’ ‘fearsome’ role

    Viola Davis joins ‘Hunger Games’ prequel in ‘cruel,’ ‘fearsome’ role

    Published by New York Daily News We’re always hungering for more Viola Davis. The Oscar winner, 57, is joining the “Hunger Games” prequel as the villainous head game-maker Dr. Volumnia Gaul in “The Ballad of Songbirds …Read More »
  • NFL World Reacts To The Carl Nassib Signing News

    NFL World Reacts To The Carl Nassib Signing News

    Published by The Spun By Daniel Bates After spending the first two years of his career in Cleveland, Carl Nassib made his name as a member of the Bucs before signing on with the Las Vegas …Read More »
  • Haunted, self-possessed or just spirited: 2022’s Emmy-nominated songs

    Haunted, self-possessed or just spirited: 2022’s Emmy-nominated songs

    Published by DPA Rachel Brosnahan in "The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel". The show's season 4 song "Maybe Monica" is among this year's Emmy-nominated songs. -/Amazon Prime/dpa The songs nominated for the 2022 Emmy for original music and lyrics …Read More »
  • Kenya Barris to direct Wizard of Oz remake

    Kenya Barris to direct Wizard of Oz remake

    Published by BANG Showbiz English Kenya Barris is to direct a ‘Wizard of Oz’ remake. The ‘Black-ish’ creator has been tapped to write and helm the Warner Bros. reimagining of L. Frank Baum’s book ‘The Wonderful …Read More »
Previous Post: « Want to Get High Abroad? There’s a Travel Guide for You
Next Post: New ‘Sherlock’ Special Travels Back in Time to Victorian London: TRAILER »

Primary Sidebar

Adjacent News

  • Biden signs $430 billion climate, healthcare and tax bill

    Biden signs $430 billion climate, healthcare and tax bill

  • Judge schedules Thursday hearing on motion to unseal Trump search warrant materials

    Judge schedules Thursday hearing on motion to unseal Trump search warrant materials

  • Dr. Oz Loses $5 Million Of GOP Campaign Funding In Pennsylvania As His Poll Numbers Continue To Plummet

    Dr. Oz Loses $5 Million Of GOP Campaign Funding In Pennsylvania As His Poll Numbers Continue To Plummet

Good Trash: Going to Read It Somewhere, Y’know

  • Ellen Has Not Contacted Ex-Lover Anne Heche Following Fiery Crash Into LA Home

    Ellen Has Not Contacted Ex-Lover Anne Heche Following Fiery Crash Into LA Home

  • Pete Davidson Proposed to Kim Kardashian Before Their Breakup

    Pete Davidson Proposed to Kim Kardashian Before Their Breakup

  • New bombshell book on Trump reveals he wanted to be treated like Hitler: ‘Totally loyal’

    New bombshell book on Trump reveals he wanted to be treated like Hitler: ‘Totally loyal’

RSS Partner Links

  • OMG, have you heard? J.Lo & Ben Affleck plan to have a 3-day wedding party this weekend
  • OMG, this FB group shares the internet’s most-disgusting vintage recipes
  • OMG, he’s naked: Actor Artur Abe goes full-frontal and rear in the Brazilian short ‘Trato de Levante’
  • Hot Sluts Of The Day!
  • Michelle Branch Filed For Divorce From Patrick Carney
  • Meme Spirited
  • Florence Pugh Confirms That She And Zach Braff Have Broken Up

Most Recent

  • Fun With The Familia! Madonna Lets Loose In Italy To Celebrate Her & Son Rocco’s Birthdays

    Fun With The Familia! Madonna Lets Loose In Italy To Celebrate Her & Son Rocco’s Birthdays

  • Viola Davis joins ‘Hunger Games’ prequel in ‘cruel,’ ‘fearsome’ role

    Viola Davis joins ‘Hunger Games’ prequel in ‘cruel,’ ‘fearsome’ role

  • NFL World Reacts To The Carl Nassib Signing News

    NFL World Reacts To The Carl Nassib Signing News

  • Haunted, self-possessed or just spirited: 2022’s Emmy-nominated songs

    Haunted, self-possessed or just spirited: 2022’s Emmy-nominated songs

  • Kenya Barris to direct Wizard of Oz remake

    Kenya Barris to direct Wizard of Oz remake

  • Analysis-Ben & Jerry’s Unilever fight shows risks of ceding control

    Analysis-Ben & Jerry’s Unilever fight shows risks of ceding control

  • Doja Cat says people who don’t like her buzzcut can ‘go f***” themselves’

    Doja Cat says people who don’t like her buzzcut can ‘go f***” themselves’

  • Anne Heche wanted Miley Cyrus to play her in movie about her life

    Anne Heche wanted Miley Cyrus to play her in movie about her life

Most Commented

Social

Twitter @tlrd | Facebook | Instagram @tlrd

Footer

Copyright © 2022 · Log in

×