• 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
  • Republicans
  • Madonna
  • Books
  • Men
  • Trans Rights
  • Royals
  • Monkeypox
  • Sophia Bush’s girlfriend ‘proud’ the actress has opened up about coming out as queer
  • Mel B declares she’ll ‘always be open’ when it comes to her sexuality!
  • Megan Thee Stallion being sued for ‘forcing cameraman watch her having lesbian sex!’

Gay Former NFL Player Wade Davis Gives Moving TED Talk on the ‘Mask of Masculinity’ – WATCH

Sean Mandell May 12, 2016 Leave a Comment

wade davis ted talk

Out gay former NFL player and current executive director of the You Can Play Project Wade Davis recently gave a TEDx Talk in which he delved into what he calls “the mask of masculinity” and how he battled internalized homophobia for years before and after coming out of the closet.

Speaking in March at the University of Florida's TEDx conference, Davis began by discussing a game he used to play as a little boy with his friends, ‘Smear the Queer.' Davis explained that while neither he nor his friends knew what queer meant, they all knew that they “did not want to be the queer.”

Davis added, “We raise young boys to wear a mask of toughness in order to be a man, and we rob them of their childhood and their innocence. And sport is one of the many vehicles parents choose to help them put on this mask. And as little boys we learn that being labeled ‘tough' grants you a crtian type of social capital and being thought of as weak or queer is suicidal, both athletically and socially.” And yet a more beneficial education was lacking in his life, as it is for many young boys. “I was never taught how to be myself or love myself,” Davis explains.

As a football player, Davis learned about a concept known as “wasted motion”, a notion that is pretty much exactly what it sounds like–extra motion (on the football field in this case) that requires energy and effort yet yields zero beneficial result. Davis began to realize that hiding his sexuality and performing a rigid version of masculinity was nothing but wasted motion. “‘I'm standing gay. I'm walking gay. I'm running gay. Would you just stop being so gay?!'” he recalls thinking. “That was wasted motion. Most of my life in fact was wasted motion.”

PREVIOUSLY – Out Former Football Player Wade Davis Opens Up About Being Gay In The NFL: VIDEO

Davis says he faced a complete paradigm shift by coming out: “I would be giving up so much power by being gay. And I'd be violating the very essence that I was taught of what being a man was.”

But Davis came to learn one important lesson: while holding on to his mask of masculinity might bring him many things, it would never bring him freedom.

“So what is the cost of always wearing a mask, what is the cost of never being yourself?” Davis asks. “The cost is never really loving yourself, and never allowing someone else to love all of you.”

Watch, below.

video
play-rounded-fill
Link

Topics: Uncategorized More Posts About: TED Talks, Video, Wade Davis

Related Posts
  • Discussing The Origins of Lizzo Twerking, Her New TED talk, Mainstream Butts and African Origins of Twerking
  • Joe Biden Launches Campaign to Promote Family Acceptance of LGBTQ People: WATCH
  • Gay Former NFL Player Wade Davis Says He’ll Run Anti-Homophobia Clinic for NFL, Again…
  • Mel B declares she’ll ‘always be open’ when it comes to her sexuality!

    Mel B declares she’ll ‘always be open’ when it comes to her sexuality!

    Published by BANG Showbiz English Mel B will “always be open” when it comes to her sexuality. The Spice Girls singer, 48, who reunited with her bandmates including the group's ex-singer Victoria Beckham for the fashion …Read More »
  • Megan Thee Stallion being sued for ‘forcing cameraman watch her having lesbian sex!’

    Megan Thee Stallion being sued for ‘forcing cameraman watch her having lesbian sex!’

    Published by BANG Showbiz English Megan Thee Stallion is being sued for allegedly creating a hostile work environment and forcing her cameraman to watch her having lesbian sex. The 29-year-old ‘Savage' rapper faces the salacious claims …Read More »
  • Mean Girls star Jonathan Bennett recalls the moment his life ‘changed forever’

    Mean Girls star Jonathan Bennett recalls the moment his life ‘changed forever’

    Published by BANG Showbiz English Jonathan Bennett's life was “changed forever” by his role in ‘Mean Girls'. The 42-year-old actor starred as heartthrob Aaron Samuels in the 2004 cult classic – which followed Lindsay Lohan, Rachel …Read More »
  • Sir Elton John sent Lance Bass gift basket to celebrate coming out

    Sir Elton John sent Lance Bass gift basket to celebrate coming out

    Published by BANG Showbiz English Sir Elton John sent Lance Bass a gift basket after he came out as gay. The 44-year-old NSYNC star revealed the legendary singer showed his support when Lance decided to reveal …Read More »
Previous Post: « Paul Ryan and Donald Trump Release Joint Statement After Meeting: VIDEO
Next Post: WATCH: Trailer for ‘Tickled’, Doc on Tickling Culture That Has a Homoerotic and Dark Twist »

Primary Sidebar

Most Recent

  • Sophia Bush’s girlfriend ‘proud’ the actress has opened up about coming out as queer

    Sophia Bush’s girlfriend ‘proud’ the actress has opened up about coming out as queer

  • Mel B declares she’ll ‘always be open’ when it comes to her sexuality!

    Mel B declares she’ll ‘always be open’ when it comes to her sexuality!

  • Megan Thee Stallion being sued for ‘forcing cameraman watch her having lesbian sex!’

    Megan Thee Stallion being sued for ‘forcing cameraman watch her having lesbian sex!’

  • Mean Girls star Jonathan Bennett recalls the moment his life ‘changed forever’

    Mean Girls star Jonathan Bennett recalls the moment his life ‘changed forever’

  • Sir Elton John sent Lance Bass gift basket to celebrate coming out

    Sir Elton John sent Lance Bass gift basket to celebrate coming out

  • Relationship status influences heterosexual women’s sexual prejudice towards lesbians

    Relationship status influences heterosexual women’s sexual prejudice towards lesbians

  • JoJo Siwa had a challenge transitioning to new grown-up image

    JoJo Siwa had a challenge transitioning to new grown-up image

  • Liz Hurley defends lesbian sex scene in new movie that was directed by her son

    Liz Hurley defends lesbian sex scene in new movie that was directed by her son

Partner Links

  • The Onion: Pete Hegseth Bans Men With Girl Names From Combat
    Here's another relevant and not far from the truth video from […]
  • “Scarlett Johansson wore orange to ‘The Phoenician Scheme’ NYC premiere” links
    Photos from the NYC premiere of Wes Anderson’s latest film, The […]
  • Sun: Duchess Meghan is just a hot woman who bagged a rich prince??
    Along with all of the “emotional support polls,” the British media […]
  • Incompetent Agency Heads Haven't Done Their Budget Homework
    Top Trump administration officials have spoken at length about alleged irresponsible […]
  • OMG, have you heard? Elvira to Duchess Meghan ‘If you ever need beauty advice from a queen, let me know.’
    Whatta ham! [celebitchy] Olympic gold medalist Timo Barthel is diving into […]

Most Commented

Social

Twitter @tlrd | Facebook | Instagram @tlrd

About

  • Advertise
  • Contact Us
  • About Towleroad
  • Towleroad on Social Media
  • Privacy Policy
[towleroadmr] [towleroadtn]

Footer

Ptown Hacks 2018

Read

  • Travel
  • Film
  • Law – LGBT Rights
  • Columns
  • Specials

About

  • Advertise
  • Contact Us
  • About Towleroad
  • Towleroad on Social Media
  • Privacy Policy

Copyright © 2025 · Log in

×
×