SPOTLIGHT Although he has never made a big issue of his sexual-
ity, Darling has been out since he was 18 years old. It was a difficult time for him, his conservative parents sent him to psychological counseling in order to fix him. At the same time, his brother joined anti-gay organizations while at college and continues to oppose LGBT rights as a leader in the ultra-conservative Heritage Foundation. The reaction from his family was tough for him. “I felt
disowned and decided to move to New York with the person I was dating. I enrolled in Architecture and Art classes at Parsons School of Design, but I couldn’t afford to work and go to school and had to drop out.” Eventually Darling found his way back to his love of cars and racing. He landed a job at Ferrari, and entered the field of professional racing. It was a tough transition for him because, even though NASCAR is the largest and fastest growing sport in the country, it isn’t exactly known for the progressive attitude of the drivers or the fans. Being openly gay has been a challenge in his relation- ships with fans and sponsors alike. In an interview last year he said: “It’s a good old boy network and the last couple of years it’s been tough to get cars and sponsors. I’m hoping that by telling my story, some folks in the gay community will step up and support my team. I’m the gay Danica Patrick looking for his David Letterman.”
Despite the challenges he faces, Darling continues
to do what he loves, and perhaps makes a difference in the lives of people who may not have any other LGBT role models. It’s very possible that kids who grow up in NASCAR-loving families, may not have access to cable networks like LOGO. He’s quite aware of the potential impact he may have as a role model for LGBT kids and teens, that’s why The Trevor Project, a suicide prevention organiza- tion targeting LGBT youth, has been one of his sponsors. Will professional racing pass the likes of figure
Neuer
skating and softball to become the LGBT commu- nity’s favorite sport? Probably not anytime soon, but in the meantime it’s good that kids and adults in NASCAR homes everywhere have a positive role model to look up to and to make them realize that being gay doesn’t have to mean that everyone wears rainbow thongs and feather boas. To learn more about Evan Darling visit
www.edarlingenterprises.com
STRAIGHT ALLIES ON THE SIDELINES Although professional sports culture appears to have deep-set frown lines toward gay athletes com- ing out of the closet, there have been teammates and colleagues who have voiced support for their LGBT brethren. When former NBA player John Amaechi came out, Charles Barkley said, “It shouldn’t be a big deal to anybody. I know I’ve played with gay players and against gay players and it just shouldn’t surprise anybody or be any issue.” Magic Johnson also supported his decision and Shaquille O’Neal, who has a record of being gay friendly, voiced his support too. Recently, the goalie for Germany’s third place-team in the World Cup voiced his opinion that gay athletes should come out. Manuel Neuer, told Bunte Magazine that a player’s performance was more important than his sexuality.
“Yes, those who are homosexual should say so,” he told the magazine. “That would take a load off their minds,
WHERE ARE THE GAY ATHLETES? Simple math tells us that of the thousands of profes- sional sports figures in the world, some of them must be gay. So why aren’t we seeing athletes come out of the closet? For years, brave LGBT soldiers have been discharged from the military for daring to come out. Athletes can’t be lacking in bravery can they? It surely takes some cour- age to step out onto the field, rink, or court and know you’re going to potentially be beat up by opponents. Is it the money? For years that was the reason many Hollywood actors stayed in the closet. They figured they wouldn’t be able to land the lucrative roles if they came out. Thankfully, today more and more actors are leaving the closet behind and yet are still thriving professionally.
Perhaps it is some mixture of the two, but for whatever reason the few athletes who do come out usually tend to do so after their careers are at an end. NBA basketball player John Amaechi came out a few years ago after he retired, NFL defensive lineman Esera Tuaolo came out in 2002 after his retirement from football, and former San Diego Padres player Billy Bean came out four years after he retired from the game. Not to take away from these and other athlete’s brave acts of coming out, but where are the pro-athlete versions of Dan Choi and Ellen Degeneres? Where are our superstar LGBT athletes? Where are our Michael Jordans, our Mike Modanos, and our Hank Aarons?
and the fans would get over it quickly. What is im- portant to them is the performances on the pitch of the player, not his sexual preferences.” Even hockey players, known better for their ability to take and/or give a beating, have stepped up to back any players who come out. New York Rangers forward Sean Avery, recently said that he would be there to support any player who decided to come out. He credits his time living in West Hollywood while with the Los Angeles Kings, and in New York’s Chelsea neigh- borhood while with the Rangers, for thinking that being gay is no big deal. And last but certainly not least, we have Ben Cohen (rugby player for England’s Sale Sharks) who has been credited for fueling a “bear- volution.” Cohen graciously embraces his LGBT followers and told Attitude Magazine that, “if a footballer came out as gay, he would be unbelievably wealthy and unbelievably famous, simply because he came out. I think a trend would follow. I think a lot of people in the closet would come out and support it.” So come on gay athletes... come out, come out wher- ever you are.
Avery Cohen
Barkley
54
RAGE monthly | MARCH 2011
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