[ad_1]
President Joe Biden encouraged NFL defensive line Karl Nessib and professional soccer star Kumi Yokoyama on Tuesday for their recent decisions, saying the moves would help “countless children around the world.”
“To Karl Nessib and Kumi Yokoyama – two outstanding and inspiring athletes who came out this week: I am so proud of your courage,” Biden wrote on Twitter. “Because of you, countless children around the world see themselves in a new light today.”
To Carl Nassib and Kumi Yokoyama – two outstanding and inspiring athletes who came out this week: I am so proud of your bravery. Because of you, countless children around the world see themselves in a new light today.
– President Biden (@POTUS) June 23, 2021
Nesib, who plays for the Las Vegas Raiders, became the first active NFL player in history to come out as gay, saying on Monday that “acting and clarity are very important.”
“I just wanted to take a quick moment to say I’m gay,” the 28-year-old said in a video posted to Instagram. “I’ve been going to do this for a while now, but I finally feel comfortable taking it off my chest. I truly have the best life, the best family, friends, and a job any man could ask for.”
The day before, Yokoyama, who is from Japan and plays for the Washington Spirit in the National Women’s Soccer League, came out as transgender. In an interview, Yokoyama said that their friend helped them make the decision after they moved to the United States.
“When my girlfriend said there was no reason for me to stay closed, it really hit me,” they said, according to USA Today. “Going out wasn’t something I was excited about, but if I thought about moving on with my life it would be hard to live in an enclosed space, so I found the courage to get out.”
We support you and we’re so proud of you Komi, thank you for showing the world that it’s okay to embrace who you are! https://t.co/Gi7btIAT7l
– Washington Spirit (@WashSpirit) June 19, 2021
The remarks were widely lauded, and ESPN reported on Tuesday that Nassib’s jersey became the NFL’s best-selling item across the league within 24 hours after its exit.
Calling all super fans at HuffPost!
Sign up for membership to become a founding member and help shape HuffPost’s next chapter
.
[ad_2]
Picture Credit!