FOF #1983 – The First Openly Gay College Football Star
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In the wake of pro football star Michael Sam coming out, Eric Lueshen, a former kicker for the Nebraska Cornhuskers was encouraged by others to come forward and share his own coming out story.
Even though Eric was openly gay to his friends, family and team-mates in high school, in 2002 he was recruited by the University of Nebraska-Lincoln to play as their place kicker.
Listen as Eric Lueshen chats with us about the challenges of being out in sports and he shares his heartfelt message of hope, love and acceptance.
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Comments
It was refreshing to get the perspective from a small-town gay athlete. I think gay men in big cities or urban environments often take for granted the fact it is generally easier to be gay in those environments. Sometimes one can forget there are still pockets of America, i.e. the mid-west and the south, where homosexuality is still condemned and frowned upon. I’m glad Eric is thriving and living his life the way he wants, unapologetically. I hope he continues to enjoy life and continues to succeed in his endeavors.
I have no problem with NPH or Jared Leto playing trans roles. Rock Hudson and NPH have played straight characters. Robin Williams has played gay. Patrick Swayze, Wesley Snipes and John Leguizamo played drag queens. Hell, Robert Downey Jr. played a black man in Tropic Thunder. Isn’t the whole part of acting slipping into the persona of someone you generally wouldn’t? Why are people so sensitive? I’m so sick of it. Jinkx Monsoon is doing fine. I saw her on an episode of mainstream television drama Blue Bloods. She was flawless. And she’d be flawless in Hedwig. But please give NPH and Jared Leto a break. They are amazing actors.
Personally I am not out at work because I have my work life and my person life and they are very separate. Is has little to do with being discriminated against. There are a lot of out people at my job. However, I have always kept my private life separate from my work life and I don’t really care to hear about my coworkers’ personal lives as well. It’s not the time or the place, in my opinion.
OMG! I totally forgot about Jon Hamm on Charmed. I love that show. Thanks Marc for reminding me.
I love you guys, Uncles Marc and Fausto!
Love you back Bryce! xoxoxo
As a musician, I regularly wear a tux. It’s always refreshing to see a slightly different take on the standard tux look. That argyle tux, however, not so refreshing. I think it would look better on the floor after having just peeled it off of him.
it was nice to hear Eric share his story.
but talk about doing a complete 180 Fausto! my my my. On the show with Madison you were all about using the word “shemale” for sexworkers because it helped them get paid and make a living and survive, now you say they shouldn’t use it because it might ~offend~ people? Goodness me! Looks like you’ve been indoctrinated into the Church of Over-Sensitive-Social-Justice-Warriors-Who-Get-Offended-By-Anything-And-Everything ;P no no I kid. I find it all very amusing really. Like watching an after school special about a troubled teen who hung out with the bad kids and then discovers Jesus and learns to change their ways and now tries to get all those bad kids into embracing Jesus to change their ways too.
ok now I’m not making any sense anymore, i’ll shut up now.
Nobody wants to police language here, it’s about respecting people’s choices on what they want to be called.
Trans women dont’ agree on how to use tranny/she-male, etc, and despite the reality that you’ll never get rid of these words, it’s important to not use them in a media context, because then you’re deciding what they are being called.
Personally I support anyone who wants to call themselves anything, and I think most critics of RuPaul’s Drag Race are into that as well. Don’t call people something they don’t want to be called, for whatever reason.
Solution: Just ask. Talk to the people who say you’re marginalized with, and reach some common ground.
It’s possible to be an outrageous drag queen and also be respectful of others.
Hey guys it was nice to hear Eric’s story. It was kind of cool because I live in Omaha and was listening to show on my way up to Lincoln. It is kind of nice to here his team mates where ok with it. Alot of the time I notice that in a collage setting the students are cool with most anything, even if the instructors aren’t.
Once on campus a guy came up and got in my face asking “Yo so just what the f$&k are you?” and to my total suprise before I could react these two big guys who I didn’t even know got up and said “Hey you gotta problem with her!?”, and the weirdo left me alone. It was really nice. It’s nice that the new generation seams to just not care about sexuality or identity which gives me hope things will change sooner then later.
We are still trying to get protection laws squared away but It is getting better out here. Omaha just passed protective laws for sexual oriantations and gender identity and we’er working on Lincoln at the moment. Which would be nice because I may move to Lincoln with my girlfriend in the next few months… Or if she gets a transfer through her job, I may get to see Chicago.
Anyhows peace love and hugs, tootles ‘ )
Things are changing really really quickly, and that’s a big reason why we’re having such heated conversations within our own groups, friends, and families.
Great show, Eric was a great guest and it was interesting to hear his story.