Let’s do this.” The two men walk down the hall of the NHL rink the player has called home for half a decade, stopping outside the media room. But it’s been a long road, and you’ve made so many sacrifices to get here. So if there’s any reason you want to pull the plug on this thing, any reason at all, just tell me now and we can cancel this presser in a heartbeat.” It has made brand-new hockey fans out of queer folk who were never interested in the sport, and it has done so as far away as the United Kingdom, Australia, and even homophobic Russia.
Listen, I’ve given this enough thought. All my teammates support me. I helped get them this.” He forms a fist and turns it around, exposing a gaudy silver ring bearing the team logo.
I’m locked in with this group for at least three more years before the limited-trade clause kicks in. So what if I lose an endorsement deal or two? I wouldn’t want to shill for a company that felt that way about me, anyway.
I might even get a few new gigs just for doing this.” His agent smiles. Let’s go.” Opening the door, the agent leads his client to the podium, where the player’s coach, general manager, and team owner await. The media event begins with the GM introducing the agent, who tells everyone how long and hard his client has been thinking about this day.
A forest of hands goes up. The first reporter’s question is the most obvious: After all this time in the closet, what finally prompted him to come out? And then they kiss in front of everyone in the arena, in front of the whole world.
Well, I have a partner too—he’s right there at the back of the room, I’ll introduce you afterward—and I just thought, life is too short. I’ve achieved everything in hockey there is to achieve, and I just want to be happy in every part of my life. I want to be like Scott Hunter.
Extract — continue reading at the source.
