In honor of National Coming Out Day on Oct. 11, the NFL announced its continued partnership with the Trevor Project, the leading suicide prevention and crisis intervention organization for LGBTQ+ youth, with a $100,000 donation.
Since 2020, the NFL has openly supported the Trevor Project and worked to forge a path towards inclusivity and diversity in sports, enforcing their motto that “football is for everyone.” Alongside the NFL’s public support of the Trevor Project, they also take active steps in learning and understanding the LGBTQ+ community by attending educational sessions taught by experts from the Trevor Project.
When NFL player Carl Nassib came out in 2021 and became the first out gay person to play in an NFL game, he pledged his own $100,000 donation to the Trevor Project, which the NFL quickly matched.
In an interview with the Pivot Podcast, Nassib said he was inspired to tell the world after coming out to his dying uncle — the only gay person in an Irish Catholic family. His uncle responded that it was a weight off of his chest to know that someone else was gay in the family. His response compelled Nassib to tell the world.
“There’s probably so many other people out there that are going to feel that same way,” he said.
The NFL’s donation has turned into an annual partnership between the league and the Trevor Project and represents the fight for a bridge between LGBTQ youth and participation in sports, where there are still struggles with LGBTQ-based discrimination — especially at a time when many states have passed laws restricting trans athletes from playing sports in accordance with their gender identity.
A 2020 Research brief by the Trevor Project states that around 18% of young sports participants have heard negative things about LGBTQ+ people from a leader or coach. In turn, many LGBTQ+ youth are fearful of discrimination and choose to opt out of sports.
