Robbie Rogers is a former professional soccer player who played as a winger and left back during his time as an athlete. He also represented the United States men’s national soccer team.
Robert Hampton Rogers III was born on May 12, 1987 in Rancho Palos Verdes, California. At the age of four-and-a-half, he began playing soccer at the American Youth Soccer Organization. He then played for Columbus Crew and Leeds United.
At the age of 25, Rogers announced his retirement from professional soccer, as well as came out as gay on February 15, 2013. He shared the announcements via his personal blog where he wrote:
“I’m a soccer player, I’m Christian, and I’m gay. Those are things that people might say wouldn’t go well together. But my family raised me to be an individual and to stand up for what I believe in.”
Coming out made him the first professional soccer player based in Britain to come out since Justin Fashanu in 1990. Thereafter, he decided to return to professional soccer after speaking at an LGBTQ youth event in Portland, Oregon.
In an interview with USA TODAY Sports, Rogers stated:
“I seriously felt like a coward. These kids are standing up for themselves and changing the world, and I’m 25, I have a platform and a voice to be a role model. How much of a coward was I to not step up to the plate?”
Moreover, he started dating screenwriter and producer Greg Berlanti in 2013, and they eventually welcomed their son via surrogacy on February 18, 2016. They then tied the knot on December 2, 2017 in Malibu, California, and had a daughter on May 13, 2019.
Not to mention, Berlanti described Rogers as his “soulmate” during his acceptance speech after winning the Governors Award in this year’s Emmys. Concluding his speech, the 52-year-old screenwriter, producer and director expressed:
“my soulmate, my husband, Robbie Rogers… who is not just here for me but because he produced ‘Fellow Travelers’, which everyone should watch, it’s amazing!”
 Related: https://instinctmagazine.com/robbie-rogers-posts-emotional-instagram-as-he-announces-retirement/
Sources: en.wikipedia.org, usatoday.com, outsports.com
