After hearing homophobic slurs in the locker room for years, one graduating college athlete spoke up for LGBTQ visibility.
25-year-old Brock Weston will soon be a college graduate. Next month, Weston will officially graduate from Marian University of Wisconsin after serving two years as the assistant captain on the school’s NCAA Division III men’s hockey team. But before saying goodbye to his school and team, Weston decided to come out to them. He then shared that journey through an op-ed with OutSports.
First, Weston told his teammates in April of last year his truth. Not only did Weston come out to them, but he also presented answers to a six-point list of expected questions. This way, he could address jokes, serious questions, and the entire topic from every conceivable angle.
“I am trusting that we can use this as an opportunity to grow closer and to appreciate the struggles that we don’t see and to know that we truly can leave our shit at the door of the rink and become a family when we walk into the room,” Weston recalled telling his team. “We don’t have to all be best friends outside of the rink, but we also don’t have to talk shit.”
#BreakTheCycle #EndTheStigma #YouAreMore pic.twitter.com/1KGtmAnZFV
— Brock Weston (@bwesty_5) July 24, 2019
After sharing his truth, Weston expected to leave without much argument. But it turns out, his teammates had other ideas.
“Before I could leave, one of the guys I thought might react negatively spoke up and said, ‘Hey Brock. We love you no matter what. I think we all agree and you’re a part of this family and we have your back.'” he wrote. “Everyone then got up and bro-hugged and we had basically a huge team group hug.”
After coming out to his teammates and confronting them about their anti-gay language, Weston was happy to see them change. Though, he was even happier to keep their friendship and respect.
“People I thought would disown me or become even more cruel were among the first to voice their acceptance,” he wrote.
But again, Brock Weston’s college life and career had to come to an end at some point. Weston will be graduating from Marian University in May with a Bachelor of Science with a major in Biology and a minor in Chemistry. He hopes to pursue a physician career within the world of sports medicine. He’s also currently waiting to hear back on whether he’s been accepted into medical school.
While Brock Weston waits, he felt the need to share his story with the world through his article. By doing so, he’s not only helping to create change in his school’s locker room but in the world-at-large. And we thank him for doing so.
If you would like to read the entire story in Brock Weston’s words, you can click the link below.
Source: OutSports
