Jan-Michael Gambill (tennis player)
- Thread starter Matt Cohen
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Someone needs to come out on the ATP, where active or retired. It would literally make JMG career for life. He’s an idiot and a coward for not doing it.
Everyone is different - and there’s a lot of pressure that comes with being the first of anything, would need someone who could handle that. Im sure when Gambill was playing it would have been wven worse to come out than now, so i dont really blame him for not doing it
The amount of work and sacrifice it takes to become a tennis player is incredible, and unimaginable to people who don’t grow up around players who go on to become professional. These players have to tap into the highest levels of focus when they play. I don’t fault them for having second thoughts about coming out and risking literally everything they have worked for their whole lives.
Most players only expect to play up to about their late 20s. Players playing in their 30s is a new concept and even then, only the very best do. Gay tennis players probably just plan to stay in the closet and come out when they feel most comfortable to do so, after the sport.
It would be amazing if someone came out while they were still playing but anybody who thinks it’s easy for any gay player to come out is just talking shit.
Most players only expect to play up to about their late 20s. Players playing in their 30s is a new concept and even then, only the very best do. Gay tennis players probably just plan to stay in the closet and come out when they feel most comfortable to do so, after the sport.
It would be amazing if someone came out while they were still playing but anybody who thinks it’s easy for any gay player to come out is just talking shit.
shut up. Gambill has been retired for years. He could easily come out if he wasn’t a coward.
I think he’s out for intents and purposes given hes not in the public eye anymore and doesnt do any interviews etc - nor does anyone care to do them with him. If someone interviewed him now and he said nothing then maybe
Post from his BFs insta story today. Looks like VPL
![840E61B7-CBD7-4472-A457-F0E9DE08211D.jpeg]( "840E61B7-CBD7-4472-A457-F0E9DE08211D.jpeg")
He could do tennis a world of good by coming out. There has never been a top/elite male player, active or retired, who has come out, only female players. It will be difficult for male players to be openly gay until someone breaks that glass ceiling. If he came out publicly, it would help make active players feel more comfortable in coming out because they would know they’re not alone. They would know that they’re not the first and only gay male tennis player in history. Because right now, it looks like tennis has never had any gay male players, which we know isn’t the case. For any active male players who are gay, it must be scary and lonely for them thinking they’re the first and only gay male player in tennis history.
Aleksandrov
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You don’t come out as a sole move against the puritans and the crusaders. It’s a deeply personal struggle that involves exposing your private life for everyone to observe, dissect and talk about. Putting pressure on gay people to come out for the sole purpose of fighting homophobia is like my friend pressuring me to travel to countries where homosexuality is a crime “to prove them” we don’t deserve to die.
We have enough to deal with than to be forced to bear the cross of having to sacrifice our privacy because it may possibly maybe supposedly convince homophobes that we are worth existing. Anyone who chooses to bear that cross, I applaud and support. If, as a lesbian, my friend wants to take up travelling to Saudi Arabia on a gay mission, I’ll cook her last meal. But forcing strangers into living their private life in the open is as harmful as forcing them to live it in the shadows.
Let’s remember something: the homophobes are the heterosexuals, the problems are the heterosexuals. If you want change, it begins and ends with them, not the ones they persecute.
We have enough to deal with than to be forced to bear the cross of having to sacrifice our privacy because it may possibly maybe supposedly convince homophobes that we are worth existing. Anyone who chooses to bear that cross, I applaud and support. If, as a lesbian, my friend wants to take up travelling to Saudi Arabia on a gay mission, I’ll cook her last meal. But forcing strangers into living their private life in the open is as harmful as forcing them to live it in the shadows.
Let’s remember something: the homophobes are the heterosexuals, the problems are the heterosexuals. If you want change, it begins and ends with them, not the ones they persecute.
I’m sorry, but this is a really bad take and you misunderstood why I’m saying he should come out publicly. First off, he already is out in his private life based on these Instagram pics with his boyfriend, so it’s not like I’m suggesting someone who is fully closeted should come out publicly. If he doesn’t want people to know that he’s gay, then he shouldn’t have this stuff posted on social media. More importantly, I’m not saying he should come out publicly to “convince homophobes that we are worth existing.” He should come out publicly to show active male tennis players that there have been gay male players, and that it’s ok for them to be themselves in public, that it’s not something they have to hide and/or be ashamed of. Also, without visibility, we gays would have never gotten the rights and acceptance we have today in most of the Western world. It is 2021 and there still hasn’t been a male tennis player who has come out. As far as both tennis history and the general public are concerned, gay male players don’t exist, even though we know that isn’t the case. Gay people have been erased from history in so many instances because we had to hide who we were.
So it’s not about convincing homophobes that we have the right to exist. It’s about showing everyone that we DO exist, that we have always been here, and showing other gay male tennis players that it’s ok to be themselves in public, that they don’t have to hide their sexuality and/or be ashamed of it.
Maybe he’s a private person, but sometimes you have to give up things for yourself so you can help others out and make the world a better place. Besides, there might be some initial interest in his relationship from the general public, but that would quickly fade because he isn’t an active player. After one or two weeks, people would no longer care or be interested in his private life. They’ll have moved on. But you know who will care and be grateful? Any current male players who are closeted. It will mean the world to them.
eh... the previous post retirement coming outs havent done much to move the needle - It would have to be someone bigger and more successful, and honestly more "shocking" a player than a Gambill to achieve anything - I have no doubt he's there as support for players if they asked. Keep in mind this is a tour packed with Trump supporters like Isner & Petr Korda's son Sebastian, Russians and Eastern Europeans, heavily sponsored by Middle East regimes etc... and a tour that gives no support to its players (see response to Naomi Osaka's mental health issues), a couple trite "we would support thems" from Federer (who has been sponsored by homophobic pasta companies with no comment), Murray etc... doesnt really represent the reality of why things are as they are regarding gay players on the mens tour
I don't think he is with the bf any longer. They were a gorgeous couple. I wish the Tennis Channel would use him more. He is low key, and doesn't talk too much. There's a boring Brit named Mark Petchy, who must be paid by the word. JMG should be in the studio if they want to draw a bigger gay crowd.
I forgot about him. He sent me a dick pic years ago. I need to see if I still have it
