Wade Davis, Gay Former NFL Star, Named Executive Director of You Can Play Project

Gay Former NFL Star Named Executive Director Of Major LGBT Organization

Wade Davis, a former NFL player who publicly came out in 2012, has been named the Executive Director of the You Can Play project, an anti-homophobia and lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender-focused sports organization.

You Can Play, according to its mission statement, is committed to ensuring "equality, respect and safety for all athletes, without regard to sexual orientation... You Can Play works to guarantee that athletes are given a fair opportunity to compete, judged by other athletes and fans alike, only by what they contribute to the sport or their team’s success."

In a time where high profile athletes are now coming out of the closet, organizations such as "You Can Play" fulfill an important role in attempting to curtail a homophobic backlash in the traditionally heteronormative sports world.

"I am honored to have the opportunity to join such a ground-breaking organization in You Can Play," said Davis in a press release from the organization. "In a short period of time, their work has made significant strides in changing the culture of the sports world. I am hopeful that my background as an athlete and an LGBT youth advocate will allow me to take You Can Play to the next level."

Davis is also a blogger for The Huffington Post -- his entires can be found here.

(h/t Towleroad)

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