Michael Sam Discusses Homophobia in the Black Community

Michael Sam is all smiles while posing for the cover of Attitude magazine‘s May 2016 issue, on newsstands now.

Here is what the 26-year-old openly gay football player had to share with the mag:

On the reaction to his coming out: “It was amazing. There was a friend who told me to give his cousin a call – she had tried to commit suicide twice. After she heard my story she promised herself she would never do it. People kill themselves because they can’t handle the pressure and that stress. It’s very sad. If by me living my life, I can save someone, I would do it again.”

On homophobia in the black community: “I can only go by my experience and the people I’ve been around. I think it’s more accepting, actually. There are a lot of black, openly gay people. A lot of people have [gay] friends, cousins, brothers, sisters… They have at least one openly gay person, at least it’s more accepting, that’s my experience. People tell me they have family members who are gay and it doesn’t freak them out and no black person ever freaked out at me, ‘oh you’re gay’. None. There are people who are over religious who go, ‘oh, you’re a fag, you’re going to hell.’ That’s everywhere. Ted Cruz is pretty much anti-gay.”

For more from Michael, get your issue of Attitude!