Gay Footballer Robbie Rogers on Locker Room Homophobia

Robbie Rogers is an American professional footballer who plays for LA Galaxy. In February 2013, shortly after leaving the British football club Leeds Utd, he announced his retirement at 25 and said he was gay. He left the sport fearing the reaction to his sexuality but months later returned after positive support from fans and players. He hoped to be a role model in a sport with virtually no openly gay players. Rogers was only the second male footballer in Britain to come out as gay after Justin Fashanu in 1990. In May 2013, he became the first openly gay man to compete in a top North American professional sports league when he played his first match for LA Galaxy. He told Stephen Sackur that there was a “pack mentality” in soccer and dressing room banter could sometimes take on a “malicious tone” of homophobia.