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Esera Tuaolo Has
Just Begun By Bill
Konigsberg
Outsports.com
Never before has the phrase "Save Our Children" had such a warm ring to it.
That was the war cry of Anita Bryant, former Miss America contestant and singer, who in Dade County,
Florida in 1977 led a successful crusade to repeal a gay rights ordinance there. She claimed to be saving the
children from a world where being gay or lesbian was seen as an acceptable alternative lifestyle.
Fast forward 25 years. Enter another person who, just like Anita, has a beautiful singing voice, a gay husband
(but in this case not an "ex-gay"), and hails from a sunny state. But this time, it's former football player Esera
Tuaolo. And this time, it's saving the children from the likes of Anita Bryant.
Tuaolo came out a few weeks ago, becoming the third professional football player ever to come out after
retiring from the NFL. Now he says he's dedicating his future to making life better for young people
everywhere.
"For me the goal is to help the younger generation, gay or straight," he said. "I look at myself and see myself
pulling up a young kid who is in the shadows. I'm saying, 'hey, come and stand by me. You can definitely do
this.'"
Strong words for a man clearly at a crossroads. Tuaolo has withstood the initial media craze after he came
out - "I'm overwhelmed," he still says, weeks later - but now needs to decide if he's Dave Kopay, who has
become something of an icon since coming out 27 years ago, or Roy Simmons, who has fallen off the radar
since he did, 10 years ago. The alternative, of course, is to forge his own path. Borrowing strongly from his friend Kopay, that appears to
be the course he'll take. It's just hard to know what that means right now.
"I am ready for this. I just don't know what this is," he said, laughing. "I welcome the challenge. I feel honored
that I have the opportunity to be a role model for younger people. I want to educate the kids that it's not
OK
to hate individuals because they're different. It could be their brother, their sister. It also could be their best
friend."
For some NFL players, that fact became clear during the last few weeks. Tuaolo was a popular player. Over
the course of nine seasons with the Packers, Vikings, Jaguars, Falcons, and Panthers, "Mr. Aloha" was well
liked wherever he played. Since coming out, he said he's heard from many former teammates and friends,
including former Packers DT Don Davey; former Vikings TE Greg DeLong; former Bears DT Chris Zorich; and
former Jaguars OL Jeff Novak.
"It's awesome. I'm still getting calls every day from friends, family, and ex-teammates," he said. As for those
who haven't called, he has a similarly positive attitude. "Hey, it's out there. I think a lot of people need to sit
back and process and figure things out. I guess they're gonna have to make their own judgment. And I have
no judgment on anyone. I just value the time when we were friends. It's gonna be great to share the stories
with my kids of all the great players I played with."
The Hawaiian-born defensive tackle has plenty in the works, including initial talks about a book, and limitless
opportunities for speaking engagements. Tuaolo says he particularly cherishes the opportunities he'll have to
speak to younger people about his story.
What makes Tuaolo such a riveting agent for change is his strong appeal as a typical, down-to-earth guy.
While there is doubtless the opportunity to cash in on his newfound fame, it seems to be the last thing on his
mind. Neither does he appear to be a candidate to become too stuck on himself.
"Who am I anyway?" he asks rhetorically. "I'm no one special. But I have an opportunity. I don't think many
people dream about changing the world. It's a great feeling to know you can possibly make a difference. It's
about changing lives and saving lives, and that's where I want to focus on. It's powerful, isn't it?"
Twenty-five years ago, Bryant was successful in her anti-gay crusade. Poetically, a similar ordinance banning
discrimination against lesbians and gays finally passed in Dade County this year, the year Tuaolo became a
formidable figure in the gay rights movement. And playing a central role in that battle: Billy Bean, the former
major leaguer, who has since come out and lives in that area.
It makes sense, if you think about it. The newest soldiers hail from the arena where gays and lesbians have
made the fewest strides. One thing is for certain: Tuaolo is not the final chapter in this evolving story. He's
really just part of the beginning.
_______________ Bill
Konigsberg, a former editor at ESPN.com, is a contributing writer
for Outsports.
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