It’s possibly the biggest fear of any gay man: being outed to people you aren’t sure are ready to hear that you’re gay.
For football player Brenden Moon, that became a reality at Valley High School in West Des Moines, Iowa. After he confided in a teammate, seemingly everyone knew their star football player was gay.
When he went to Simpson College, just 20 miles south of Des Moines, Moon saw it as a fresh start, according to The Simpsonian. Sadly, injuries got in his way and he took the field in only one game for the football team, during which he suffered another concussion. His injuries and concussions simply didn’t let him become a full-time fixture on the field.
Simpson is an NCAA Division III program that plays in the Iowa Intercollegiate Athletic Conference. It IIAC has nine members, including Coe College, which has had multiple out LGBT athletes.
Today, Moon has come to terms with his sexual orientation and found incredible joy in it.
“It’s fun to be gay,” Moon told The Simpsonian. “I think it is, mostly because I am happy with who I am.”
As long as he’s happy and can find others with whom to share that happiness, that’s just about all he needs.
Maybe the best part of the whole story is how his fraternity, Alpha Tau Omega, gave him a bid knowing he’s gay. They didn’t have to invite the gay football player to be part of their select group, but they did.
A lot is discussed about the negative side of fraternities; This move by ATO helped Moon tremendously and built more understanding. Way to go.
Moon told Outsports he’s received lots of reaction from the campus community since his story was published this weekend.
“My story has had a very positive response in the community here at Simpson,” he said. “I have received a lot of positive attention from peers and just recently got a email from a professor telling me how my story is such a great one.”
You can read the full account of Moon’s football career, and his journey to accepting that he’s gay, at The Simpsonian. In the piece he talks openly and honestly about crushes on his would-be teammates and a slew of other issues. The piece by Alex Kirkpatrick is a must-read.
You can find Brenden Moon on Facebook, or on Instagram @BigMoon30.