All the latest breaking news on Michael Sam. Browse THEGAYUK’s complete collection of news, articles and commentary on Michael Sam.
Everybody say ahhh, as Michael Sam and Boyfriend Vito Cammisano pucker up for the camera.
Michael Sam and Vito Cammisano have puckered up for the cameras at cammisano’s sister’s wedding. Vito uploaded the photo to his Instagram account.
Sam and Vito made headlines last month when Sam became the first openly gay player to be drafted into the NFL.
Huffington Post has revealed stats that show 47% of Americans thought that EPSN broadcasting the now famous kiss between Michael Sam and his boyfriend Vito Cammisano was inappropriate, even though players kissing their girlfriends and wives is commonplace.
Up to 20% of people polled would disapprove of their sports team hiring an openly gay player.
Michael Sam made history last week when he became the first openly gay footballer to be drafted into the NFL.
The article at Huffington Post goes onto explain:
“Americans under age 30 had no problem with coverage of the kiss, by a 55 percent to 29 percent margin. Those between ages 30 and 44 were evenly divided: 40 percent said it was appropriate; 39 percent said it was inappropriate. And a majority of older Americans said it was inappropriate, including 52 percent of those between ages 45 and 64, and 69 percent of those 65 and older”.
We did some digging (basically Instagram stalked) and here’s what we’ve discovered…
They make a beautiful couple and Vito’s got a rocking body… Vito used to swim for the University of Missouri, but is now interning for a radio company. Vito is 23, Michael is 24.
Michael Sam, 24, was drafted to the NFL as the first openly gay player yesterday, however not everyone seemed to be happy about the announcement.
Miami Dolphins player Don Jones tweeted shortly after the news broke: “horrible”. The tweet has since been deleted and Jones was fined an undisclosed amount. He has been excused from team activities and must undergo educational training.
He has also commented:
‘I want to apologise to Michael Sam for the inappropriate comments I made on social media,” Jones told the Miami Dolphins website.
‘I take full responsibility for them and I regret that these tweets took away from his draft moment.
‘Last year when I was drafted in the seventh round I remember the emotions and happiness I felt when I received the call that gave me an opportunity to play for an NFL team. I wish him all the best in his NFL career.’
GLAAD, US’s lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) media advocacy organization, today responded to the historic draft of openly gay football player Michael Sam to the National Football League (NFL). Sam will become the first-ever openly gay footballer to play for the league next season.
“Without a doubt, this is a game changer,” said GLAAD President & CEO Sarah Kate Ellis. “Today, Michael Sam has redefined what it takes to be a champion. He’s tackled stereotypes and joins the ranks of athletic trailblazers like Jason Collins and Brittney Griner in showing Americans that there’s no place for homophobia on the field. As support for equality continues to surge, it’s clear that sports fans are ready, football is ready, and America is ready for its first openly gay NFL player.”
GLAAD encourages fans to share their support for Michael Sam by sharing #SamFans graphics on Facebook and Twitter.
In February interviews with The New York Times and ESPN, Sam first stated: “I am an openly, proud gay man.”
In December 2013, The Associated Press named Sam the SEC’s Defensive Player of the Year. He was also selected as one of 10 unanimous first-team all-Americans. He led the Southeastern Conference (SEC) in both sacks and tackles-for-loss and resides in the top 10 nationally in Division I in those categories.
Sam is the among several high-profile athletes to come out as LGBT recently, with others including the NBA’s Jason Collins, the WNBA’s Brittney Griner, NCAA Division I basketball player Derrick Gordon, WWE’s Darren Young, UFC’s Liz Carmouche, MMA’s Fallon Fox, and Major League Soccer’s Robbie Rogers.
In an NFL document released in April 2013, the league described its equal employment opportunity policy as: “It is the policy of the National Football League to provide equal employment opportunities to all employees and applicants for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, disability, sexual orientation or other status protected by applicable federal, state or local law.”
In the document, NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell also stated: “The NFL has a long history of valuing diversity and inclusion. Discrimination and harassment based on sexual orientation is not consistent with our values and is unacceptable in the National Football League.”
The NFL added sexual orientation to its list of protected classes in September 2011.
The NFL has also demonstrated its commitment to inclusion by participating in GLAAD’s annual anti-bullying campaign, Spirit Day. For the past two consecutive years, the NFL has ‘gone purple’ online in a stand against bullying and to show its support for LGBT youth. In December 2013, the You Can Play Project and the NFL announced the ‘High Five Initiative,’ an “effort to create meaningful connections between LGBT youth and leaders within the professional sports community.” Troy Vincent and Dwight Hollier, former NFL players and NFL player engagement executives, visited the Hetrick Martin Institute, the nation’s largest and oldest LGBT youth services organization, yesterday to do just that. The league is also collaborating with You Can Play and You Belong for the second annual You Belong LGBTQ Sports and leadership initiative