Today, a historic event in men’s professional sports in the United States has been recorded, as an assistant coach of the Jacksonville Jaguars of the NFL team has made the courageous decision to come out as gay. An act that he hopes will help in the fight for inclusion and acceptance in sports.
Kevin Maxen, strength and performance coach for the Jacksonville team, openly shared his homosexuality in an interview: “It’s time to be able to live my life fully, without having to hide who I am because of fear of other people’s opinions,” Maxen said.
Maxen’s decision has been inspired, in part, by the experience of Carl Nassib, an NFL free agent who also came out as gay in 2021, as the coach admitted that he sought advice from Nassib about the process and hopes that his own confession will help generate greater acceptance and understanding for members of the LGBTQ+ community in the sports world. Well, even today it continues to be a taboo and controversial subject in the world of sports.
Despite having been part of the Jaguars team for the past season, Maxen had kept his relationship with his partner, Nick, a secret for over two years, however, with the unconditional support of his family, friends, colleagues and teammates, as well as the courage and sacrifice of his partner, he finally felt ready to share his truth with the world.
The coach was confident about the reaction that his team may have to his revelation because he trusts that his good sense of humor and his ability to maintain a close and respectful relationship with his players will pave the way for a harmonious coexistence in the team. “I have a really good sense of humor, so with a lot of the guys I can joke around and not take anything personally,” Maxen said.
NFL represents a significant advance in the fight for equality and inclusion in sports, talking openly about their sexual preferences is a reminder to every one of the importance of being authentic and living our lives without fear or shame, hopes Maxen, who seeks to inspire others to accept and embrace their own identity:
“It wasn’t until recently, and with the immense love and support of my family, my friends, colleagues and colleagues, and the courage and sacrifice of my partner, that I realized that I have the right and responsibility to love and be loved and that perhaps sharing this will give someone else the strength to accept their own life and take control of their own story,” Maxen said.
