Mixed Reactions to Michael Sam Kissing His Boyfriend After Being Drafted into the NFL
Michael Sam makes history as first openly gay player to be drafted in the NFL
Former University of Missouri athlete Michael Sam is the first openly gay athlete to ever be drafted into the National Football League when he was selected by the St. Louis Rams on the final day of this year's draft. Sam was drafted in the seventh and final round and was 249th of 256 players selected. What really made waves was not the actual news of Sam's drafting but the kiss he shared with his boyfriend after receiving the good news which was broadcast live on national television.
Twitter users came out with a strong show of support for Sam but there was also a large number of criticism both towards Sam and the NFL in general:
@hipsterocracy: People are freaking out about Michael Sam kissing his boyfriend. Umm, gay men kiss other gay men. It's part of it. Get over it.
@DAVIDMDRAIMAN: HOW PATHETIC; The NFL draft is over, but idiots on Twitter are still being homophobic about Michael Sam
@DWStweets: I'm cheering for the @STLouisRams! Congrats to @MikeSamFootball on being the first openly gay player drafted to the #NFL. #Progress
Some netizens did not hold back in showing their disapproval:
@AP_the_GR8: I threw up when I saw that f*g Michael Sam kiss his boyfriend when he got drafted.
@LJPsoinas: I feel like if Michael Sam wasn't a huge jacked black guy people wouldn't be so quick to pretend to support him
@TSims_TheOne: Anyone else feel uncomfortable seeing what unraveled when Michael Sam was drafted?
@BryceShelton1: Now we alllll know that if no-one drafted Michael Sam the NFL would be considered a prejudice league. So many better players than him.....
President Barack Obama, through a Whitehouse statement, congratulated Sam and the NFL on what he considers to be a milestone: "From the playing field to the corporate boardroom, LGBT Americans prove everyday that you should be judged by what you do and not who you are," said Obama.
