NFL player R.K. Russell says we can end bi erasure once & for all by invoking… sports?!
The ex-NFL vet says sports culture is queer culture.
Mark
The next time you hear somebody make a snide remark about bisexuality, point them to the nearest football field or basketball court. Because there, in those perceived cathedrals of traditional masculinity, going both ways is celebrated.
Former NFL player R.K. Russell, who publicly came out as bi in 2019, explains how sports jargon can be used to counter bi erasure, the rejection of bisexuality as part of the LGBTQ+ spectrum.
He presented his case on TikTok.
How about we take this to the next level?
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“In some of the terminology we use, especially as a bisexual man, I’ve often heard, ‘Do you go both ways?’ A term that was first introduced to me in sport and athletics,” he says. “Think about LeBron James, who in the prime of his career was both a devastating defender and an offensive force to be reckoned with. I.E., playing both ways.”
Arguably the greatest of all-time, LeBron is a beast on both sides of the ball, just like Michael Jordan. In his prime, he would suffocate opponents on the defensive side and then plow through hapless defenders on the other end for an easy two.
If LeBron only focused on one part of his game, the 4-time NBA champ would’ve been viewed as limited. To be the best, one needs to be an all-around star.
Football works differently, with the vast majority of players sticking to offense or defense. But those who play both sides are celebrated as part of the game’s lore.
The same can be said for baseball. Babe Ruth’s legend is augmented by the fact he was a great hitter and pitcher. Today, Los Angeles Dodgers star Shohei Ohtani has revolutionized the game with his two-way skills, landing the largest contract in pro sports history to boot ($700 million).
In this year’s NFL Draft, No. 2 overall pick Travis Hunter was lauded for his skills as a wide receiver and cornerback.
He says he plans to play both positions with his team, the Jacksonville Jaguars.
Russell gave Hunter a shoutout in his monologue.
“For younger athletes, we can talk about Travis Hunter, the defensive back/receiver for Colorado who went in the top 10 in this past year’s NFL Draft,” he says. “His versatility and ability to play both defense and offense upped his value as a player.”
@rkrelentless Sports culture is queer culture. If going both ways is elite on the field, it should be celebrated off it too. Bisexuality is strength, versatility, and heart.
♬ original sound – R.K. Russell
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Building off Russell’s point, versatility is celebrated in many spaces, including gay culture. Vers kings, for example, are revered for their rejection of the top-bottom binary.
People who reject the sexual binary, however, tend to encounter pushback. A recent poll found that 40% of bisexuals report feeling invisible in queer spaces.
When it comes to representation, there is a definite dearth of out bi figures, despite over half of LGBTQ+ people identifying that way.
And the celebrities who do identify as bi are mostly female. Many of them brought their boyfriends to Pride this year…
Russell and his boyfriend, comedian Corey O’Brien, are becoming Hollywood’s newest queer power couple. But if Russell were dating a woman, his status as an out ex-athlete would probably be more contested.
If only the broader queer community could be as tolerable as football coaches!
“For sports culture and queer culture, I want ‘going both ways’ or being bisexual or pansexual or loving in multiple ways to be see as valuable, as added paint to the diverse canvas that is our society,” Russell says. “Next time you think about a bisexual person going both ways, think of them as the All-Star of a team. Think of them as LeBron James or Travis Hunter or R.K. Russell.”
As a motivational speaker and author of two books, Russell, the first out bi player in NFL history, is certainly an All-Star in our eyes!
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“I think in male sports, specifically in football, if you come out now, you’re before your time. Carl Nassib is before his time. I haven’t seen anyone [come out] since he did.”
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