Hollywood Popular Artists

May 29th 2013, 15:37

We're not sure if Ellen DeGeneres likes to play soccer or if Robbie Rogers likes to bust a move in his free time, but the pair has one thing in common: they both broke major ground when they came out.

Rogers, who has been out since February, became the first openly gay male athlete to play for a major league soccer team when he stepped out on the field for the LA Galaxy soccer team Sunday night.

Ellen, who came out while starring on her own TV show, sent Tweeted her support for Rogers:

I'm proud of @robbierogers and his team, the @lagalaxy. What an incredible weekend for acceptance, for sports, and for equality.

— Ellen DeGeneres (@TheEllenShow) May 28, 2013

 

With his announcement in February, Rogers joined the likes of Brittney Griner and Jason Collins who are playing professional sports as openly gay athletes. According to the New York Times, Rogers had some fears about making his debut on the team after his announcement. Instead of succumbing to the pressure, however, the soccer player "received courage from speaking with teenagers who had come out."

If you or someone you know is looking for tips on coming out, check out the action widgets below. If a friend comes out to you, just let him or her know that you'll always be there. We're all just looking to be loved and accepted for who we are, so do your part to support your friends! As for Rogers, if he needs any more encouragement to keep being his awesome self, we'll just point him in the direction of this BuzzFeed post.

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