The View from the Outfield

Billy Bean, openly gay former pro baseball player and MLB Ambassador for Inclusion, speaks to Boston Pride about out athletics.

Boston Pride has enjoyed a strong partnership with the Boston Red Sox for the past four years, and this year LGBTQ and ally Red Sox fans will be treated to a truly memorable experience. Prior to the game and first-ever rainbow flag raising over the ballpark, there will be an opportunity for Pride Night @ Fenway Park VIP ticket holders to meet Billy Bean, the only openly gay Major League Baseball player (current or former) alive today. From 1987 to 1995 he was an outfielder for the Detroit Tigers, Los Angeles Dodgers, and San Diego Padres. Major League Baseball (MLB) named Bean as Ambassador of Inclusion in 2014, and recently expanded his role as Vice President, Social Responsibility and Inclusion. Billy Bean took a moment to speak with Pride about his work for the MLB, his experience as a gay big leaguer, and the changing atmosphere for out athletes in professional sports:

Credit: Amy West.

Boston Pride (BP): Please describe your role as MLB Ambassador for Inclusion. What are your duties and responsibilities? Billy Bean (BB): My role as MLB Ambassador for Inclusion is multifaceted. My primary job is to communicate and educate our players about our Workplace Code of Conduct, which states that MLB has a zero tolerance policy for harassment or discrimination based on race, color, religion, national origin, or sexual orientation. My personal story as a former Major League Player, and being the second former big league player in our sport’s 147 year history to publicly disclose that I am gay, is a unique opportunity to speak with each of our 30 clubs (in many different formats, from players, to front offices, minor leaguers, and stakeholders) about the values that matter most to baseball. There is also a tremendous amount of outreach from individuals and different organizations in various communities around the country that want to know where MLB stands on many social issues, and it’s my responsibility to communicate with everyone as best I can.

BP: Do you think that the environment in Major League Sports has changed for the better for LGBTQ players? BB: I can only speak to our working environment in Major League Baseball. If there are LGBTQ players in our sport who have chosen not to disclose their sexual orientation, I’m certain they would tell you the environment is getting better and better each day. (It is absolutely better than when I was a player.) The conversation is still new to some, but I’m very proud of baseball for continuing to lead in the area of social responsibility. Our goal is to help our players be role models to our fans, and understand the responsibility that comes with being a big leaguer. (As of today, we have only one active minor league player, named David Denson, who has publicly conveyed that he is a member of the LGBTQ community).

BP: Are there differences in the way that the different professional sports handle the issue of LGBTQ players who are coming out while a player? Are some sports better than others at this? BB: There has only been one player in the history of the four major men’s team sports who came out while still an active player, and that is former NBA basketball player, Jason Collins. [Collins marched in the 2013 Boston Pride Parade shortly after coming out as gay. –Ed.]

BP: What is the feedback from fans regarding the MLB support of LGBTQ players? BB: Our sport has never had an active major league player come out, so I have yet to listen to feedback from fans in that exact situation.

Only two major league players in MLB’s history, Glenn Burke and myself, ever publicly disclosed our sexual orientation as being gay. However, I have every confidence that our players, management, front office, and fans will be supportive of a major league baseball player when they are ready to share something so personal about their life off the field. We are working very hard to create a culture of acceptance in and around our clubhouses, in our workplace, front offices, and stadiums. Last summer, the majority of support for minor league player, David Denson, when he announced that he is gay was positive. However, he was playing in rookie league ball in Billings, Montana.

BP: Regarding your counseling of Dave Denson, how did that come about for you? BB: David heard of the work I was doing and called the Players Association to ask if they would give him my number. We started talking right away, and over the next four to five months, he made it very apparent to me that he wanted to come out. It was important to me that I suggest he consider every possibility, and ultimately, he was ready, and I know he is very happy with his decision.

BP: Do you get approached by other professional or amateur athletes for help in their own situations of coming out to their peers and families? BB: I get many emails and calls from athletes around the country who want or need some advice, and I am happy to try and help out however I can. Every scenario is different, but just as important.

BP: You wrote a book, Going The Other Way: An Intimate Memoir of Life In and Out of Major League Baseball. Why did you write the book, and how has writing the book affected your life? BB: I wrote that book without ever knowing it would be published. I had buried many terrible memories and choices that I made while I was playing and in the closet, and I believe writing the book was very therapeutic, and allowed me to forgive myself of many mistakes I made. I put it ALL out there in the book and it was a bit overwhelming when it was published and everyone could read it. The book allows people to know the whole story of my career (if they want to take the time to read about it). I don’t worry about being misquoted, because it’s all there in the book.

BP: You will be in Boston at Fenway Park for Pride Night @ Fenway, where the Pride flag will be raised for the first time at this iconic ball field. What does this mean to you and to MLB? BB: I am looking forward to the game on June 3rd in Boston very much. It will be another important example of MLB’s social conscience, and a great day for the LGBTQ community seeing a Pride flag prominently displayed at Fenway Park. It makes me very proud of the Red Sox, and it's another example that our work is making an impact.

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