Coming Out in Print

Award-winning actors, iconic rock stars, champion athletes, and controversial political figures — all have shared their coming-out stories with The Advocate.

BY Jeremy Kinser

August 23 2012 5:00 AM ET

John Amechi
Issue 981, March 13, 2007
The 6-foot- 10 former NBA center discussed whether he expected other closeted players to come out. Amaechi eventually became a coming-out spokesman for the Human Rights Campaign.

“No, I call on them to try and live more openly, as much as they are comfortable doing and feel safe doing. I call on them not to lie and become [outwardly] homophobic. There’s a temptation there: To try and protect yourself, you become the opposite. But people have to come out to their own comfort.”