Support is always needed to make the person have a sense of belonging in society, and the media giving attention to gay athletes is contributing to the success of LGBT social acceptance.

Homosexuals are the majority, and the LGBT community is the minority, especially in sports.

Heterosexuality would be intimidating in athletics to someone of a different sexuality due to the fear of lack of acceptance.

How is one supposed to feel that it is tolerable to be on a sports team as a homosexual when it is completely unheard of?

By having the media give attention to athletes like Jason Collins and Michael Sam, it gives the LGBT community someone to look up to.

Gay professional athletes being public is amazing for the gay youth. Very few of them have a person to look up to or relate to.

They might feel “different,” because they don’t know of anyone who is like them.

In our society, LGBT youth are taught that their only role models are in broadway or acting.

There is such a heavy stereotype that gays are portrayed in one way, and that is a feminine way.

These professional athletes had the courage to break the status quo of sports being dominated by a straight majority.

Now those who are a part of the LGBT community know that they don’t have to feel like an outsider on the team, because someone just like them became successful in sports.

Although the United States has some controversial issues with gays, we are still known as a place where people can be themselves. By having the media hype these athletes, it displays acceptance unlike other countries.

Countries like Russia and Uganda, who have anti-gay laws such as not being able to adopt or in major cases the death penalty, may feel the pressure of the United States’ gay acceptance.

They might feel the need to change.

Publicity in this case is good. It’s acceptable for these athletes to be get special attention because what they are doing is remarkable. It is such a landmark in LGBT equality.

Society is now finally coming closer to being more accepting and understanding of the LGBT community.