Argos would embrace gay teammate

Football players come out in support of gay rights ahead of Grey Cup

Two members of the Toronto Argonauts football team say they would welcome a gay player to their locker room.

Xtra chatted with offensive lineman Joe Eppele and wide receiver Mike Bradwell during practice two days before their Nov 18 Canadian Football League playoff win against the Montreal Alouettes.

“We have a very welcoming locker room,” Eppele said, acknowledging that it will still be hard for the first openly gay professional football player. “There are gay and lesbian athletes out there; they probably just don’t feel comfortable at the moment to come out.”

Eppele said a “stubborn jock mentality” persists in the sport.

Bradwell agreed, noting that while he’d support a gay teammate, “I can’t lie and say it would be easy.”

Check out Xtra‘s video interview with Eppele and Bradwell.

Read the full story here.


On occasion, the number of editors and other staff who contribute to a story gets a little unwieldy to give a byline to everyone. That’s when we use “Xtra Staff” in place of the usual contributor info. If you would like more information on who contributed to a particular story, please contact us here.

Read More About:
Culture, Video, News, Sports, Toronto, Europe

Keep Reading

Urania, a feminist journal from the 20th century that challenged the gender binary.

The 20th-century journal that challenged the gender binary

From 1916 to 1940, “Urania” imagined a world beyond gender—and documented feminist movements around the globe

U.S. Supreme Court blocks California policy protecting students from forced outing

The ruling is the latest case to tackle parental rights and religion in public schools

What the Barry Neufeld tribunal ruling means for trans rights in Canada

A former Chilliwack school trustee has been ordered to pay $750,000 after years of anti-LGBTQ2S+ posts
A side by side of drag king and lesbian performer Gladys Bentley and a flyer for one of her shows

The drag king provocateur of the Harlem Renaissance

Gladys Bentley was a beloved and successful gender outlaw, but the world would ultimately fail her