Insights from the first openly gay HBCU football player

Hampton Univ. defensive back Byron Perkins. Excerpts from 6/15/23 interview

Byron Perkins: “This is who I am, this is who I’ve been, and this is who I’m going to be.”

Perkins: “A happy person is a happy player, so essentially in order for me to be a better football player I understood that I had to . . . be who I was authentically. The play wouldn't get any better if I didn't do that.” 

SportsCenter’s Matt Barrie: “Since you made that decision public, you mentioned your teammates coming around to support you. What has that done to the chemistry within the football program? For a while maybe you thought that they wouldn't accept the real you. Now that they have, how has that impacted the bond that you guys have as a football unit?”

Perkins: “Cohesion has been remarkable. Having that chemistry makes you play that much better on the football field. It gives you the edge on your opponent. It gives you the ability to . . . play more relaxed. I don't think a lot of people understand this but being a relaxed athlete plays a whole nother role as a player.”

Barrie: “What message would you share with others who might be considering coming out?”

Perkins: “I would tell them don't rush it. I would tell them that it's on your time. There's no clock, no precise time. When somebody else does it, that doesn't mean that you have to do it. It’s your agenda. It’s your life, your decision. I would never try to persuade anybody who was in a sticky situation to put their lives or livelihoods or family unit in jeopardy. What I would say is that if you want to live more authentically, if you want to be somewhat of a happier version of yourself, if you want to remove the Band-Aids of what society has said that you have to live by — then and do it – but again, it's on your time.”