The question if Odell Beckham is gay has led to taunts over the years. Rather than focus on his exceptional football skills, speculators, including other players, have chosen to question his sexuality. Odell Beckham, who has received little open support as he tried to bat away these questions, had seemingly tried everything.
- He tried ignoring the question and focussing on his job instead, which must be difficult with the homophobia he had to deal with.
- He attempted to address the question without alienating fans who are gay. In an interview with Gaytimes, he spoke out against being stereotyped over every small action and said love is love, and he has no issue with anyone’s sexuality.
- Finally, after the Calvin Klein campaign, he was involved in, which fanned the flames again, he said outright he was straight.
Why Do People Speculate if Odell Beckham Is Gay?
Humanity seems to have latched on to Odell Beckham being gay and now see everything he does, taking it as a sign of a homosexual lifestyle. The billboard where he advertised a pair of boxers for Calvin Klein was a sure sign to those who already questioned if he was gay. However, if any other celebrity advertising the same product, they are unlikely to have received the same reaction.
Before this, everything from his bleached hair and smart dress sense was all signs to some people. Before long, this spread to the field, and instead of focussing on football as he wanted, he had to endure homophobic taunts. He’s put up with many of these with little public complaint or retaliation. The exception to this was when he confronted another player and received a one-game suspension.
Does It Matter?
While it might be good for gay men to have a positive role model, it really doesn’t affect how he plays football. So, even if Odell Beckham is gay, it’s not for others to force him to come out against his will. If he wants to focus on playing football and keep his personal life personal, that’s his decision. Who he chooses a partner or to date is unrelated to his career. So, no, it’s not as important as it has been made out to be in the past.
Why Is There so Much Hype?
The attention surrounding Odell Beckham Jr could stem from the fact that only 15 NFL players have ever been openly gay or bi in the past 100 years. Perhaps it’s just unfortunate peeps have latched onto Odell and brought his sexuality into question. There may have been other players they could have bought into question, but it was him.
The impact of anyone coming out as gay in the NFL will always be headline-worthy, which is another reason people may want to speculate and say they always knew when it’s finally confirmed. The problem is that Odell Beckham is likely to be straight, and they have projected this onto him. They either want to be right or have a gay icon to look up to or have someone to criticize because they have other reasons they dislike him. Prejudice happens in all kinds of ways.
Should People Just Stop Questioning if Odell Beckham Is Gay?
Yes. He has been linked to several women, including Amber Rose, Khloe Kardashian, Bella Hadid, and Polyxeni Ferfeli. It’s unlikely he’s gay, but if he is, he’s having relationships with women to cover it up. He doesn’t plan on coming out anytime soon. Speculation can only make people who are gay feel more self-conscious and unlikely to come out. After seeing the reaction, someone like Odell Beckham as a (probably) straight man gets over the possibility of being gay.
It’s also tainted his career. Not because there is anything wrong with being gay, but because he probably wants to be remembered for this as an NFL player. Instead, he has had to deal with the jibes and hints at his sexuality constantly.
Unlikely to Be Gay
So, it’s unlikely Odell Beckham is gay. He hasn’t had a lack of female attention, and he’s had relationships with the opposite sex. He has never come out as gay and has said the opposite when pushed to. While he’s openly supportive of gay people and the LGBT community in general, he seems to be a straight man who has had this speculation attach itself to everything he does. Many people in his situation would have admitted it by now if they were gay. The fact that he’s put up with all this and not make this admission is probably a bigger sign of his sexuality than anything you can speculate from his bleached hair or his underwear.
Ultimately, the only person who can ever know if Odell Beckham is gay is Odell himself.
