Pride flag raised at Hamilton city hall

(Updated)

The rainbow flag is flying over Hamilton city hall — as more cities across Canada join in solidarity against a controversial anti-gay law in Russia. The move comes as an athlete south of the border does what no other player in the NFL has done before.

The rainbow flag is flying high at Hamilton city hall after a few delays.  Cities like Toronto and Burlington have already raised their flags to show support. The rainbow flag will continue to fly for the entire Sochi Olympics in response to a Russian law considered anti-gay.

Hamilton Mayor Bob Bratina: “It’s not just about Russia, but because it’s the Olympics it’s worldwide. I think it’s a powerful message.”

The flag is the internationally recognized symbol of gay equal rights. LGBT activist Deirdre Pike says the decision to fly it across the country is one that is needed: “The more that we out this kind of thing the better it will be. I see people tweeting ‘oh when why does this have to be a news story’. It has to be a news story because people are getting beaten up for being for being gay/lesbian/bi/transgender, in Hamilton and in Russia.”

As Canadian cities across the country show support for the LGBT community, one American football player is tackling the issue of sexual orientation head-on.

“I’m Michael Sam I’m a college graduate, I’m African-American and I’m gay.”

Michael Sam is a defensive lineman for the Univeristy of Missouri football team. He was named a first all-American and defensive player of the year in the South Eastern Conference. But Sam now enters an uncharted area for an active athlete: if drafted, he could be the first openly gay player in the National Football League.

“Hopefully players will see that they don’t judge me by my because I’m gay. ‘Hey this person works hard, can he win us games, can he win us a championship?’ I can.”

Currently, there are no publicly gay male athletes in the NFL, NBA, NHL, or MLB. Hailey Milligan is the co-captain for the women’s basketball team at McMaster University and a student leader for a project that aims to open a dialogue in the sporting community about sexual orientation:  “I think that as a young gay athlete who hasn’t quite determined his career yet, this is a huge step to be able to pull along some athletes. If you can see it, you can be it. why cant you be a gay proud athlete?”

Milligan says even though there are openly gay athletes already, Sam’s story is definitely inspirational:  “I think that for me, just thinking about from where he’s going the battle isn’t over yet. I think there is still a long way to go, but it’s very inspiring and for somebody plays athletics to be able to see somebody so strong and who they are before their career is established is very inspriational.”

Additional video: Elise Copps interviews Hamilton Mayor Bob Bratina

Additional video: Elise Copps interviews Deirdre Pike of the Social Planning & Research Council