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January 29, 2014

College Football Team Seeks Unionization; Player Comes Out as Gay 
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In sporting news, two historic firsts have come out of the world of
college football. Players at Northwestern University have filed papers
to become recognized as a union. The players are not seeking a salary
from the billions in revenue generated by the NCAA, but want medical
protections for concussions and other injuries, as well as guarantees on
their academic scholarships. Meanwhile a member of Oregon's Williamatte
University football team has become the first active player to come out
as openly gay. Conner Mertens, who is bisexual, says he went public in
order to help closeted gays avoid feeling stigmatized. Merten said: "I
made the decision that if I could help anyone else avoid feeling the way
I felt, I would."

 

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