Odell Beckham Jr. Addresses Rumors About His Sexuality In GQ Cover Story
NFL star Odell Beckham Jr. is covering the August 2019 issue of GQ magazine and in the in-depth feature titled “Inside The Mind Of Odell Beckham Jr.,” he addresses rumors that he is gay.
The Cleveland Browns player said that the lingering questions regarding his sexuality don’t offend him. It’s his first time publicly addressing the subject.
“I’ve never had an opportunity to talk about this. Honestly wasn’t offended. I’ve never once had no problem with anybody who has their own personal life that they live. I have friends who are gay,” Beckham Jr. said.
“It was almost more funny to me. I almost messed with them even more. It’s like when someone gives me an ultimatum, I’m usually always going to go to the opposite way of what you want me to go. So when they would say that, I would almost mess with them even more. I have no problem with anyone’s sexual orientation.”
In the story, the interviewer noted that “the idea that someone must be gay — or that being gay is in any way shameful — because they’re dancing or have blond hair seems so small-minded,” and Beckham Jr. seemed to agree.
“Or because they’re ‘close with other men.’ Even like little videos where they see me leaned back or something, they’ll say that I’m looking at a guy’s ass. And I’m like, ‘Bro! You don’t even know where my mind is at.’ It was just a lose-lose,” Beckham Jr. explained.
“They’d see me with a white woman and be like, ‘Why don’t you be with any sisters?’ I have no problem with any race. Love is love. If you’re attracted to somebody, you’re attracted to somebody. There was such a stigma built up, [as though] I don’t like my own women. It’s like, ‘No, I don’t like anybody who annoys me.’ [laughs]”
The wide receiver continued to give examples of various asinine reasons why people tend to question a person’s sexuality.
“So someone can’t be happy, someone can’t be dancing. ‘Oh, he’s always around guys, he’s never around girls.’ I just don’t want you to see what woman I’m with, and I don’t want you in my personal life. I always try to keep my personal life my personal life. I feel like I don’t owe that to anybody.”
In the feature, Beckham Jr. also talks about his love for music, specifically bounce, his ability to also play basketball and golf, grappling with playing in a smaller market like Cleveland, and his happiness, among other things.
