' PRIDE

Awards

Esera
Tuaolo
I
I b y A m b e rS c h a d e w a]l d

verybody loves a
man in a uniform,
but you're not al-
lowed to talk about
it if vou wear one.
Esera Tuaolo knows that. A pro-
fessional football player for nine
years, and in the closet for 35,
coming out to a bunch of macho
men wasn't really an option for
him. But when he retired from
the sport, and became a father, it
felt like the only option.
In 2003, Ttaolo becameone of few pro-
fessional athletes ever to announce his ho-
mosexuality.The firestorm of interviews and
television appearancesthat followed kept his
private life public for years afterward.
"The idea of coming out was never in
my vocabulary" Tiraolo says about telling
his secret while still playing football. "But
raising children in the closet is difficult. I
got tired of calling my parrner [the chil-
dren's]uncle. I was taking awayrights from
the personI love-taking awayhis rights at
being a father."
Tiraolo's announcement brought more
lettersof supportthan hate. Families,kids,
sports fans, and people from around the Sitting in his kitchen recently, Tiraolo Tuaolo evenstanedhis own oroductioncom-
world sent their love, thanking him for his looks to be at peace,full ofgood energy:"I pany,Tlvai Inc., to zupponnewlocalta.lent
courage. He read e-mails from children wake up h.ppy," he remarks. As Tiraolo explains, "I keep getting
struggling with their sexuality,as well as Tuaolo's children are 8; his motier is asked if my music or the label is for 'gay'
letters from families whose loved ones had visiting from Hawaii; and, most notably, music.The answeris no. Just becauseI'm a
ended their lives, and farnilies who were his music career has just hit the ground gay persondoesn'tmean it definesme. Peo-
looking for direction and hope. running. A singer since age 5, he always ple don't call themselvesa straight singer.
"It was then that I realizedmy life had dreamed of making his own solo album, Those labelsare holding us all back."
a purpose,"Tiraolo shares,with tearsin his and this spring, his first CD, Esera, was As for the fucure, Tlaolo wants to be
o eyesat those memories. released-part pop-rock, hip-hop, Polyne- able to get married in Minnesota.
Today,Tuaolo travelsthe country speak- sian,and evenJamaican. As Tuaolo puts it, "But really, I just do
ing out againsthomophobiaat schools,col- fu Tuaolo observes,"It's alwaysbeen a what I do, so my kids will grow up in a bet-
leges,organizations, and companies. passionof mine to perform, and now that ter world. Helping peopleis my purposein
Tuaolo states,"My job right now is sav- I'm finished with football and coming out, life. As much as I appreciateit, I don't need
ing lives." it was finallv time." awardsfor things you're expectedto do."I
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Awards
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