Happy 45th Birthday to Billy Bean!

It’s been 11 years since former major league baseball player Billy Bean came out of the closet with a heart-breaking memoir Going the Other Way. He did an interview with Diane Sawyer that I was watching while at the Gold’s Gym in Long Beach, got off the elliptical machine to completely focus on what Billy was saying.

I’ll never forget it because as he cried on the air, I also wept in a way that I prefer not to do publicly. He was telling of how he was playing for the San Diego Padres as a closeted young man and his lover died unexpectedly. Billy could not mourn him for fear of being outed and it took an emotional toll that resulted in his baseball career ending prematurely after 12 years in the major leagues.

Billy, who turns 45 years old today, came out after his playing days but is still one of the very few former pro athletes to do so. He’s gone on to have a successful real estate career, plays serious competitive tennis and has remained in the spotlight as a public speaker telling his story.

I’ve met Billy on several occasions – including at the 2004 National Lesbian and Gay Journalists Assn conference (pictured, left) – and talked to him about his story. We also did an interview two years ago for an article on  Coming Out Day.

“For the most part I’d say 100 percent of the experiences people have shared with me, they always say their lives greatly improved once they did it,” he said. “None of us start in the same place and time. It’s showing people that you can live a life that is complete and full in an honest and open way.”

On his own coming out: “It was just really empowering…When I was in a position emotionally to make it happen, .the relief of living honestly and being able to give my family and friends and people who care about me the opportunity to know me completely, I just became so much closer to them.”

On gays and lesbians coming out younger these days: “I think kids at this generation are light years ahead of where we were. They are so much more aware because of the Internet and blogs. We had to interact face to face which kept us from doing that. They are so much more progressive in so many ways.”

On professional athletes being out: “We just have to embrace the few images that we have and keep building positive images to create a more diverse group of people. As their lives allow it, it will just keep happening. Slowly, but it will.”