As I’ve mentioned before, I have a fascination with COMING OUT STORIES.
So I dug in the crates for these series of clips originally featured on the 2008 Logo Network show, “Shirts & Skins” in which young, handsome masculine basketball player Mike Survillion struggles with the prospect of Coming Out to his Mother.
The short lived reality show featured openly Gay basketball players on the San Francisco Rockdogs team. The Rockdogs are one of many teams that make up the San Francisco Gay Basketball Association (SFGBA), a non-profit organization. Over six episodes we see action on the court, learn about the players themselves and even get cameos by inspirational openly Gay athletes such as John Amaechi and Sheryl Swoopes.
On the show, 22-year-old Mike Survillion is shown to be a masculine, charismatic young man with a killer smile. At only 5’8″ tall and 160 lbs, the Chicago native played the point guard position for the Rockdogs.
According to the SFGBA website, Mike’s still an active part of the Rockdogs and SFGBA community to this day (recent “scuffy beard” pics featured below).
What set Mike Survillion (now a 26 year old Middle School Teacher in San Francisco) apart on the show was not only the fact that he was the youngest of the bunch (22 at the time of filming), but he was also the ONLY CLOSETED PLAYER amongst them. Some of his own fears and hesitations about Coming Out echoed my own, so when I heard the advice he received I have to admit that I thought seriously about making some changes in my own life as well.
Mike’s Coming Out Journey
John Amaechi: “What does a friendship mean if it is with someone who does not ‘know me’. How much is that worth? How heavy is that on the balance scale?”
Sheryl Swoopes: “If I had to do it all over again, I would go back and do it a lot sooner.”
I’m not one to push anyone to come out of the closet, that’s a decision for you to make on your own. At the very least I hope that if you’re on the edge of a decision, our site can help you choose one way or another.
The entire 6-episode “Shirts & Skins” series is available for streaming online at Amazon Instant Video.
– Nick D
Oh YEAH! I remember “Shirts & Skins”! I liked that show and often wondered why it wasn’t renewed. Anyway, I remember Mike’s struggle with coming out to his mom. Like you Nick, I’m technically not out either. (I’ll bet we can compare notes for why we’re not out and maybe motivate each other to coming out…LOL) Seriously, in recent years, I’ve had no problem with telling new friends/acquaintances I meet of my sexual orientation – should the issue come up in conversation or whatever. Other than that I really don’t feel the need to simply tell anyone unless they ask or question some comment I might have made which would give them cause to ask. I also don’t feel the need to just announce or back-track to family and old friends, “Hey, I’m bi, but I lean more towards the gay side” or say some shit like that. I’m sure certain older friends, co-workers, and family members suspect or have always suspected that I’m ay or at least bi, considering that I was married for many years. Well, that would be THEIR speculation, and one which, if they have such thoughts about me, have simply chosen to respect my privacy and sought confirmation on the issue. The only family member I’ve chosen to be open with about my sexuality is my 30 y.o. nephew, who happens to be gay. He seems to understand and support my decision to come-out-in-my-own-time but often he reminds me that at my age (51), no one will really care all that much about who I choose to sleep with and notes that my life would be a whole lot better if I simply be complete myself. So, now that I am divorced and single, I am being more of “myself” – with regard to expressing certain things that I find sexually attractive; but that doesn’t mean I am going to wear my sexuality on my sleeve, so to speak. I have decided however, and I have mentally prepared myself to honestly answer the question of my sexual orientation should anyone (who might be curious) ever directly ask me. This would include my son. I won’t hide or lie about it but until such time (or God forbid, until someone “outs” me – which is highly unlikely), I’ll simply keep living a private life where my sexual activities and pleasures is concerned, with me determining when and to whom I wish to share such with. I see nothing wrong with doing this. Check on me in about two years on this issue and let’s see if I’ve taken the plunge.
I am thinking about coming out after all of these years, but I think everyone knows, but no one wants to accept the fact. It’s really strange. Women and men just don’t accept me being gay. I will move to much bigger city to be accepted. I am tired of the closet. Being in the closet is like strangulation all day long. It’s very stressful that people want to enforce their beliefs and desires on me. That shits crazee. “YOU WANT ME TO BE WHO YOU WANT ME TO BE” Because that is exactly what it boils down to. “BE WHO I WANT YOU BE OR ELSE I WON’T LIKE YOU, OR LOVE YOU, OR CARE ABOUT YOU.” That’s so goddamn silly and reeks of obsessive compulsive disorder. Mike is out. He told his mother and that’s all he needed to do. The rest is history. Today’s young have so much to be thankful for. Gay is so passe’ for them now. They can come out so much easier.
I love mike. I love when we ball against each other in tournaments. He is such an amazing individual and a great athlete. See you in Chicago.