Jacksonville Jaguars assistant strength coach Kevin Maxen made headlines on Thursday when he revealed during an interview with Outsports that he is openly gay and is ready to live his truth without worrying about disclosing his sexuality, ever again.
The Jaguars assistant also said he wants to be a vocal supporter of people living the way they want to live, but that he also wants to “just live and not be afraid of how people will react” to his sexual orientation.
“I don’t want to feel like I have to think about it anymore,” Maxen told Outsports. “I don’t want to feel like I have to lie about who I am seeing, or why I am living with someone else.
“I want to be vocal in support of people living how they want to live, but I also want to just live and not feel fear about how people will react.
“For a while I had such an anger for myself and hatred that I thought was from a fear of what others might think about who I am.
“But that wasn’t it. It was an anger and hatred of myself because I put myself in a life where I was living by other people’s rules and not by my own.
“And I was right to be angry at myself for thinking that I had to live in the image of anyone else.”
Inspiring others
Maxen was clear about her immediate future and said he wants to live openly with boyfriend Nick, with whom he’s been in a relationship for more than two years, and hopes to inspire others to be themselves.
“It wasn’t until recently,” Maxen said, “and with the immense love and support of my family, my friends, colleagues and peers, and the courage and sacrifice from my partner, that I realized I have the right and responsibility to love and be loved.
“And that maybe sharing this will hopefully give someone else the strength to accept their own life and take control of their own story.”
