He came out as bisexual in August to forever remove the fear of being outed.
Ryan Russell once again let his conscience lead him when he joined a Black Lives Matter protest in Pasadena on Thursday.
The 28-year-old NFL player was joined by his boyfriend Corey O’Brien at the gathering, which was inspired by the May 25 killing of George Floyd in Minneapolis.
Making his voice heard: Ryan Russell, 28, marched with his boyfriend Corey O’Brien (left) during a Black Lives Matter protest in Pasadena on Thursday
Ryan arrived at the protest in a black T-shirt that read, ‘Command Respect,’ in red cursive letter.
He also wore distressed gray–blue jeans and red and white Nike Air Jordans.
His boyfriend Corey had on a black tank top with black track pants and white sneakers.
Both men tried to slow the spread of the novel coronavirus by wearing black cloth masks.
Casual: Ryan arrived at the protest in a black T-shirt that read, ‘Command Respect,’ in red cursive letter. He also wore distressed gray–blue jeans and red and white Nike Air Jordans
Safety first: His boyfriend Corey had on a black tank top with black track pants and white sneakers. Both tried to slow the spread of the novel coronavirus by wearing black cloth masks
The two held hands throughout the protest and joined the crowd as they marched through the streets of Pasadena.
Ryan clutched a ‘No Justice, No Peace’ sign, while Corey had written,’ Black Lives Matter’ in block letters.
The protests were sparked throughout Los Angeles and in major cities across the country after 46-year-old George Floyd was killed by Derek Chauvin, a white Minneapolis police officer.
During an arrest, Chauvin pressed his knee into Floyd’s neck for nearly nine minutes, including almost three minutes after he stopped breathing and became unresponsive.
After a multi-day delay, Chauvin was charged with third-degree murder (later upgraded to second-degree murder) and second-degree manslaughter.
All four officers at the scene were fired by the Minneapolis Police Department shortly after video of Floyd’s death was made public, and the other three were charged with aiding and abetting murder and manslaughter on Wednesday.
Taking part: The two joined the protest after more than a week of demonstrations throughout LA that led to nightly curfews and multiple displays of police violence
Important step: Ryan came out as bisexual in August in an essay for ESPN, where he also introduced his boyfriend Corey
On Monday, Ryan shared the Black Lives Matter fist symbol, though with multiple gradations representing different skin tones, along with the blue, pink and white transgender flag and the rainbow LGBTQ flag.
‘PROUD BLACK & BISEXUAL,’ he wrote. ‘MY LIFE MATTERS. BLACK LIVES MATTER.’
The defensive end also referenced the ongoing protests and the fight against racism in a mirror selfie from a week earlier.
‘You may shoot me with your words, / You may cut me with your eyes, / You may kill me with your hatefulness, / But still, like air, I’ll rise,’ he wrote, quoting the late Maya Angelou.
All in it together: On Monday, Ryan shared the Black Lives Matter symbol with gradations representing different skin tones, along with the blue, pink and white transgender flag and the rainbow LGBTQ flag
‘Like air, I’ll rise’: The defensive end also referenced the ongoing protests and the fight against racism in a mirror selfie from a week earlier with a quotation from Maya Angelous
Ryan and Corey have been an item since last year, when the football player met the dancer on a dating app.
In August, he came out in an essay for ESPN and also introduced his relationship with O’Brien.
Ryan is currently a free agent, after sitting out the 2018 season due to a shoulder injury.
If he’s signed again once the NFL resumes operations, he’ll become the only athlete in the NFL, NBA, MLB or NHL to be openly LGBTQ.
Breaking barriers: Ryan is free agent after sitting out the 2018 season with a shoulder injury. If he’s signed when the NFL resumes, he’ll be the only openly LGBTQ player in the major four American sports; shown in November