President Barack Obama and First Lady Michelle Obama took to Twitter on Monday to voice their support of Michael Sam, the gay college football star who came out on Sunday.
Sam is the latest high-profile athlete to draw attention to the issue of gays in sports, declaring "I am an openly proud, gay man" in an interview that aired on Sunday.
This is not the first time the First Family has thrown their support behind a gay athlete. When NBA player Jason Collins came out last April, President Obama spoke at length on the issue, saying "I couldn't be prouder" of him. Michelle Obama also showed her support for Collins, tweeting at the time "So proud of you, Jason Collins! This is a huge step forward for our country. We've got your back!"
The tweet posted on President Obama’s Twitter account Monday was likely composed by a staffer. President Obama typically signs his own tweets “-bo.”
Sam is an All American defensive lineman and was voted the SEC co-Defensive Player of the Year. He is a legitimate pro prospect and, if taken in the NFL's May draft, would become the first openly gay active NFL player.