Stanford Swimmer Says He Was Kicked Off the Team Because He's Gay

A Stanford swimmer has accused the school of kicking him off the team for being gay.

Abrahm DeVine placed in a number of competitions during his time on the school’s swim team, and was named a National Collegiate Athletic Association champion in both his junior and senior years.

In late 2018, he came out publicly as gay. He stayed on the team, and reportedly had continued training with them after graduating earlier this year.

“There are surface level reasons I was kicked off the Stanford swim team, but I can tell you with certainty that it comes down to the fact that I am gay,” he wrote in an Instagram post earlier this week.

“While I have many specific examples of micro aggressions and outright aggressions that I’ve experienced, homophobia is ultimately much more than an accumulation of experiences. In fact, it is a denial of experience. While I feel like I’ve tried to convey this to many people, many of whom deny any possibility that they contribute it, I’ve started to ask myself: Why is it my job to educate coaches and athletes at the most resourceful university in the world?”

After DeVine initially came out as gay, he praised his teammates as being supportive. However, his sentiment has clearly since shifted, with Instagram stories accusing coaches of trying to intimidate him and “friends turning their backs” after he brought up homophobia he experienced.

The school has denied that DeVine’s being gay had anything to do with his no longer being with the team.

“Abe wasn’t invited back to train with us this fall, as a postgraduate, for reasons entirely unrelated to his sexuality,” read a statement from the swim team coaches. “We take pride in the inclusivity and supportiveness that exists on both our men’s and women’s teams, but we will continue to strive, as always, to improve those aspects of our culture.”

DeVine, however, continues to tell another story.

“Everyone says they support me, and yet, for the millionth time, I am the only one speaking up,” he wrote. “To my coaches who sport the pride flag on their desk, to the athletes who liked my pride photo on Instagram, I need you to wake up to what’s happening around you.”