Page 84 of Full Split
“ForSports Unleashed. I got that much,” Wyatt says, sounding largely unimpressed. “It’s nice to meet you, officially. You’ll have to excuse me for being a little protective of these two.”
“Considering the bullshit the media is putting them through right now, I don’t blame you. And I don’t blame you,” Mik says, directing his attention to me, “for not accepting any interviews outside the arena. It’s the safest strategy right now.”
“Weren’t you trying to get an interview with him a few months back?” Wyatt asks, narrowing his eyes at Mik. I can’t decide if I want to laugh about his grumpy bear routine or swoon because he no doubt remembers how excited I was that an influencer I follow reached out to me.
“I said what I said,” Mik says, laughing. “But also, I know my end goals. You can’t be sure of that, so caution is best.”
“And what are your end goals?” Rina asks. “Considering you asked Shane and I to both interview, and as the only other out gymnasts on Team USA, I think it’s a good idea to know for sure.”
“To change the narrative,” I answer for him. I truly believe that’s what he’s trying to accomplish. Everything he’s done so far has backed that up. If I were going to do an interview outside of official competition press conferences, it’d be with him.
“And it’s working,” Mik’s son says. “Even after the current administration started their anti-LGBT tirade, participation in Pride events didn’t change this year, despite more publicity for negative feedback.”
“The keywords being more publicity,” Mik says. “Because society as a whole is still on the side of diversity and inclusion, but the people currently in power are trying to sway public opinion by suppressing positive responses and putting a microscope on the negative. So when organizations like the NFL, MLB, and NBA are still hosting Pride Night and putting out Pride merch, it’s notonly a big middle finger to the politicians trying to drive division, it’s an indicator that we can and are still moving forward.”
“Isn’t all of that crap kind of performative, though?” Brandon asks.
“It certainly can be, but there’s value in performance,” Mik answers. “Optics are important. Increased visibility and acceptance, especially in male-dominated or historically conservative spaces, has a positive influence on society as a whole. It’s a signal of allyship, which helps build safer spaces and encourages education and policy change on teams and workplaces. Plus, a lot of money gets donated to LGBTQ+ youth programs from the boost in revenue.”
“And it encourages the next generation of athletes,” I say. “Close your eyes and think about your idols. The athletes or professionals you look up to, that made you want to push yourself this far. How many of them have something in common with you? How many of them have overcome odds or beat the system? How many of them shattered glass ceilings built with panes of a society meant to keep them down?”
“Athletes and celebrities alike are role models, for better or for worse,” Jason says.
“Yeah,” Jace says. “If there’s a scrawny ginger gay boy out there who wants to play rugby, he has someone to look up to, because my uncle has a platform. A largely naked platform, mind you—Oof?—”
We laugh as Jason wraps a beefy arm around Jace’s neck and gives him a noogie until Jace yells, “Uncle!”
Mik laughs and shakes his head at his son and husband’s antics
“Right now,” he says, “you all have the platform. You have the opportunity to encourage an entire generation of kids that might see themselves in you, as well as the opportunity to influence an entire society of people to respect people who might not look, think, live, or love the way they do. You are the role models now.”
“And we need to be the role models we needed most.”
“I can’t believe I got to meet Mik Reinier-Sanders.”
I’m scrolling through all the selfies we took in the lobby.
“I’m surprised you weren’t more excited to meet his husband,” Wyatt says as he closes the door behind us.
“Why?”
He raises an eyebrow. “You know why.”
Of course he’s seen my photo-collage. It’s been growing since junior high.
“Look, it’s not my fault eighteen-year-old me needed a distraction. Do you remember the day my mom had to leave for a work trip right after I had my top surgery, and you had to come over and empty the drainage tubes for me?”
He cringes, which proves my point about how gross and terrible it was.
“Yeah, exactly,” I say. “That was the same week that article inThe Scenecame out, and it made me feel better about myself.”
“Should I go thank him? Ask for a pair of his underwear signed for you?”
“I mean… would you? Because that could be?—”
I barely choke back what was sure to be a very dignified, high-pitched squeal when Wyatt smacks me on the ass so hard it echoes off the walls. Before I can get my bearings, he pulls me into his chest and squeezes my ass, right over the sore space he just smacked. It throbs in the most delicious way.
“Aww, are you jealous, Daddy?” I coo, reaching up to push his hair back.
