Making it as a professional sportsperson is tough, and blazing a trail as the first openly gay player in a sport known for being homophobic is even tougher.
Gay athlete Michael Sam's selection by the St Louis Rams in the NFL draft, at the end of the final day, is a hugely significant moment in sports history.
For sure, we've had gay athletes come out while playing a variety of sports but these athletes don't tend to be males involved in professional high-profile team sports known for their machismo.
Most players who finally come out of the closet, do so when they've hung their playing kit up for good.
Players such as Ian Roberts (rugby league), Derrick Gordon (college basketball), Jason Collins (NBA) and now Sam are slowly but surely changing their worlds, but the reaction to Sam planting a celebratory kiss on the lips of his male partner indicates change is anything but a straightforward process.
People tend to accept change if it is progressive and subtle, so the reaction to Sam's signing was very diplomatic and reserved.
That is, until Sam planted a kiss on boyfriend Vito Cammisano's lips for all to see.
For some, that was a little too much change all at once.
Is labelling yourself ''gay'' tolerable but demonstrating it with a kiss a step too far?
Sam was extremely emotional when he was drafted, and fair enough.
What he has achieved as the first openly gay player in the NBL should not be under-estimated.
He not only achieves his goal of becoming a professional athlete in the sport he loves, but he also gets to open the closet door for potentially other gay athletes to do the same.
His emotional reaction and response to the news was justified and the negative reaction ''that'' kiss created is a normal part of rocking the boat.
What is the point of change if it doesn't ruffle a few feathers through Twitter and the like?
Former Super Bowl champion Derrick Ward reacted by suggesting Sam is ''no bueno'' or ''no good''.
Don Jones, from the Miami Dolphins, tweeted ''horrible'' and ''OMG'' after the kiss was aired, and has been ordered to pay an undisclosed fine and undergo training in how to engage with social media.
Ward and Jones are entitled to their opinions, and they obviously felt strongly enough about the kiss to share their thoughts with the world.
Their reactions probably reflect those of many to the show of affection between two men in a non-sporting context.
That is OK. Change takes time, and sometimes creating change requires our assumptions to be challenged.
Michael Sam could have played it safe and asked Cammisano to stand away from him and out of camera shot.
But that diminishes the importance of the occasion and it would be bizarre not to share the jubilation with loved ones.
How many demonstrative athletes have we seen searching out their loved ones in the crowd to embrace and kiss in their moment of glory?
I can think of several golfers, tennis players and Olympians who have done this with little negative response.
If these normal acts of celebration are kept hidden because they challenge our values, has there really been any progress?
Sam took a risk with this open expression of affection, which appeared more spontaneous than staged.
What a brave man.
Isn't someone who is willing to take risks and stand up for what they believe in someone you'd want on your team?
The kiss has placed Michael Sam's sexuality centre stage for all to see and judge.
It wasn't a figment of the imagination. He is gay.
He is a long way down the list of preferred players, and it will be a hard task for him to fend off the doubters and nay-sayers in an attempt to assert his playing ability.
Now that another barrier has fallen, it's time for Michael Sam to place his playing ability centre stage for all to see and judge.
