Jason is one of my favorite players, crazy he is gay, but I could care less. I can recite his entire pokerroad interview by heart just about.

I guess being gay is considered news.

takes a lot of courage, kudos to you Jcarver

Though I think what alot of you are doing is noble, but it just isn't accurate. Today a notable actor Matt Bomer (White Collar on USA) came out as gay. There are hundreds of articles about this on Google News, and it is on almost every major entertainment and news site. If that doesn't show you someone coming out as gay is notable then I don't know what will?

What the community needs to do is be accepting in hopes that more people will be themselves. Jason is alone right now but maybe a year from now a couple more people will come out. Untill it is widely accepted in the poker community. Homophobia in this day and age, is comparable to racism during the civil rights movement in the 1940s. Some people widely accept it, while others are completely against it.

People are beaten and killed every day for being gay. I can coun't on my hand the number of states in which gay people are allowed to get married. We need to applaud Jason for taking the step to come out. What he did is extremely courageous, and hopefully will lead others to do the same.

Congratulations Mr. Sommerville on being yourself!

Look, congrats to Somerville for coming out. I think we all know there are some other pros who haven't come out yet out of fear of being ostracized or losing sponsorships (in the mostly-male poker casino world). One of the things I admire about the generation currently in their 20s is that the stigmas that used to be attached to gayness are almost all gone. There is progress to be admired. I am not gay. And I don't give a crap about people's proclivities.
Live and let live.

Im sure there are alot of gay poker players who are out and have been out(fslexcduck). They just dont make a blog about it trying to be "the first openly gay poker player". Sexual preference has nothing to do with poker, just like it has nothing to do with if you can serve in the military or perform your every day job. No one cares anymore!

You must not play mtts

There was an attack on a gay man in Santa Barbara recently, if it can happen here it can happen anywhere.

look, i'm happy for the guy, don't get me wrong. Not sure what about my reply offended you, I just really don't care about a persons sexual orientation when i'm at the table with them. But that's his personal blog he can post wutever the f he wants obv

As for my point that he isn't the first openly gay "elite professional" or what have you. I'm not sure on what the definition of high profile poker player is (kind of lol'd at that part, this is the poker world not the nba) but 1 example of an openly gay player would be ben fineman. I'm not going to list every gay poker pro i know cuz it's not necessary, but he's not the first to come out by any stretch.

Vanessa Selbst has been out for a long time. I heard a interview awhile ago where she says that she goes to law school so she can help fight for gay rights. I think it was on pokernews or something. I didnt read Jasons blog but im pretty sure he isnt claiming to be the first openly gay poker player. I think OP title should be changed.

Congrats on coming out. It must have took a lot of courage and I'm glad you opened the door for others who will do the same. Much respect.

There is more than one openly gay high profile poker player. Does broadcasting it and reminding people about something that doesn't matter at all mean openly now?

Allen Cunningham, Robin Keston, Ben Grundy, and so many bisexual ones who like mostly men it is unreal. There is a greater % that is gay playing poker than in the avg. population, I know that.

If we are counting people that aren't even high profile like Jason Somerville, than there are literally dozens at his success level in poker out and proud.

Male. Linda Johnson was first LGBT to win WSOP bracelet. I think that is more interesting.

Bit pathetic to debate semantics and the thread title

Just say congrats, nice blog, and move on.

this

When you're a no-name player, it's easy to keep yourself to yourself, and largely these issues never come up.

When you pick up a bracelet and become a "known" face, it's a different story.

While I'm not a poker pro, if I do end up ever making another televised final table, I'd not hesitate to have my partner there rooting next time. I play in a regular game locally, and I don't think anyone knows my sexual preference, but it's really not a big deal for me, it doesn't define me, and it really changes nothing in my poker game. End of.

But, when one gets more notoriety and a becomes a "big name", it's not as easy to keep your personal life as completely delineated and detached. And while some folks say "what's the big f*!&king deal" (and I agree), fact is - sadly, for some folks it really is a problem. I congratulate Jason first and foremost for being a player who has had such great success in just this last year. But I also congratulate him for being one who is comfortable in being open about who is his.

I don't like congratulating people for finally acting normal and trying to get attention for it.

Yes there can be negatives for coming out, but if everyone just acted themselves there wouldn't be these problems. It's a stag hunt game, and people are just being illogical at this point in history.

Courage? Umm, he wrote a blog post about how he prefers men over women.

Let's hold off the Medal of Honor talk for now.

respect Jason!

Jason writes great blogs, his Cake vids are nuts and he has an excellent grasp on fulfilling his happiness. Best of luck.

Proud to be amongst the first to congratulate Jason on being both an excellent card player and homosexual.

Whoa wait, Allen Cunningham is gay? This is highly dubious.

Excellently written blog entry. Kudos to Jason for accomplishing something that I'm sure he has been waiting a very long time to do. Congratulations.

Know plenty of gay poker players. They are as special as you or i. I think i will start a post for my blog as the first openly 'awesome' poker player. Not news.

Pretty clear that Jason didn't do this under any sort of attention-getting pretense.

Nice post, Jason, and props for going through with a tough decision to come out in this field