While We Celebrate Michael Sam, Don’t Forget Sasha Menu Courey
We’re still celebrating today, and we should. Sam is a hero. “Owning his truth” on Sunday meant risking an all but assured third- to fifth-round position in the upcoming draft. While not everyone welcomed the news, the outpouring of support from fellow players, fans and the media signaled the football community’s growing tolerance.
But we can’t lose perspective. As Michael Sam becomes a household name and Mizzou’s football team basks in the glow of positive press, let’s not forget the other reason the university has been making headlines in recent weeks. (Full disclosure: I did my undergrad at Mizzou.)
Less than one month ago, Outside the Lines, the same program that brought this week’s historic interview, revealed how Mizzou failed one of its students, Sasha Menu Courey.
For those unfamiliar with the story, Menu Courey was a former Missouri swimmer who reported that she had been raped in 2010 by a member of the school’s football team. (According to a friend who was on the team, several players were involved in the alleged assault.) The next year, after spiraling into depression, she committed suicide.
The OTL investigation revealed Mizzou administrators failed to take appropriate action to investigate the alleged rape, despite finding out about the incident more than a year ago.
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