Odell was asked a question, so I am not going to knock him for answering the questions.
I will say they were trash questions because the same people he says are criticizing him are the ones who stand up for him when the mostly white mainstream media come at him. You have to balance those questions out by pointing out the positive of black media, because when he was bring criticized for doing interviews with Lil Wayne and hanging out on yachts in before playoff games it wasn’t the white media coming to his defense.
It is the mainstream media who routinely set him, but not surprising it is the black media who gets the blame.
Here is what he had to say via GQ.
There was a period of time when a lot of gossip sites—specifically black gossip sites—would constantly say that you were closeted. They’d call you “excited” in a hot-tub photo with your teammates or simply just say you’re gay. How’d that make you feel?
I’ve never had an opportunity to talk about this. Honestly wasn’t offended. I’ve never once had no problem with anybody who has their own personal life that they live. I have friends who are gay. It was almost more funny to me. I almost messed with them even more. It’s like when someone gives me an ultimatum, I’m usually always going to go to the opposite way of what you want me to go. So when they would say that, I would almost mess with them even more. I have no problem with anyone’s sexual orientation.
I feel like posts like that only contribute to homophobia in the black community. The idea that someone must be gay—or that being gay is in any way shameful—because they’re dancing or have blond hair seems so small-minded.
Or because they’re “close with other men.” Even like little videos where they see me leaned back or something, they’ll say that I’m looking at a guy’s ass. And I’m like, “Bro! You don’t even know where my mind is at.” It was just a lose-lose. They’d see me with a white woman and be like, “Why don’t you be with any sisters?” I have no problem with any race. Love is love. If you’re attracted to somebody, you’re attracted to somebody. There was such a stigma built up, [as though] I don’t like my own women. It’s like, no, I don’t like anybody who annoys me. [laughs]
You’ve talked a lot about media being unfair. Does it hurt worse when black media sites are unfairly critical of you?
Yes, it makes it worse when it comes from the black community. I feel like everything is a double standard. You want us to support the black community, and then you go out and bash black people for being happy. So someone can’t be happy, someone can’t be dancing. “Oh, he’s always around guys, he’s never around girls.” I just don’t want you to see what woman I’m with, and I don’t want you in my personal life. I always try to keep my personal life my personal life. I feel like I don’t owe that to anybody.
These are loaded questions, which are really unfair and never speak to how the black community has embraced Odell even when others have not.
It is unfortunate the interviewer didn’t point that out and made it seem very one-sided.
Flip the page for Odell in GQ.