In case you haven’t read it yet, check out Steve Buckley‘s column in the Boston Herald, where the Massachusetts native admits that he’s gay.

“But I’ve put this off long enough. I haven’t been fair to my family, my friends or my co-workers. And I certainly haven’t been fair to myself: For too many years I’ve been on the sidelines of Boston’s gay community but not in the game – figuratively and literally, as I feel I would have had a pretty good career in the (gay) Beantown Softball League.

Over the past couple of months I have discussed the coming-out process with my family and a few friends, and have had sit-downs with Herald editor-in-chief Joe Sciacca and sports editor Hank Hryniewicz, as well as with WEEI’s Glenn Ordway. They’ve been great, as have my friends and family.

But during this same period, I have read sobering stories about people who came undone, killing themselves after being outed. These tragic events helped guide me to the belief that if more people are able to be honest about who they are, ultimately fewer people will feel such devastating pressure.

It’s my hope that from now on I’ll be more involved. I’m not really sure what I mean by being “involved,” but this is a start: I’m gay.”

Kudos to Buckley for having the courage to coming out. Hopefully this will inspire more writers (and athletes) to do the same.