T.J. House was invited to witness the passing of historic legislation after the former Cleveland Indians and Toronto Blue Jays pitcher posted an emotional public coming-out message while announcing his engagement to his boyfriend. In light of the passing of the Respect for Marriage Act, House announced his engagement to his fiancé, Ryan Neitzel. “[He] challenges me daily to become a better person,” House wrote in his Dec. 8 Facebook post. “To live life authentically. One who I never deserved but [am] blessed to have.” Following the publication of the Facebook post, House and Neitzel were invited to the White House for the signing of the Respect for Marriage Act. House shared photos and video of him and Neitzel at the event on Instagram, including a picture of the smiling couple standing together on the White House lawn.
“Never in my wildest dreams did I think today would be possible,” he wrote as the caption. “Thank you potus for allowing us to be a part of something so special.” House, 33, is the third former MLB player to come out publicly after Glenn Burke and Billy Bean and the first in 23 years. During his post, House reflected on his struggles with feeling comfortable in his own skin as he carved out a career in MLB. House wrote that baseball allowed him to avoid introspection in one of his most compelling passages. “I have been loved my whole life for what I did as a career, and it carried me for the longest time,” he explained. “Eventually, though, it’s a bandage that covers a wound that needs fresh air to heal…Shame has kept me quiet all these years, but Love has finally set me free.”
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House has posted photos of him and his boyfriend on Instagram for several years. House is pictured with Neitzel in his Blue Jays uniform in a recent post celebrating “eight turns around the sun.” According to House, he was hesitant to come out due to conversations in his personal life. “It’s hard listening to people talk about you without them knowing the words they are saying are directed at you,” he said in his Facebook message. The comments on his public post, which received thousands of “likes,” indicate House has the support of his peers despite his homophobic experiences during his baseball career. Austin Adams, another former Indians pitcher, wrote, “Happy for you, my man!” Adams is still an active player, a free agent who has played with the San Diego Padres for three seasons. During his MLB career, House played from 2014 to 2017 and played minor league baseball for the Chicago White Sox from 2018 to 2020.
