Gay High School Soccer Star, Now Grown, Running for Office in West Virginia

Five years ago, as a state champion soccer star, then-high school student Michael Martin surprised schoolmates and inspired LGBTQ youth worldwide when he came out by slow dancing with his boyfriend at a homecoming celebration.

Two years after coming out and becoming a celebrity, Martin went on to work for the campaign of an openly gay West Virginia lawmaker, Stephen Skinner, during the 2016 elections. Skinner voted against a bill that purported to protect "religious freedoms," as many bills that take aim at equal rights and equal access for LGBTQ Americans do. Afterward, an anti-LGBTQ organization called the Family Policy Council used Skinner's vote against him in a robocall that Outsports - where Martin published a moving essay in 2014 - called "exploitative" and "transphobic." Skinner narrowly lost re-election, Outsports noted.

Having seen and heard some of the worst that people in his state throw at people who don't happen to be heterosexual - some of that vitriol directed against him personally - Martin remains unfazed and determined to serve his community.

Hence, his October 2 Facebook post announcing that he is running for public office.

"Hello there!" the post begins. "My name is Michael Martin and I am officially announcing that I am running for a seat on the Berkeley County School Board. The election is scheduled for May 12, 2020. This race is not about me or you; it is for the children and the future of Berkeley County, WV."

The post continues:

We have a crisis of teachers and families leaving the eastern panhandle at alarming rates to neighboring states due to school budget cuts and falling standards. As a board member, I will work tirelessly to expand access to quality education, improve our schools' infrastructure, and ensure a secure future for Berkeley County Schools.

As a product of Berkeley County schools, I want to bring a fresh voice and face to the board that we desperately need. I believe it is my time to stand up and make sure the schools are safe, secure, and exceeding state standards.

Text at the young candidate's website tells voters that, "The priorities of the campaign include: fiscal responsibility, quality education, safety, and community involvement."

Outsports interviewed Martin about his candidacy and asked whether he might fear homophobic attacks like the one that derailed Skinner's campaign three years ago.

"I will be surprised if there will be any backlash," Martin said, before adding, "just in case, I am prepared."