Profile feature story edited
Rohle Kevin, a gay, becomes a good swimmer at Adelphi University
20th March 2022
He can outswim you even in his sleep because of his love for swimming within Adelphi
University. He is a member of the Kappa Sigma fraternity and originates from Poughkeepsie, a
city in upstate New York which is a little rough.
The Adelphi swimmer is known as Role Kevin, who is openly a gay and sophomore. “people
think they know everything about me after finding out I am gay, and that is false. They know
very little. There is a multitude of information about who I am,” he said.
Currently, society views gay as usual regardless of different legislative and court policies
fighting against the concept. New York has widely accepted gays; however, gays do not
comfortably step out within the sports sector.
A nursing student within the university said, “It is not easy for a gay to be comfortable because
the society is against it and people will always talk. A gay should stand their ground.” Although
Rohle had many friends and students within the university having his back, he did not always
feel the support.
It was not easy for Rohle to swim as a sophomore in Wappingers Falls, located at Roy C.
Ketcham High School in New York; he always dressed differently. Role felt odd. After all, he
dressed in black and people he used to be swimming with were pushing him away because he
had been confirmed to be gay.
“I never thought people would look down upon me and treat me differently, “Role recalled.
Many of my friends thought that it was not ethical to associate themselves with a gay kid hence
losing many of my friends.” Losing friends to me was regular.
Rohle always wished society would accept him and decided to start swimming to acquire
acceptance. Through swimming, he felt accepted.
Joining swimming taught me that I was good at specific support, and I joined the swimming
team at college and pursued a nursing program in college.
Having a new start within the university was not easy because I was afraid that guys would think
I was going towards them. This feeling made me nervous,” Rohle said.
Succeeding in swimming made Rohle feel comfortable in his skin. This comfortability and
satisfaction were expressed by Rohle when he joined a team and took a leadership role. Rohle
became a good team leader because he brought all the people together regardless of their gender.
Before Rohle resumed the leadership role, the group members were divided according to boys
and girls, and they could not interact with each other. Team members became cohesive under
Rohl’s leadership as they communicated even outside the pool and went out for night movies and
dinners.
My college life revolves around attending classes, swimming and studying,” Rohle said. He
desires to become a travelling nurse regardless of their being individuals who criticize him. “You
need to respect me because I might be a future gay nurse who will be saving your life,” Rohle
said.
Although Rohle has many friends in Aldephi Univerity, other students have not yet accepted
him. One of his friends, Jeffrey Blaine, said, Rohle is like any other dude, and each other
individual treats him as a regular individual regardless of them warming up their friendship.”
Rohle acknowledges that he was glad to join Aldephi University regardless of the many
challenges. “It is difficult for people to accept you when you are gay, but that is who I am, and I
cannot change that,” Rohle said. “I found s beautiful place where I felt comfortable and got
friends regardless of the unnecessary baggage of me being gay. Many of my friends accepted
me,” he said.
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