By 1979 they had separated, and in the mid-1980s, he publicly acknowledged his homosexuality.

During this time he also acknowledged his own homosexuality.

In 1996 he publicly came out acknowledging his homosexuality.

He was the first to publicly acknowledge his homosexuality.

At trial he acknowledges his homosexuality but denies the specific charge.

Burke's legacy will be that he was the first and, to this day, the only major league baseball player to publicly acknowledge his homosexuality.

But under the "don't tell" element, there would be restrictions on the extent to which homosexuals could acknowledge their homosexuality.

Edward wanted to spare "Robert's" family - who had never been able to acknowledge their son's homosexuality, even unto death - any possible hurt.

What he didn't expect was that he might be paving the way for them to acknowledge their own homosexuality.