DeAndre Levy Comments on Sexual Assault, Masculinity, More in Players' Tribune

Detroit Lions linebacker DeAndre Levy has been part of some of the "funniest, most insightful and honest conversations" in his life in an NFL locker room. Never has the topic been sexual assault. 

Levy's looking to change that.

In a piece Wednesday on The Players' Tribune, Levy implored his fellow athletes to take a public stance against rape and other forms of sexual violence.  

"It’s important for men, especially in a hyper-masculine culture that breeds so many assh--es, to stand up and challenge the values that have been passed down to us. This is not just a woman’s problem," Levy said.

The former All-Pro selection also shared his own experiences dealing with sexual violence. He highlighted a particular instance from his freshman year in college when other students openly talked of "running a train" (a form of gang rape) on a drunken co-ed. He wrote:

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A decade later, I carry guilt for not acting after hearing a story (and many others) that painted a picture of what I would now identify as rape. This speaks to just how toxic and backward the culture around sexual assault still is. I was 18 years old—“man” enough to drive, vote and go to war—but somehow I didn’t have the courage, or the maturity, to see what they were talking about for what it was: a serious crime.

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Levy said this culture is fostered at a young age, with boys taught that showing vulnerability is a breach of their manhood. Levy believes that's ingrained a mentality that has skewed the way men and women interact—a direct link to society's sexual-abuse problem:

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It wasn’t until recently, however, that I really considered what’s being communicated when men say things like this to one another. All of these statements are related to a man showing vulnerability or weakness, which is immediately connected to them being feminine. So taking things a step further, if appearing feminine has all of these negative connotations, how does that affect how men view women on a societal level?

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Levy went on to praise the NFL for helping him see the light. As part of the league's ongoing work to improve its relationship with women, it's offered presentations on domestic violence and sexual assault. Levy said those symposiums have helped him better define what constitutes an act of sexual assault, noting that consent is "when a woman clearly says yes."

The point of Levy's piece is not only to share what he's learned, but to call on fellow athletes and men in general to champion awareness. He hopes people like him can transform sexual violence from being seen as a women's issue to one both sides can work on together and eliminate. 

Follow Tyler Conway (@jtylerconway) on Twitter.