Following the footsteps of Johnny Weir, Griner never felt the need to officially come out–during an interview after being drafted into the WNBA, she expressed that the formality of coming out to the world didn't feel necessary. She accepted who she was and did not feel the need to label herself for others, hoping to inspire young people the courage to live in their own truths.
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Caster Semenya
A track and field star, Semenya is one of the fastest women in the world who is banned from competing. Officials state her participation in women athletics as an intersex person with a higher level of testosterone than most women endanger the integrity of women's sports. Even so, Semenya advocates for herself and other athletes against the medication and alteration of women's hormones to coincide with these regulations and states she just wants to compete.
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Considered one of the greatest female MMA fighters ever, Nunes is also openly lesbian–she is married to another MMA fighter with whom she raises a daughter together. Her decision to come out was inspired by a young fan who told her how open she encouraged her to be. Although she leads a more private life outside of her sport, Nunes is a savage in the ring while still being a symbol of LGBTQIA+ pride.
Trans high school wrestler Mack Beggs was a back-to-back champion in girls wrestling. Once he transitioned and looked to compete in his own league, the pushback alone caused him to retire from the sport entirely. This never stopped Beggs from speaking out against those oppressive forces, as he still advocates for athletic regulations to be more inclusive of the transgender community.
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A literal legend within the women's soccer world, Wambach has always been a strong leader to her teammates and to her fans. In her memoirs, she discusses how numb she felt when thinking her family and friends would love her less because of her sexual identity as a lesbian. Wambach is open about her scared feelings of not being accepted by her own mother, sharing that if she only played well, her mother would accept her. Wambach continues to be a guiding light for LGBTQIA+ athletes who struggle with coming out.
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* Originally published on June 13, 2022, by Catherine Light
