June is Pride Month, so on the first day of each week, 2aDays will be highlighting important LGBTQIA+ topics related to sports. For week one, we're highlighting some notable LGBTQIA+ athletes (to be continued next Monday).
Sports are known for bringing out the best in us and this is exactly the case with these notable LGBTQIA+ athletes. These are just a few of the trailblazers, advocates, protestors and superstars that fight for their right to compete, no matter their sexual orientation or differences. They focus on the impact of the sport and how important it is to give everyone the same opportunities to be a great competitor. In no particular order, here are six game-changing LGBTQIA athletes:
Megan Rapinoe
Rapinoe is one of the most outspoken advocates for gender, race, and sexual equality in the professional world. She is a world champion, and an Olympic gold medalist who makes it her point to use her platform to better other people's lives. Whether it is through her kneeling in solidarity with Colin Kapernick, or spearheading the lawsuit to ensure equal pay of both U.S. National Men's and Women's Soccer Teams, Rapinoe is known to make a splash and change things for the better.
Following an intense hip injury, mental health journey, and weight loss, Raven Saunders' stand-out season was nothing short of extraordinary. She came back swinging, winning silver at the 2021 Tokyo Olympics after sharing publicly her struggle with her mental health, and has been extremely forthright in her mental health struggles. She advocates for the importance of support for athletes in their own mental health journeys. She is a warrior for Black queer athletes all around the world who need the mental health support they deserve.
Related: Depression in the Pandemic Made Me a Better Athlete
Michael Sam
Sam made history as the first openly gay draft pick in the NFL but never played a regular season game. Sam talks openly about how his courageous decision to come out before the NFL draft drove him to lose professional prospects and ultimately lead him to retire from the sport despite his promising success in college. Despite many lost opportunities, Sam is revered, to this day, as a pioneer of the many LGBTQIA+ players in the NFL who fear the repercussions of coming out in such a heteronormative and patriarchal institution.
Patricio Manuel
Manuel was the first openly transgender man to box professionally in the United States and win, was booed off the stage from the audience, but he does not let this stop him from seeking out opponents or success that comes with his wins. Using his experiences of racism and gender dysmorphia in his childhood as a driving force to pursue boxing as a stress release, Manuel sees the sport as a symbol of his dedication and his story that will never be turned away from some disagreeing audience members.
A staple name in the modern figure skating world, Weir's unrelenting passion for self-expression gave courage to all that looked up to him. Although not officially coming out until after his Olympic debut, Weir's comfortability within his sexuality allowed him to be seen as a queer icon within the figure skating world. He proclaims that he is unconditionally “Johnny Weir” and anything else after that, shouldn't even matter.
Related: Dealing with Body Dysmorphia as an Athlete
Collins was the first openly gay athlete who played in a major American men's team sport who came out to make the future of basketball more inclusive for those just like him. As Collins was met with some time to reflect following the 2011 NBA player lockout, he soon realized that living his true, authentic life meant embracing his long suppressed personal traits. As soon as Collins came out to close friends and family, he became addicted to the liberating feeling of sharing one's truth.
Stay tuned next Monday for 6 more notable LGBTQIA+ athletes!
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* Originally published on June 6, 2022, by Catherine Light
