Since its inception, Outsports has been at the center of the media’s conversation about male pro athletes coming out of the closet, be it publicly or privately. Next month that conversation will again be addressed at Outsports Pride.
A panel of pro athletes will engage in a conversation about the current state of men’s pro sports, talk about their own experiences in pro sports, examine what various leagues, teams and organizations are doing to help, and share their thoughts on whether today’s debates about gay and bi pro athletes are even valid.
The discussion will be part of the Outsports Pride Summit, being held at UCLA’s historic Pauley Pavilion, June 7, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.
The participants on the panel will include:
- Steve Mason, ESPN Radio host and the panel’s moderator
- Andrew Goldstein, former Major League Lacrosse player who in 2005 became the first publicly out active male pro athlete in the U.S.
- Chris Kluwe, longtime ally to the LGBTQ community and former Minnesota Vikings punter
- Ryan O’Callaghan, former New England Patriots and Kansas City Chiefs tackle who came out publicly in 2017
- Fred Rosser, former WWE professional wrestler
The panel will be preceded by a conversation with gay former NFL player David Kopay, as well as a brief reading by O’Callaghan from his forthcoming book, My Life On The Line: How the NFL Damn Near Killed Me and Ended Up Saving My Life.
You can join us for this conversation and more by registering for Outsports Pride. The weekend features speakers, panels, social events, and even a field day at Dodger Stadium. The Dodgers are the lead sponsor for the weekend. Other weekend partners include the Human Rights Campaign Foundation, GO! Athletes, Equality Coaching Alliance and Homefield Alliance. Inquiries about Outsports Pride can be directed to Cyd Zeigler at [email protected].
