Here’s this week’s list of winners and losers, beginning with some NFL-related Coming Out Day stories:
Winners: Rob Gronkowski, DeAndre Hopkins among NFL players in video for National Coming Out Day
NFL video for National Coming Out Day features gay and bi former players, along with current players showing their support.
Winners: There have been 14 out gay and bi players in the NFL’s 100-year history
The openly gay and bi NFL players have been trailblazers in the league’s 100 years.
Winner: Former NFL player Martin Jenkins comes out, gets nominated to California Supreme Court
Jenkins had a brief stint with the Seattle Seahawks before a career in law. He is now opening up about being gay.
Loser: Seahawks reportedly suspend broadcaster Dori Monson for transphobic tweet
Two reports say Dori Monson has been suspended indefinitely from hosting Seahawks’ pregame and postgame radio shows because of his tweet mocking the transgender community.
Winning Essay: Why ‘coming out’ is still necessary
As we get ready for National Coming Out Day, we reflect on how out and visible LGBTQ athletes provide courage to their peers.
Winners: Here are 15 inspiring Asian and Asian-American LGBTQ athletes who have come out publicly
There are still relatively few high-profile Asian and Asian-American athletes who have come out.
Win by Watching: What’s the best way to come out to your teammates?
Ahead of National Coming Out Day, five out athletes shared their coming-out insights and experiences.
Winners: The backstop for young closeted athletes struggling to come out
As we countdown to National Coming Out Day, The Trevor Project is providing resources to student athletes who are secretly LGBTQ.
Winning advice: 3 coming out recommendations from the publicist who helps pro athletes come out
Howard Bragman has overseen some of the biggest coming-out stories in pro sports.
Winner: Quinn explains the thought process that led to their coming out announcement
A lot of meditation on self-esteem and influence went into Canadian soccer star Quinn publicly coming out as transgender.
Winners: Track athlete’s best friend came out to him. They’re now boyfriends
Joe Hamilton struggled with his sexuality, but has found acceptance on his college cross-country and track teams.
Winner: This gay athlete came out to his high school at an awards banquet in the South
Justin Balthazor waited until he had proven himself with points and rebounds to share his true self with everyone in his basketball world.
Winner: This sportswriter publicly came out as bi so people could ‘name a bisexual person besides Frank Ocean’
Jeff Rueter publicly came out last month on Bi+ Visibility Day.
Winners: Veteran LGBT sportswriters reflect on differences between coming out
Christina Kahrl, who came out as transgender in the early 2000s, says she thinks it would be more difficult to come out today.
Winner: Dr. Bryan McColgan found a gay home in rugby, and so much more
Four years ago, Bryan McColgan wrote his coming out story in Outsports. It ended up being a love story.
Losers: World Rugby sidesteps scrum and issues new ‘transgender guidelines’ that recommend a ban
Although a vote on a potential ban was promised for next month, World Rugby updated its guidelines Friday, claiming “a balance between safety, fairness and inclusion could not be provided.”
Winner: After a landmark year, AEW’s Nyla Rose is ready for another ‘wild ride’
The former AEW Women’s World titleholder champions visibility for trans and other marginalized populations one Beast Bomb at a time.
Winner: EFFY’s Big Gay Brunch promises LGBTQ pro wrestling ‘magic’
‘Street fight realness’ is on the menu this Saturday at EFFY’s Big Gay Brunch.
Winner: As a coach and teacher, Jarrin Williams is a rock in Rock Island
Jarrin Williams is out, proud and emerging as a leader in his school and in his hometown.
Our loss: Remembering trans advocate, blogger and ultimate Houston sports fan Monica Roberts
Today we mourn Monica Roberts, the creator of the award-winning TransGriot blog and someone her hometown newspaper called “Houston through and through.”
Winner: For gay college athlete, law school is his next big challenge
Being Out: Christopher Malpartida made a difference after writing his coming out story, and he hopes to make a larger impact on society.
Winner: Amazin LêThi tapped as an official judge for Formula E’s Open Talent Call
The Vietnamese bodybuilder, personal trainer, and LGBTQ activist will provide commentary for Formula E’s Open Talent Call.
Winner: The San Diego Loyal show powerful resistance from the new school
In walking off, the USL Loyal players walked tall against racism and homophobia
Loser: USL suspends Junior Flemmings for using homophobic slur
Flemmings’ season, much like the San Diego Loyal’s, is effectively over.
Winner: This athlete has navigated being queer and Black in football, the Army and the DC police department
Wilthalrio Coachman has found himself through semi-pro football, and as a police officer with a career in the military.
Winner: Queer college soccer player Henry Bethell has a message: Femininity is OK
Bethell, who was suspended last season for punching an opponent over a homophobic slur, says there needs to be a cultural reckoning in sports.
Winner — Watch: Outsports chat with transgender BMX Olympic hopeful Chelsea Wolfe on Instagram
USA Olympic BMX hopeful Chelsea Wolfe joined us on Instagram to answer your questions about being a trans athlete on a quest for Tokyo 2021.
Hopeful: Caster Semenya ponders appealing her case before a Human Rights court
After being denied by Switzerland’s Supreme Court, Semenya might not be finished running the 800 meters after all.
2 Winners from our friends at Swish Appeal: The Seattle Storm’s unorthodox road to the 2020 WNBA Championship
and:
A fantastic 2020 season raises expectations for the Las Vegas Aces
All month we’ve been counting down our most-read coming out stories. We’re at the top 3:
Our #3 most popular coming out story: Michael Martin, high school soccer, West Virginia
Our #2 most popular coming out story: Former NFL tackle Ryan O’Callaghan comes out as gay
Check out outsports.com tomorrow to find out which Coming Out story was our #1 most-read story!
That’s all for this week! I’ll bring you a fresh list of winners and losers next Saturday. Got a name I missed, or want to challenge my choices? Comment here or on Facebook or Instagram, tweet at us, message me via any social media, or just plain email me at [email protected] Thanks!
