Our co-founders make us mighty proud on a daily basis, breaking LGBTQ sports news, introducing us to out athletes, coaches, sports personnel and fans who exemplify our motto, “Courage Is Contagious,” and bringing us all together for special events, even during a pandemic.

Today, the NLGJA: The Association of LGBTQ Journalists, gave us another reason to be proud: the group announced Jim Buzinski and Cyd Zeigler are to be inducted into the LGBTQ Journalists Hall of Fame this weekend.

Buzinski and Zeigler will share this incredible honor with Linda Villarosa, a contributing writer to The New York Times Magazine who covers race, inequality and health.

“Each of our inductees this year represents a unique trailblazing spirit: Linda in her decades-long work to tell Black women’s stories at Essence and in her books, and shed light on the state HIV across the United States, and Jim and Cyd in defying stereotypes and breaking boundaries by carving out a spot for LGBTQ people in sports coverage,” said Sharif Durhams, president of the association, in a statement published online. “These folks have given us something to look up to and aspire toward, and we are proud to recognize their work by inducting them into our LGBTQ Journalists Hall of Fame.”

In 2014, for Outsports’ 15th anniversary, Zeigler reflected on 15 key stories he and Buzinski told. One of Buzinski’s was the discovery that the NFL prohibited the word “gay” or “lesbian” appearing on one of its jerseys; for Zeigler, it was the coming out story of Michael Sam that had an important impact.

Jim Buzinski and Cyd Zeigler at the Sydney Gay Games in 2002

Zeigler, Buzinski and Villarosa join 48 individuals, living and deceased, inducted into the LGBTQ Journalists Hall of Fame. According to the group, each one has left a lasting mark on the profession through their own courage, and their mastery of the practice of journalism.

According to the announcement, all three honorees will be recognized at the upcoming NLGJA: The Association of LGBTQ Journalists Virtual Convention this weekend. Buzinski and Zeigler will participate in a fireside chat during the convention with 2016 LGBTQ Journalists Hall of Fame inductee LZ Granderson at 8:30 p.m. EDT on Saturday.

NLGJA: The Association of LGBTQ Journalists has previously awarded Outsports several Excellence in Journalism Awards, among other accolades over the years, but this honor is a special capper to the hard work Buzinski and Zeigler have done since their first post on Nov. 10, 1999.

Read the full news release from NLGJA: The Association of LGBTQ Journalists

The story behind the LGBTQ Journalists Hall of Fame is here

Check out this 2019 article about how Outsports was founded 20 years ago

Here’s how Outsports marked its 15th anniversary in 2014

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