This work week may have been one day shorter for many because of the Martin Luther King, Jr. Day holiday but a lot happened in these last seven days, and there was also sports. Here are this week’s LGBTQ sports winners and losers.
Out Winner: Hig Roberts says life is ‘gentler and easier’ since coming out as gay last month
I’m breathing again,’ the skier says of his newly out life and the widespread acceptance he’s seen.
Loser: Lions head coach Dan Campbell issues new apology for making anti-gay remark in college
Campbell’s comments were first unearthed by a reporter with his own history of homophobic tweets. While the apologies are welcome, we brand Campbell and the Detroit Free Press reporter as losers until we see them working toward becoming better examples for young people by actively fighting homophobia.
Gridiron Winners: These 39 current NFL players have all played with an out gay teammate
Players on 22 NFL teams have already had an out gay teammate, including six players with the Arizona Cardinals.
Mourning Our Loss: Hank Aaron embodied what athletes endured to fight for a better world
Aaron will forever be associated with home runs and social justice. When those two worlds collided, with society at its ugliest, he persevered and emerged a hero.
Video Winners: LGBTQ athletes launch TikTok campaign for Sports Equality
Sports Equality Foundation launched a TikTok account in partnership with Outsports to encourage LGBTQ athletes to be their true and authentic selves. Click here to see the videos!
Loser Misses A Step: Gay former Olympian Colin Jackson turned down dancing with same-sex partner on hit British show
Jackson says he “gets on better” with women.
Election Winner: President Biden’s pro-gay rights executive order offers federal support for trans athletes
On day one of his presidency, Joe Biden clarifies that the Supreme Court’s anti-discrimination ruling allows trans athletes to compete according to their gender identity.
Opinion Winner: A Letter To President Biden
A transgender American’s challenge to, and hopes for, the new administration in Washington, D.C.
Winners Fire Loser: Mets firing GM Jared Porter is good for MLB and for all women
Sexual harassment has no place in baseball or any workplace, and believe me: if queer women want to see your dick pics, we’ll ask.
Queer Winners: What does it mean to be queer? Let these college athletes explain
Young LGBTQ athletes are reclaiming the word “queer,” and pushing back against labels.
Big Sky Country Losers: Montana’s anti-trans bill faces staunch opposition in hearing
The ACLU helped lead the opposition to HB112, which has been dubbed a ‘carbon copy’ of Idaho’s anti-trans legislation.
Young Winner: Trans teen Bobby Jones came out, stood out and spoke out for inclusion
A soccer-mad trans teen in soccer-mad Seattle made one of the great plays in sports in 2020 by pushing a youth league to become more open.
Winners In The Ring: Out wrestler Kiera Hogan and Tasha Steelz win Impact Wrestling Knockouts Tag Team titles
Hogan and Steelz’s victory makes them the first to hold Impact’s women’s tag team titles in nearly eight years.
Winner Drops Loser: Ralph Lauren dropping Justin Thomas isn’t ‘cancel culture,’ but it’s also not a solution
The iconic fashion brand cut ties with Thomas after he dropped an anti-gay slur at a PGA Event.
Gamer Winner: Out WNBA champion Aerial Powers signs with esports organization Team Liquid
Powers will chair the esports behemoth’s Diversity and Inclusion Task Force.
Dad Winner: Gay MMA coach and a champion wrestler wins toughest battle by coming out
Chris McLeod fought his sexuality for years in an unforgiving sport, but now is determined to help others reach their potential.
Gay Rugger Winners: New ‘Steelers’ documentary profiles barrier-breaking gay British rugby club
Premiering next month, “Steelers” showcases how LGBTQ players and coaches are finding community in rugby.
Join These Winners: LGBTQ inclusion conversation for Super Bowl weekend, and you can be part of it
Esera Tuaolo and Hate Is Wrong host conversations and a celebration about LGBTQ inclusion, around the Super Bowl.
That’s all for this week! I’ll bring you another 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!
