Busy, busy busy. That’s me lately! Without further adieu, here they are, the winners and losers of the week in LGBTQ sports.
Winner: Trans runner Nikki Hiltz recounts what motivated them to come out
After organizing an LGBTQ virtual 5K run and witnessing several competitors come out, Hiltz decided to become more visible as their authentic transgender self.
Winner: MLS suspends Sebastian Lletget suspended 2 matches for calling teammate a gay slur
Sebastian Lletget has expressed remorse for using the slur and has committed to helping the LGBTQ community.
Loser: MLS cleared Sebastian Lletget to play season opener after publicly calling a teammate a gay slur
Sebastian Lletget was cleared to play in the Galaxy season opener at Inter Miami, according to a source with the LA Galaxy.
Winner: Trans girls deserve to play sports aligned with their gender identity
Kim Brownley, PhD, is the Director of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) and Research Professor in the Department of Psychiatry at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill School of Medicine.
Loser: Caitlyn Jenner is running for governor
The Olympic great will challenge California governor Gavin Newsom in this year’s anticipated recall election.
Loser: That’s quite enough, Caitlyn Jenner. We’re done.
The Olympian turned reality star told me just one year ago she’s not interested in politics. So, what — or who — changed her mind?
Winner: Out wrestler MV Young wants Polyam Cult Party 3 to be ‘undeniable’
‘If I have the ability to make these really big events that feel really big… we can get all these performers to have huge growth.’
Losers: UFC’s silence on Florida’s anti-trans sports bills is ‘deafening’
With UFC 261 set to take place in Florida on Saturday in the shadow of the state’s push for anti-trans sports bills, the promotion remains quiet on the issue.
Winner: Gay college softball player navigates an accepting team and silent family
‘College has been my escape, somewhere I can be truly and unapologetically myself,’ Emma Hoffart says.
Losers: America’s new Olympic uniforms look the way yacht rock sounds
Ralph Lauren decides the image Team USA wants is ‘direct to VHS ski movie villains.’
Winner: NordicTrack will no longer ask this transphobic question
When Erin Parisi’s NordicTrack treadmill asked her “Which is your biological sex?” the out trans athlete turned to Athlete Ally and Outsports for help.
Winner: This is what it’s really like when a gay athlete hears gay slurs uttered by teammates
Brock McGillis suffered for years hearing the very things Kevin Durant and Sebastian Lletget were allowed to say.
Winner: Brazilian volleyball ace Tiffany Abreu shows ‘Impossible Is Nothing’ in new Adidas ad
The first trans woman to play in the elite Brazil Superliga is the first trans woman athlete to be featured in a major ad campaign.
Winner: The Fallon Fox Story: Movie about the MMA trailblazer is in development
Mark Gordon Pictures, along with the creative team behind the acclaimed documentary “Man Made,” plans to tell the transgender pioneer’s story.
Winners: These 2 gay NWSL executives are getting married
Jen Fusci and Amanda Zanghi both work for the Kansas City NWSL. They recently announced their engagement!
Winners: Poll finds vast majority of Americans oppose anti-transgender athlete laws
Most Democrats — and Republicans — surveyed said they oppose trans athlete bans. But the vast majority of GOP respondents said they remain against trans athletes competing according to their gender identity.
Winner: Gay basketball player goes from Christian college to Fire Island
Jallen Messersmith was once told to remove the Pride flag from his dorm room. Now, he waves it all summer long on Fire Island.
Winners: Sabres and Penguins meet in first-ever NHL joint Pride matchup
Pride was on ice in a nationally-televised hockey clash for a cause.
Athlete Ally added their thoughts to this story this week:
Loser: To NBA, a fine is just fine as Kevin Durant returns to the Nets
LGBTQ advocacy groups and LGBTQ fans are not satisfied with the league’s response to KD’s direct message beef with actor Michael Rapaport.
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!
