“If you’re ready to come out but can’t find the words, the rainbow can help,” Jordan Rand posted on Instagram in January.
The professional racer and community champion for Racing Pride opened up about her journey coming out as bi in the post, a quick reel showcasing her driving around a track in a rainbow-spangled racing helmet.
“My first step was quietly adding ‘bi’ to my IG bio without saying anything to anyone, then I customized my helmet,” she shared. “These little signals can inspire a conversation.
“Small steps make a big difference. The rest will follow in time. I’m grateful for the community.”
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Her customized helmet made its debut in 2022 when she first shared her official coming out Instagram post and the personal significance behind the rainbow design.
“I haven’t spoken much about my bisexuality on Instagram for 2 reasons. Firstly, I never quite felt ‘gay enough’ to wear the pride flag. Loving both men and women, I was never quite sure where I fit! And secondly, I was worried about embarrassing my family. The religion I was raised with firmly believes homosexuality is a sin, and I struggled a lot to accept myself for who I am.
“I don’t carry any animosity in my heart, only love and thankfulness for the place I’m at in my life today to feel comfortable sharing my experience openly. Which is why this helmet means so much to me! It’s the first time I’m owning who I am publicly and advocating for all the things that are dear to my heart and that make me, me.”
Rand, also a model, has an expansive background in sports, starting out as a competitive figure skater before transitioning to track and field. According to her bio, since taking up motorcycling as a means of getting around after moving to New York for university, she began to train at superbike schools and raced competitively in the ESkootr Championship race.
Repping the rainbow flag has been an important symbol of pride and allyship in the racing world, with high-profile athletes like Lewis Hamilton and Sebastian Vettel both showing their support for the LGBTQ community.
