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referees

Referees, officials and umpires from all sports.

Appalling homophobic abuse of referee gets rugby league talking

Marcus Griffiths recently received anti-gay slurs and a death threat on social media. Former ref James Child, who came out publicly in 2021, says there are issues to address.

This gay hockey referee loves the game. Homophobia tells him the game doesn’t love him back.

Tyler has been the target of countless homophobic slurs and taunts from parents, coaches, players, and even his own fellow officials.

Honorees 31-40: Outsports Power 100, the most influential LGBTQ people in sports

"I look the impact of integrating LGBTQ narratives into sports as my impact," says a sports editor on this list, along with two former Olympians and people from the NBA, MMA, and a college sports.

Honorees 81-90: Outsports Power 100, the most influential LGBTQ people in sports

"You must allow no one to make you feel ashamed of who you are," says a pro referee on this list with an Olympian, a former NFL player and a high school basketball coach.

Ross Forman is a trailblazing out gay voice in professional wrestling

Forman has worked behind the scenes to advance LGBTQ inclusion and is an Outsports Power 100 honoree.

Billy Van Raaphorst is again a gay umpire working the College World Series

Van Raaphorst is a college baseball umpire working western conference who is also publicly out as gay.

England’s 1st out transgender soccer referee is the star of a new documentary

Lucy Clark is a standard-bearer for out trans officials across the world.

Amanda Sauer is the first out pro-football referee

Sauer is now an umpire in the XFL, was a center judge in the AAF.

Soccer referee flees Egypt due to safety concerns after gay rumors surface

Mark Clattenburg has reportedly been on the receiving end of widespread abuse.

NCAA D1 football official Scott Bova inspired by others to come out as gay

Bova has been accepted as a gay man amongst officials, and he wants other gay officials to feel the same.

FIFA referee Igor Benevenuto comes out as gay months before the World Cup

Benevenuto is a video match official in Brazil.

Umpires in Dodgers-Giants game wear Pride hats, likely a first for pro sports

Every person participating on the field at the Giants’ Pride Day - players, coaches and umpires - wore a Pride insignia on their cap.

USFL kicks off with coordinator of officials and umpire who are both out

Steve Strimling and Amanda Sauer represent the community in the USFL.

Steve Strimling will officiate a National Semifinal, the first out gay referee to do so

Strimling will be the referee for the Cotton Bowl when Cincinnati plays Alabama on ESPN.

This gay referee just worked an American Hockey League game, a first for the league

Dre Barone came out in 2015 and continues to be promoted in the sport of ice hockey.

Frank Rossi is a face of D3 football. Oh, and he happens to be gay, too

Rossi has been committed for 25 years to elevating the voices of people in football who don’t get the attention they deserve.