LGBTQ+ Athletes

From gold medalists and world champions to professional athletes and coaches, the LGBTQ+ community has a rich history in the world of sports. Here are just a few LGBTQ+ athletes who have greatly impacted and dominated their sport.

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Alana Smith

Skateboarder Alana Smith was the first openly nonbinary person to represent Team USA.

Gus Kenworthy

Olympic skier Gus Kenworthy came out as gay on social media in October of 2015.

Michael Sam

In 2014, Michael Sam was the first openly gay man to be drafted into the NFL.

Carl Nassib

Carl Nassib became the first active NFL player to come out as gay in 2021.

Ryan Russell

Ryan Russell became the first openly bisexual person in the NFL and in any major professional league when he came out publicly in an essay for ESPN in August of 2019.

Ryan O'Callaghan

Former American football offensive tackle Ryan O'Callaghan came out as gay after retiring from the NFL.

Roy Simmons

Roy Simmons, an offensive guard for the New York Giants and the Washington Redskins in the early 1980s, revealed he’s gay during an appearance on The Phil Donahue Show.

David Kopay

David Kopay, an NFL running back who played for five teams in the 1960s-1970s, was the first professional team-sport athlete to come out in 1975.

Stefanie Dolson

Stefanie Dolson is openly LGBTQ+ and helped Team USA score gold in women’s 3x3 basketball.

Jason Paul Collins

Jason Paul Collins was the NBA's first openly gay player.

Sheryl Swoopes

Sheryl Swoopes was an openly gay woman in the WNBA.

Luke Prokop

Luke Prokop is the first player under contract to an NHL team to come out as gay.11

Brock McGillis

Brock McGillis, the first openly gay pro hockey player

Megan Rapinoe

Soccer star Megan Rapinoe is openly gay.

Robbie Rogers

Robbie Rogers was the first openly gay soccer player in a professional league.

Billie Jean King

Professional tennis player Billie Jean King came out in 1981.

Renee Richards

1970s professional tennis player Renée Richards was one of the first transgender athletes.

Bill Tilden

1920s professional tennis player Bill Tilden won the men's singles title at Wimbledon and was openly gay.

Martina Navratilova

One of the greatest female tennis players of all time, Martina Navratilova publicly revealed that she’s a member of the LGBTQ+ community during the height of her career.

Patricio Manuel

Patricio Manuel became the first openly transgender professional boxer.

Orlando Cruz

Orlando Cruz became the first openly gay man in boxing.

Fallon Fox

Fallon Fox is the first openly transgender professional MMA fighter.

Laurel Hubbard

Laurel Hubbard is set to become the first transgender Olympic athlete as a 43-year-old weight lifter from New Zealand.

Glenn Burke

Glenn Burke is often credited with being the first gay man in the MLB.

Sean Conroy

A pitcher for the independent Sonoma Stompers, Sean Conroy became the first professional baseball player to come out publicly while still active, in June 2015.

Billy Beane

Billy Bean is one of the first to publicly come out as gay in the MLB.

Jason Burch

While Jason Burch first came out to a teammate on the minor league Bowie Baysox in 2008, he did not publicly reveal his sexuality until 2015.

David Denson

David Denson was the first active baseball player to be openly gay.

Danell Leyva

Olympic gymnast Danell Leyva came out in 2012.

Bob Paris

Bob Paris, the winner of Mr. America and Mr. Universe bodybuilding titles, came out in 1989 during an interview with Ironman magazine.

Tom Waddell

Openly gay Army physician Tom Waddell placed sixth in the 1968 Olympic decathlon.

Caitlyn Jenner

Caitlyn Jenner came out as transgender almost 40 years after winning gold at the Olympics.

Tom Daley

Tom Daley won gold in the men’s synchronized 10-meter platform and said he felt “incredibly proud to say that I am a gay man and also an Olympic champion.”

Amini Fonua

Tongan swimmer Amini Fonua is openly gay and represents a country where homosexuality can be punishable by a 10 year prison sentence.

Bruce Hayes

Bruce Hayes, an Olympic swimmer who won a gold medal in 1984 as a member of the 800-meter freestyle relay, comes out publicly in 1990.

Greg Louganis

Openly gay Greg Louganis is frequently called the greatest diver of all time.

Johnny Weir

Johnny Weir is an Olympic figure skater, and he's openly gay, publically coming out in 2011.

Adam Rippon

Adam Rippon, a figure skater, was the first openly gay American to qualify for the Olympics.

Matthew Hall

Matthew Hall, a figure skater on the Canadian National Team, came out in 1992, following the AIDS-related deaths of Canadian skaters Dennis Coi and Rob McCall.