The homosexual sports community in the United States has one of the highest levels of acceptance and support in the world and is rapidly growing as of 2020. General public opinion and jurisprudence regarding homosexuality in the United States has become significantly more accepting since the late 1980s; for example, by the early 2020s, an overwhelming majority of Americans approved of the legality of same-sex marriages. However, LGBTQ people have faced increased pushback in the sports world as part of the 2020s anti-LGBTQ movement in the United States, which has particularly impacted transgender people in sports.
In regard to sports in the United States, in 2002 researcher Eric Anderson found "more openly gay runners and swimmers than football and baseball players". He then hypothesized that this occurred because gay men likely abandoned some sports in favor of sports that were more accepting of homosexuality. In 2006, a Sports Illustrated poll of roughly 1,400 professional athletes found that a majority would be willing to accept a gay teammate. As well, professional ice hockey (NHL) athletes seemed to be the most accepting of such teammates as 80% of its players approved of having a gay teammate. However, these polling numbers have not consistently resulted in an actual increase in lesbian, gay, or queer people in professional sports.
Efforts to increase inclusion
Several organizations exist with the purpose of improving sports for LGBTQ people, such as You Can Play.
A common effort to increase acceptance of LGBTQ people among sports teams and their fans is the introduction of Pride Nights. However, these have resulted in many controversies in various sports.
Legal cases in the United States The case of Jennifer Harris against Penn State, more specifically their women's basketball coach Rene Portland, was about homosexuality. In 2006, the National Center for Lesbian Rights accused Rene Portland of forcing Jennifer Harris to transfer because of bias against lesbians. The advocacy group claimed that Portland was biased against lesbians for decades, citing a 1986 interview in which she stated that she would not have lesbians in her program. The lawsuit was eventually settled out of court, with Penn State finding Portland in violation of policy. She was fined $10,000 by the university in lieu of a one-game suspension, and warned that another infraction would result in the termination of her employment. Portland resigned from her position as women's head basketball coach in March 2007.
History
1970s In 1971, Jim Morris became the first openly gay IFBB professional bodybuilder. In 1973 he became the first openly gay bodybuilder to win AAU Mr. America overall, most muscular, best arms, and best chest titles.
In 1975, former football player David Kopay was the first professional athlete from a major team sport to come out as gay. After the public strongly denied Kopay's claims of other gay professional athletes, a study published in the Journal of Sex Research in February 1977 found that around 25% of all male college athletes have had gay experiences.
In 1977, the North American Gay Amateur Athletic Alliance was formed for gay softball teams.“Home.” North American Gay Amateur Athletic Alliance, 2017, www.nagaaasoftball.org/.
1980s
The New York Ramblers began in 1980“New York Ramblers Soccer.” About, 2020, nyramblers.com/about/. when an ad was placed in the Village Voice to gay men who wanted to play soccer as a team called the Rambles.
Tennis player Billie Jean King acknowledged her relationship with Marilyn Barnett when it became public in a May 1981 palimony lawsuit filed by Barnett, making Billie Jean the first prominent female professional athlete in the world to come out.
Glenn Burke was the first Major League Baseball player to come out as gay, announcing it in 1982 after he retired.
In 1985, the Los Angeles Blades was organized as the first gay hockey team in the United States.“About Us.” Los Angeles Blades, 2020, www.bladeshockey.com/.
In 1986, following the second Gay Games, Tony Jasinski organized the San Francisco Gay Basketball Association.“About.” San Francisco Gay Basketball Association, www.sfgba.com/about.
1990s In 1996, Muffin Spencer-Devlin became the first LPGA player to come out as gay.
Rudy Galindo won the men's title at the 1996 United States Figure Skating Championships. He was the first openly gay U.S. figure skating champion.Kestnbaum, Ellyn (2003). Culture on Ice: Figure Skating and Cultural Meaning. Middleton, Connecticut: Wesleyan Publishing Press. , pp. 210—211
In 1998, at Oberlin College, former Northwestern and Auburn track coach Michael Muska became the first openly gay college athletics director.
Also in 1998, the Washington Renegades RFC was formed as the first gay rugby team in the United States.
In 1999, the New York City Gay Hockey Association was organized.McElroy, Steven. “Camaraderie on Ice.” New York Times, 15 Oct. 2010, p. 34
Also in 1999, Carol Blazejowski, general manager of the New York Liberty, came out as a lesbian and became the first general manager in the WNBA to do so.
2000s In 2002, Sue Wicks came out as gay, making her the first openly gay person playing in the WNBA.
Also in 2002, the National Gay Flag Football League was founded by Jim Buzinski and Cyd Zeigler.
In 2003, Stephen Rhodes became the first openly gay NASCAR driver.
Kirk Walker came out as gay to the Oregon State Beavers softball team while he was their head coach in 2005, and while still the head coach came out to the website Outsports in 2007. He was the first openly gay male coach in NCAA Division I history.
In 2006, a gay rights advocacy group, the National Center for Lesbian Rights, accused Rene Portland of forcing player Jennifer Harris to transfer because of bias against lesbians. The advocacy group claimed that Portland was biased against lesbians for decades and cited a 1986 interview in which she claimed she talked to recruits and parents of recruits about lesbians stating, "I will not have it in my program." There were also claims of Portland telling key recruits—to discourage them from attending another school—that the other team was "full of lesbians." The lawsuit was eventually settled out of court and Penn State found Portland in violation of policy. She was fined $10,000 by the university in lieu of a one-game suspension and warned that another infraction would result in the termination of her employment. Rene Portland eventually resigned from her position as women's head basketball coach.
In 2007, British former Utah Jazz and Orlando Magic player John Amaechi became the first former NBA player to come out as gay.
2010s In 2010, the DC Gay Flag Football League was founded, joining two dozen other teams as part of the National Gay Flag Football League.
Also in 2010, Pia Sundhage, from Sweden, became the first openly lesbian coach of the United States women's national soccer team.
On October 4, 2012, Puerto Rican boxer Orlando Cruz came out as gay in an interview with Jessi Losada from Telemundo; this made him the first boxer to come out as gay while still active professionally.Feliciano Ortiz, Raúl J., and Eddy Francisco Alvarez. “‘And in the Rainbow Corner’: Orlando Cruz and Performances of Masculinity, Homonormativity, and Liberation.” Latino Studies, November 19, 2022. He won his first fight after coming out on October 20, 2012.Orlando Cruz, gay boxer, wins first fight since coming out, USA Today, October 20, 2012
In 2013, soccer's Robbie Rogers came out as gay. Later in 2013, Robbie Rogers became the first openly gay man to compete in a top North American professional sports league when he played his first match for the LA Galaxy. In 2014, he became the first openly gay male athlete to win a major professional team sports title in the United States when the Galaxy were crowned MLS Cup champions.
Also in 2013, Matt Llano became the first openly gay distance runner.
Also in 2013, Jason Collins came out as gay; in 2014, he played for the Brooklyn Nets of the NBA, making him the first gay athlete to be out while actively playing in any of the four major North American professional sports leagues.
In the 2014 NFL draft, the St. Louis Rams drafted Michael Sam in the seventh round, the 249th of 256 players selected, which made him the first openly gay player to be drafted into the NFL. However, on August 30, St. Louis released Sam as part of a final round of cuts to reduce their roster to the league-mandated 53 players before the start of the regular season.
Also in 2014, Division III player Conner Mertens came out as bisexual in January 2014, becoming the first active college football player at any level to publicly come out as bisexual or gay. In August 2014, Arizona State player Chip Sarafin became the first publicly out active Division I player when he came out as gay.
Umpire Dale Scott came out as gay in 2014, becoming the first active openly gay official in the MLB, NBA, NFL or NHL.Buzinski, Jim. "MLB umpire Dale Scott comes out as gay in quietest way possible." SBNation Outsports Retrieved December 2, 2014
Also in 2014, shortly after the end of the season, sophomore starting guard Derrick Gordon of the University of Massachusetts Amherst came out as gay, making him the first Division I men's basketball player to do so while still playing in college. Later that year, still playing for the University of Massachusetts Amherst, he became the first openly gay player in Division I to play in a men's basketball game.
In 2015, Sean Conroy became the first openly gay active professional baseball player, while playing for the Sonoma Stompers of the independent baseball league called the Pacific Association.
Later in 2015, David Denson, while playing for the Helena Brewers, a minor league team affiliated with the Milwaukee Brewers, became the first active player in affiliated professional baseball to come out as gay.
Jesse Taylor, a basketball player at Dakota Wesleyan University, came out as gay in 2015, making him South Dakota's first openly gay college athlete.
Also in 2015, Bryant University assistant basketball coach Chris Burns came out as gay, making him the first openly gay coach in NCAA Division I men's basketball.
Also in 2015, freestyle skier Gus Kenworthy, born in England, publicly came out as gay in an interview with ESPN. Rolling Stone noted the "freestyle medalist is the first action-sports star to come out."
In 2016, as a player for Seton Hall University, Derrick Gordon became the first openly gay man to play in the March Madness tournament.
Also in 2016, Curt Miller, head coach of the Connecticut Sun, became the first openly gay male head coach in the WNBA. He is believed to be the first openly gay male head coach of any professional sports team in the U.S.
In 2017, Scott Frantz became the first openly gay college football player to play in a game for an NCAA Division I Football Bowl Subdivision school.
Also in 2017, former tennis player Brian Vahaly came out as gay, making him the first gay man to publicly come out after playing on the ATP Tour.
In 2018, Tadd Fujikawa came out as gay, becoming the first male professional golfer to do so.
Also in 2018, at the 2018 Winter Olympics, Adam Rippon won a bronze medal in the figure skating team event as part of the U.S. team, which made him the United States' first openly gay athlete to win a medal at the Winter Olympics; previously that year he had become the first openly gay U.S. athlete to qualify for the Winter Olympics.
Also in 2018, Todd Harrity came out as gay, thus becoming the first openly gay professional male squash player in the world. At the time he was ranked No. 1 in the United States out of all male squash players.