Jags' Maxen is first male Amerin pro sports ach to e out as gay - ESPN

gay sport photo

Two athlet recently g out has highlighted the arth of openly gay players the world of U.S. men's profsnal sports, often dubbed "the last closet" for s lack of LGBTQ reprentatn.

Contents:

JAGS' MAXEN IS FIRST MALE AMERIN PRO SPORTS ACH TO E OUT AS GAY

Jaguars assistant Kev Maxen has bee the first male ach major Amerin men's pro sports to publicly e out as gay, tellg he ma the cisn bee he didn't want to hi who he is any longer. * gay sport photo *

Atralian A-League soccer star Josh Cavallo me out as gay an October vio posted to his social media, beg hailed as the first current male top-flight profsnal soccer player to publicly do so. "He ntued: "Growg up I always felt the need to hi myself, you know, bee I was ashamed, and ashamed I'll never be able to do what I love and be gay.

OPENLY GAY ATHLET

Photos of athlet who have e out publicly as gay. * gay sport photo *

In a September terview wh USA Today, 25-year-old mor league baseball player beme the only active baseball profsnal to be out as gay! The 28-year-old Natnal Football League player and Rairs fensive leman ma history when he me out as gay on Instagram durg Pri Month, beg the first veteran NFL player to e out as gay while signed to a regular-season ntract.

The Bachelor star and former football player (who was signed by the San Diego Chargers as an undrafted ee agent and was on the practice squad of the Oakland Rairs and the Philalphia Eagl) me out as gay April, sayg he had fally e to terms wh his sexualy and the "next step all of this was sort of lettg people know. Corey Walsh, the 27-year-old pro BMX rir and Vans spokperson, said he isn't normally the type of person to "let people " on his personal life, but felt was important to e out as gay a March Instagram post bee "there are a lot of people still stgglg wh the same suatns" and he "jt wanted to let people know that they are not alone. Champn long track speedskater Conor McDermott-Mostowy never hid beg gay om his fay, iends, and fellow athlet, but he also wasn't one to rate his locker wh rabow Pri flags eher.

Basketballspieler Turnschuhen und Regenbogensocken beim Dribblg m eem Ball f eem AußenplatzVerschiene Frn, die Spaß zammen haben, Selfie im Freien zu machen - Fok f schwule männliche Gichter, die Make-up tragenNahfnahme zweier älterer Frndnen, die zammen wanrnGay Power And Pri Armband bei LGBT-ProttWenn eer gewnt, gewnen wir alleHän zammen von eer Gppe von Menschen verschiener Ethnien m eem lgtb-Flaggenarmband f r StraßeJunger Mann m Make-up, Netzstrümpfen und High Heels beim Pole Dance. 3D-IlltratnDie Olympischen Spiele sd für alle danackter Oberkörpermann m Bety Make-up trägt Jeansjacke über eem nackten Körper im Stud weißem Fußball f Gras, bler Himmel Htergnd, Gay Pri Regenbogen Fußball Ball, Kopierrm, Karte tempalte.

GAY SPORT STOCK PHOTOS AND IMAG

Fd the perfect gay sport stock photo, image, vector, illtratn or 360 image. Available for both RF and RM licensg. * gay sport photo *

LGBT-Menschen zeigen ihren Stolz während r jährlichen Gay Pri RotterdamVielfalt, Menschen, gchlechtsntral, Sexualät, Menschenrechte, Mensch, Rosa, Bl, Lila, Grün, Farben, Htergnd, Tapete, Humanism, TcherROTTERDAM, NIEDERLANDE – 18.

GAY SPORT GAY SPORTS STOCK PHOTOS AND IMAG

Fd the perfect gay sport gay sports stock photo, image, vector, illtratn or 360 image. Available for both RF and RM licensg. * gay sport photo *

LGBT-Menschen zeigen ihren Stolz während r jährlichen Gay Pri RotterdamRegenbogenfarbene Gppe erhobener Arme m eer Trophä Porträt e gutssehenn, ften, hemdlosen Mann vor m Himmelshtergnd. Vertikal Foto e Mann m eem Regenbogenarmband, r een Ball n Korb f eem Basketballplatz wirftGppe r Vielfalt Fr Sportbekleidung hält LGBTQ-Regenbogenflagge für n Pri-Monat zur Förng r Gleichstellung und Unterschie von Homosexuellen und Diskrimieng von 100.

GAY SPORT DAY STOCK PHOTOS AND IMAG

Fd the perfect gay sport day stock photo, image, vector, illtratn or 360 image. Available for both RF and RM licensg. * gay sport photo *

For a variety of reasons, n be extremely hard for profsnal athlet to e out as LGBTQ+ their personal one, sports are largely domated by straight cis men who have been notorly homophobic and transphobic acrdg to numero stori om LGBTQ+ athlet.

"Now is a good time for me bee the Commonwealth Gam is a month's time, and there's gog to be a lot of people watchg that, and there are so many untri the Commonwealth where beg gay is illegal. The 25-year-old athlete and former Richmond Flyg Squirrels player revealed to his fans and followers that while he is no longer playg for the team, which is part of the San Francis Giants system, he is thankful for the time he had and isn't givg up on his love of baseball, pecially as an out, gay man.

The Asie Olympic gold medalist and gby player me out as a trans man an Augt vio for the Bgham Cup's Internatnal Summ Tacklg Transphobia and Homophobia Sport event. The Sttish pro footballer and Gala Fairyan Rovers player publicly me out as gay a September terview posted to his football club's official webse. "Over my entire reer, there was no realy that existed where I uld be an openly gay man while playg basketball, " the basketball player wrote.

EACH OF AMERI’S BIG 5 SPORTS CURRENTLY HAS AN OUT GAY MAN THE PROS. THAT’S NEVER HAPPENED

For the first time, pro baseball, basketball, football, hockey and soccer has an out gay male player unr ntract. * gay sport photo *

TJ Hoe, a former athlete who played for the Major League Baseball (MLB), not only me out as gay but also announced that he's engaged.

KEV MAXEN BE FIRST MALE ACH A US MEN’S PROFSNAL SPORTS LEAGUE TO PUBLICLY E OUT AS GAY

Kev Maxen has bee the first male ach a US men’s profsnal sports league to e out as gay. * gay sport photo *

-- Jaguars assistant strength and ndng ach Kev Maxen has bee the first male ach major Amerin men's profsnal sports to publicly e out as gay, tellg he ma the cisn bee he didn't want to hi who he is any longer and to possibly spire others siar 's a cisn and move that drew praise and support om owner Shad Khan, who was a vol and emphatic supporter of a cy ordance that expand protectns on the grounds of sexual orientatn, genr inty and genr exprsn. Outsi lebacker Carl Nassib beme the first active NFL player to e out as gay and to play a game Associated Prs ntributed to this report. David Denson, a first baseman for the Milwkee Brewers' rookie affiliate Helena, Montana, told the Milwkee Journal Sentel Augt 2015 that he is gay.

Swimmer Ian Thorpe, seen here 2004 wh one of his five Olympic gold medals, told an Atralian news outlet that he is gay an terview that aired on Sunday, July 13. Robbie Rogers beme the first openly gay male athlete to play a profsnal Amerin sportg match when he took the field for Major League Soccer's Los Angel Galaxy durg a match agast the Seattle Sounrs on May 26.

ATHLET WHO ARE GAY

Insir is highlightg out and proud athlet who intify as lbian, gay, bisexual, transgenr, queer, and more honor of pri month. * gay sport photo *

We’re not sure why other people watch sports, but we n tell you why we do: For those special moments when players are ught homoerotic posns.

WHY THERE ARE FEW OPENLY GAY ATHLET IN MEN'S PROFSNAL SPORTS

Thanks to the proment athlet who are gay, the sports world is beg more and more acceptg of homosexual players. Whether the famo Olympians, ... * gay sport photo *

Per Outsports, Maxen is the “first publicly out male ach a major Amerin men’s pro sports league, ” wh WNBA ach Curt Miller, who publicly me out to the media as gay 2015, also a publicly out male ach an Amerin profsnal sports league.

Insir is highlightg out and proud athlet honor of the annual celebratn of those who intify as lbian, gay, bisexual, transgenr, queer, and morn-day stars like USWNT pta Megan Rapoe and WNBA legend, Diana Trasi, are NBA player Jason Pl Colls, former NFL nng back David Kopay, and tennis in Billie Jean Kg were trailblazers their rpective sports. Longtime NFL offensive leman Ryan O'Callaghan me out as gay publicly 2017 via a story for Outsports and revealed that he had long planned to kill himself once his football reer was over.

JAGUARS ASSOCIATE STRENGTH ACH KEV MAXEN OUT AS GAY A FIRST FOR US-BASED PRO LEAGU

* gay sport photo *

Jason Pl Colls spent 13 seasons the NBA and, after g out 2013, beme the first out gay athlete actively playg any of the four major North Amerin pro sports leagu. Olympic skater Adam Rippon ma history as the first out gay man to jo Team USA for a wter Olympics and, Pyeongchang, he beme the first to w a medal at the Gam. She has been a relatnship wh Atralian soccer player Sarah Walsh for three 38Natnaly: Uned Stat of AmeriBirthplace: Reddg, CaliforniaTeams: Chigo Red StarsTennis great Billie Jean Kg beme the first proment female profsnal athlete to e out as gay back 79Natnaly: Uned Stat of AmeriBirthplace: Long Beach, California, Uned Stat of AmeriOlympic diver Greg Louganis is openly gay.

He married his partner Johnny Chaillo 63Natnaly: Uned Stat of AmeriBirthplace: El Cajon, California, Uned Stat of AmeriWNBA player Sheryl Swoop announced that she was gay 2005. Age: 52Natnaly: Uned Stat of AmeriBirthplace: Brownfield, Texas, Uned Stat of AmeriTeams: Hoton Comets, Uned Stat women's natnal basketball team, Texas Tech Lady Rairs basketballNBA player Jason Colls me out as gay an terview wh Sports Illtrated magaze 2013.

His announcement provoked mixed reactns om his fellow players and the 44Natnaly: Uned Stat of AmeriBirthplace: Northridge, Los Angel, CaliforniaTeams: Boston Celtics, Atlanta Hawks, Washgton Wizards, Memphis Grizzli, Brooklyn NetsAmerin soccer player Abby Wambach is openly gay. When Nashville Predators prospect Le Prokop me out this week, was the first time an active player unr ntract to an NHL team had ever publicly acknowledged they were gay. Overnight, Prokop's announcement doubled the number of out gay athlet currently playg the untry's four major men's sports — football, basketball, baseball and hockey.

JACKSONVILLE JAGUARS ASSISTANT STRENGTH ACH KEV MAXEN OUT PUBLICLY AS GAY

Jacksonville Jaguars associate strength ach Kev Maxen has e out as gay * gay sport photo *

Gay male athlet face cultural barriers Part of the reason for the lack of out gay players men's profsnal sports uld be that there are jt fewer of them the game. "Gay men are a fe rource, so they n't exist great numbers every quarter, " Magrath told "Gay men are overreprented some areas, and as a nsequence are gog to be unrreprented sports.

That uld be due to the mascule culture at the center of the major sports, experts say, creatg an environment that is ls welg to gay athlet.

Magrath helped thor a study that found that male athlet who me out as gay while still playg sports were largely met wh acceptance by their teammat. NBA player Jason Colls, who me out 2013 while he was still playg the league, later told NPR " went great" when he scribed the perd after announcg he was gay. After Michael Sam beme the first openly gay athlete to be drafted to the NFL 2014, then-Miami Dolphs safety Don Jon tweeted "horrible, " rultg penalti and a spensn.

SI:AM NEWSLETTER \N IN-DEPTH ANALYSIS, \N UNRIVALED ACCS. \N GET SPORTS ILLUSTRATED'S \N BT STORI EVERY WEEKDAY. \N SIGN UP NOW \N ","TYPE":"PHXCTOMCOMPONENT","BREAKPOTCLASS":["NOT-SIZE-A","NOT-SIZE-B"]}]},"DISABLERIGHTRAIL":FALSE,"DISABLEABOVETHEFOLDAD":FALSE},"VIEWMETA":{"SHOWLIMEDSEFOOTER":FALSE,"SUPPRSDISPLAYADS":FALSE,"DISABLESEFOOTER":FALSE,"SUPPRSCONTENTREMENDATNS":FALSE,"PROMOTWTER":{"TEASER":NULL,"TLE":NULL,"IMAGEID":NULL},"DISABLESEHEAR":FALSE,"PROMOFACEBOOK":{"TEASER":NULL,"TLE":NULL,"IMAGEID":NULL}},"ANALYTICSMOL":{"TLE":"JAGS ASSISTANT KEV MAXEN BE FIRST MALE NFL COACH TO PUBLICLY COME OUT AS GAY","EXCLIVECONTENTTYPE":"EE","SANIZEDTLE":"JAGS ASSISTANT KEV MAXEN BE FIRST MALE NFL COACH TO PUBLICLY COME OUT AS GAY","PAGETYPE":"ARTICLE PAGE","MAVENPAGETYPE":"ARTICLE","SECTNPATH":"NFL","PARENTSECTNNAME":"NFL","THORNAME":"MADISON WILLIAMS","VIOAUTHORNAME":"","VIOTLE":"","PUBLITNQUARTER":"2023Q3","TRACKEDRICHTERMNAM":"BREAKG","ORIGALPUBLISHDATE":"2023-07-21","TRACKEDEXTENDATTRIBUT":"","THOR":"TM-CI02996E901000278D","CHARACTERCOUNTBYBREAKPOT":{"A":1746,"B":1746,"C":1746,"D":1746}}},"MENTSENABLED":TE,"DISQID":"6178BEE0-274C-11EE-B957-028B888B7D63","ISCANVAS":TE,"METADCRIPTN":"HE SPOKE EXCLIVELY WH OUTSPORTS TO SHARE HIS JOURNEY.","PRIMARYIMAGE":{"ALTTEXT":"THE JAGUARS LOGO IS SHOWN ON TIAA BANK FIELD.","ISREADONLYCONTENT":FALSE,"TLE":"JAGUARS-LOL","ATTRIBUTN":{"SOURCENAME":"NATHAN RAY SEEBECK/USA TODAY SPORTS"},"FORMAT":"G","BYT":1283912,"PRIMARYPHOTOID":"CI02C4C7E420002680","CREATEDTIMTAMP":"2023-07-20T23:22:43Z","PRIMARYCONTENTSEID":"CS024F19A9100026AE","HEIGHT":724,"CLOUDARYVERSNID":1689895361,"PUBLICID":"MTK5NTA0MDY1NTC3NJI1MJE2","OBJECTTYPE":"CONTENTPHOTO","WIDTH":1300,"HASFAC":FALSE,"CREATEDPRCIPALID":"UP02996E4970002664","ID":"CI02C4C7E420002680","PRIMARYSEID":"CS024F19A9100026AE"},"PRIMARYIMAGEID":"CI02C4C7E420002680","PRIMARYSECTNIDS":["CI024F1E58C00026AE"],"PROMOTLE":"JAGS’ MAXEN BE FIRST MALE NFL COACH TO PUBLICLY COME OUT AS GAY","SECTNIDS":[["CI024F1E58C00026AE"]],"SLUG":"JAGUARS-ASSISTANT-KEV-MAXEN--OUT-NFL-FIRST-GAY-ACH","TEASER":"HE SPOKE EXCLIVELY WH OUTSPORTS TO SHARE HIS JOURNEY.","HASGALLERY":FALSE,"ASSOCIATEDRICHTERMS":[{"ID":"CI0294122730022594","OBJECTTYPE":"CONTENTRICHTERM","ORIGALPUBLITNTIMTAMP":"2021-12-06T19:35:13Z","PATH":NULL,"PUBLITNTIMTAMP":"2021-12-06T19:35:13Z","TLE":"BREAKG","MENTSENABLED":TE,"DISQID":"A23D5F19-56CB-11EC-86E1-06A4AC366B5B","PROMOTLE":"BREAKG","SLUG":"BREAKG"},{"ID":"CI024F1E58C00026AE","OBJECTTYPE":"CONTENTRICHTERM","ORIGALPUBLITNTIMTAMP":"2019-08-22T23:45:14Z","PATH":"/NFL","PUBLITNTIMTAMP":"2019-08-22T23:45:14Z","TLE":"NFL","MENTSENABLED":TE,"DISQID":"E3EA59D6-C536-11E9-8A7D-023E1B8F3F20","METADCRIPTN":"THE LATT NFL NEWS, SR, SCHL, FANTASY FOOTBALL, AND MOCK DRAFTS.","PROMOTLE":"NFL NEWS, SR, SCHL, STANDGS, FANTASY FOOTBALL","SLUG":"NFL","TEASER":"THE LATT NFL NEWS, SR, SCHL, FANTASY FOOTBALL, AND MOCK DRAFTS."},{"ID":"CI029E8975000026EC","OBJECTTYPE":"CONTENTRICHTERM","ORIGALPUBLITNTIMTAMP":"2022-04-12T20:02:21Z","PATH":NULL,"PUBLITNTIMTAMP":"2022-04-12T20:02:21Z","TLE":"SENSIVE","MENTSENABLED":TE,"DISQID":"782A0370-BA9B-11EC-A4A6-06DFAE14702D","PROMOTLE":"SENSIVE","SLUG":"SENSIVE"},{"ID":"CI0252527A100024C7","OBJECTTYPE":"CONTENTRICHTERM","ORIGALPUBLITNTIMTAMP":"2019-09-30T20:52:47Z","PATH":NULL,"PUBLITNTIMTAMP":"2019-09-30T20:52:47Z","TLE":"WIRE","MENTSENABLED":TE,"DISQID":"43167A8F-E3C4-11E9-9376-02B7884C015A","PROMOTLE":"WIRE","SLUG":"WIRE-1"}]}JAGS ASSISTANT KEV MAXEN BE FIRST MALE NFL COACH TO PUBLICLY COME OUT AS GAY

Eric Bach is an openly gay broadster for the Frericksburg Natnals. He has major league aspiratns, but his path has been much lonelier than he would prefer. * gay sport photo *

David Kopay, a former NFL nng back who me out 1975, was unable to land a profsnal achg job after he announced publicly that he was gay. There are key differenc the cultur of men's and women's athletics While few active players the major men's sports leagu have e out, many female profsnal athlet have said publicly that they're gay, om U. Jacksonville Jaguars assistant strength and ndng ach Kev Maxen cid on Thursday to e out publicly as gay hop of livg his life whout fear and to spire others.

Before jog Jacksonville’s achg staff, he was a strength ach for the football teams at Baylor and Febary 2022, Maxen reached out to NFL player Carl Nassib, who me out as gay 2021, to seek advice. McCoy for The New York TimHis Sexualy Don’t Defe Him, but It Can Set Him ApartEric Bach is an openly gay broadster for the Frericksburg Natnals.

JAGUARS ASSOCIATE STRENGTH COACH KEV MAXEN COM OUT AS GAY A FIRST FOR US-BASED PRO LEAGU

There's nothg like a good gay photo. You n hardly turn around a gallery whout bumpg to a photo that was eher snapped by a queer person or one for a subject: om Calyn Jenner's portra by Annie Leibovz to the provotive works of Robert Mapplethorpe to the geni of Andy Warhol, Cathere Opie, and Pierre and Gill. Maybe there's somethg queer about the photograph, the transformatn om a subject to an object a flash. Or maybe all our years of takg selfi for Grdr prepared for the job. In any se, what mak the gay photo gay is the look levels at the viewer: We are ed to beg seen, but now we n look back. * gay sport photo *

Three years earlier, while he was studyg journalism at Michigan State Universy, he had publicly e out as gay an say he wrote for the time of the say, he braced for a backlash, but nothg materialized. He worked his way up om ternships to full-time broadstg jobs, and while anyone wh an ter nnectn uld learn he was gay, nobody asked, and he did not say so aga publicly. It was paful at the time — the worst thg that had happened to him as a gay man, he said — but has reced far enough to his memory that did not e to md an hourlong terview about his experienc as a gay broadster.

THE GAY VERSN OF SI'S SWIMSU ISSUE

As far as Bach knows — and as far as many of his unterparts wh other teams are aware — there are no other openly gay broadsters the sport. McCoy for The New York TimBorn to BroadstLong before he knew he was gay, Bach knew he wanted to be a sports father was a ach, and a love of sports ran through the fay. ’”By the start of his sophomore year at Michigan State, Bach was ready to tell his parents that he was gay, tchg his father off guard but nfirmg what his mother had prevly assumed.

He did each job to the bt of his abily, and his sexualy never me, he has found that there’s a difference between beg a gay man baseball and beg pletely fortable as one. “I feel like that’s the burn a lot of gay people live wh — tryg to be perfect for straight people, ” he job requir equent teractn wh the players and the achg staff — addn to his duti as play-by-play announcer, Bach also is the ma public relatns ntact for the team — and he said he hadn’t fully relaxed any of them.

GAY CYCLG LOVER

Mrer/Frericksburg NatnalsThat feelg is somewhat “self-flicted, ” Bach said, but he believ the solutn is to brg more openly gay people to sports and create a safe environment for those who are already there but have felt necsary to hi their League Baseball has touted self as a place of clivy.

Billy Bean, an openly gay former player, was named the league’s first ambassador for cln 2014 and has sce been promoted to senr vice print and special assistant to Commissner Rob Maned. In Febary, Anrson Comás, a mor leaguer the Chigo Whe Sox anizatn, me out as gay wh a post on Instagram, and the announcement was met wh public support om his club and some people around the cints suggt there is more work to be done.

The Boston Red Sox lled up a mor leaguer, Matt Dermody, who had posted an anti-gay msage on Twter 2021, and Anthony Bass, a reliever for the Toronto Blue Jays, reposted a vio on social media that lled for boytts of L.

MEGAN RAPOE PROUDLY POS AS THE FIRST OPENLY GAY WOMAN THE SI SWIMSU ISSUE

“Those of that are this very small mory sports have to keep on havg the nversatns, keep on workg really ick’ hard to earn your spot this space, ” he aspir to be a gay person at home a big-league booth. McCoy for The New York TimA versn of this article appears prt on, Sectn A, Page 27 of the New York edn wh the headle: A Gay Broadster Climbs the Ladr, But It’s Been Lonely. To mark their 20th anniversary as the UK's first gay gby team, the Kgs Cross Steelers stipped down and posed for a new book to be published by die 'ze Meat.

All the players were photographed by Meat's founr, Adrian, who started Meat 2010, said that he was "tired of the body shamg that go on wh the gay muny. "Alex Smh, Chairman of the Kgs Cross Steelers said: "Dpe so much progrs over the last 20 years, n still be very difficult to be an out gay man, ma even more so by a lot of unhelpful noise around how to be, act or look wh the muny.

*BEAR-MAGAZINE.COM* GAY SPORT PHOTO

Photos: Openly gay athlet | CNN .

TOP