LGBTQ people have faced a wide variety of problems when trying to gain acceptance in the world. They have been notoriously impacted in the world of professional sports. Many LGBT people never came out to their teammates for fear that they would be viewed poorly, and a lot of that mentality lingers today. Answering the question of whether a person’s orientation affects a sports career will show you that it’s still a problem that exists in the modern world of professional sports.
How Athletes Can Deal with Loneliness
Generally, there are two avenues that LGBTQ sports players can take during their time pursuing a career. The most common way is for people to confine their relationships to another part of their lifestyle and never allow it to cross over into their career. To make this possible, many LGBT athletes found the dating platforms reviews useful to find the service of LGBT dating that will be helpful in an effort to foster their romantic side without having people learn who they are in public. Some start their search with a simple search query in order to find a place or people they may be interested in. It’s a sad thing to experience in the modern age of sports, but it allows some people to maintain their privacy.
If athletes are still dealing with woes about their sports career not aligning with their orientation, it is always possible for them to join an LGBT sports league or another one that is appropriate to them. While it might not feature the professional activities they desire, the players can be open and honest with their teammates about who they are and what they want from life. Many LGBT sports leagues and tournaments have been established throughout the world that these individuals can join.
LGBTQ Discrimination and Impacts on Sport
Many forms of discrimination have appeared regarding LGBTQ people in sports. In some cases, players have never felt comfortable in professional leagues that don’t support them and leave their career path. Other cases have seen players hiding their orientation for fear that they won’t be drafted or allowed to play. This has likely happened before, and only now are some players from the past detailing their negative experiences. Finally, members of sports leagues that aren’t players, like coaches and staff, have been passed over for promotions because of their sexual orientation.
Experts have revealed that people found to be involved with LGBT relationships are often ostracized within their sport of choice. That has led to some people being unwilling to come out to their family, friends, and teammates. Sports teams’ players are notoriously close to one another, and the inability to connect with them or be completely honest is difficult for players. They spend a lot of nights thinking about ways that they can hide who they are or wonder what would happen if it was ever discovered that they were LGBTQ. All in all, it’s a sad state of affairs for sports when there have been so few notable players that have been able to play and tell people who they love.
Famous LGBTQ Athletes
Not all of these athletes were able to be out and proud during their time in the sport, but they have become outspoken supporters of changing sports to where any person can feel as though they truly belong. Take a look at some of the most famous and successful LGBT athletes that continue to fight for equality in the realm of professional sports.
Often recognized as the first “out” player in the NBA or any of the other four major sports, for that matter, Collins has since taken a stance on LGBTQ rights in sports. He has consistently spoken out in support of current players, encouraging those who are yet to come into sports to be their true selves.
Rapinoe is known best for her success on the U.S. Women’s Soccer Team, where she has helped the team win Gold Medals during tournaments and Olympics alike. She publicly came out almost a decade ago and has since supported LGBT rights, women’s rights, and many other great causes.
Billie Jean King is a tennis legend who was outed in 1981. Although she faced scrutiny for her sexuality, she consistently challenged notions that she did not deserve to play professional sports. Since she came out, she has rallied support for LGBT+ people in sports.
Michael Sam was the first publicly LGBT man to come out before he was drafted into the NFL. Although he did not meet with success in the league, he put a spotlight on the NFL and continues to support others in their desire to be in sports.
The LGBT world owes a great debt to all these brave athletes.
The world of professional sports is changing a great deal in the present day with the arrival of more LGBT people. With more support than ever before, these individuals feel safer joining the sports communities and tend to have more supportive team members. However, a lot of work remains for professional sports organizations in terms of representation and anti-discrimination.
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