February is LGBT History Month, which seeks to raise awareness of, and combat prejudice against, LGBT people and history. To mark the month, we have decided to celebrate four LGBT icons in the world of professional sport.
Robbie Rogers – Football
When Rogers came out as gay in February 2013, he became the first professional footballer based in Britain to do so since 1990. The winger had been released by Leeds United a month prior and retired immediately following his announcement.
Despite concerns over media attention, he made the brave decision to return to the professional game in May 2013, agreeing terms with LA Galaxy in his native United States. He went on to become the first openly gay man to play in a top North American professional sports league, and the first to win a major professional team sport title in America when LA Galaxy lifted the MLS Cup.
Although a series of injuries eventually brought curtailed his career and forced him into a second retirement, he became an icon for LGBT+ people in sport across the world.
Derrick Gordon – Basketball
In 2014, Gordon became the first openly gay men’s basketball player in the NCAA Division I. A key player for UMass, he started every single one of the team’s 33 games in the 2013/14 season and won the Big East Conference Basketball Tournament with Seton Hall. He also became the first openly gay man to play in the March Madness Tournament in 2016.
He claimed that he was inspired to declare his sexuality by Jason Collins, who was the first openly gay player in the National Basketball Association.
Gordon has also turned his talents to content creation, has a YouTube channel with over 130,000 total views.
Corrine Humphreys – Sprinting
Humphreys identifies as lesbian and is a sprinter with a lengthy list of accolades and achievements. The London-born athlete has claimed a silver medal at the U23 European Championships, and is a British University Gold Medallist, a World University Games Finalist and Commonwealth Games semi-finalist.
Away from the running track, she is a Sport Champion for Stonewall and regularly speaks out in support of the LGBT+ community.
Anastasia Bucsis – Speed Skating
Bucsi is a former speed skater, who represented Canada at the 2010 Winter Olympics in Vancouver, and in the 2014 Winter Olympics in Sochi.
She publicly came out as a lesbian in 2013, making the announcement in opposition of anti-LGBT+ laws in Russia. She marched in the Calgary Pride Parade in 2014, and works tirelessly to combat homophobia in sport, as well as promoting awareness of mental health issues.