June is Pride Month and to celebrate we’re talking about famous members of the LGBTQIA+ community, the notable things they have done, and the impact they’ve had on the community. Following on from our award-winning Pride in... series, we will be focusing on LGBTQIA+ members in sports.
To have pride means to feel good and worthy about who you are or what you have done. As well as being a word to describe how people feel, Pride is also the name of a march and a celebration of people from the LGBTQIA+ community. Pride is a time for people in the LGBTQIA+ community to celebrate and take pride in who they are. It is also a time for people to talk about what still needs to be done for the LGBTQIA+ community.
Here's a look at some famous members of the LGBTQIA+ community and what they’ve been up to since we released our PRIDE in… series:
- Jill Scott
Jill Scott MBE is a former professional football player who played for the Lionesses and helped them to win the 2022 Euro Championships. Scott also made history the same year as the first LGBTQIA+ woman to win I’m A Celebrity…Get Me Out Of Here. When appearing on the show, Scott spoke out in support for male gay footballers and said how she felt it's “so sad” they aren’t in an environment “where they feel safe enough” to come out, compared with female gay footballers.
- Harrison Browne
Harrison Browne is the first transgender athlete in professional hockey. Browne played in women’s competitions and was part of the National Women’s Hockey League, even putting his hormone replacement therapy on hold to focus on his career. In 2017, he became the first openly transgender athlete to win a national championship on a team sport. Browne helped form the first ever transgender policy in professional sports to support transmen and transwomen in their participation. He is also the Inclusion Leader for the NWHL advisory board and special ambassador for the National Hockey League’s Hockey Is For Everyone initiative.
- Gus Kenworthy
Gus Kenworthy is a former freestyle-skier, actor, and YouTuber. In 2015, Kenworthy came out publicly as gay and was the first action sports star to do so. At the 2018 Winter Olympics, Kenworthy kissed his partner before his qualifying run, the kiss was broadcast on live television and became a significant moment for the visibility of LGBT athletes. In 2017, Kenworthy was awarded the HRC Visibility Award for his work in LGBT visibility in professional sports.
“You can be gay and be proud of that and not have to worry about being unsuccessful or unaccepted.”
You can learn about more famous members of the LGBTQIA+ community in our award-winning PRIDE in… series, which can be found here.
