Outsports’ 10 Stories that Helped Make Change

For the last 25 years, Outsports has been the only publication in the world covering LGBTQ issue in sports on a daily basis. The site was founded in 1999 by Jim Buzinski and me because, as gay sports fans and athletes at the time, we saw nobody in the sports media talking about the gay community, and we saw no one in gay media talking about sports.

In those two-plus decades, Outsports has showcased stories that have helped move the needle in sports, building more inclusion and opening people’s eyes the accepting nature of athletes, particularly in men’s sports.

In looking back at the last 25 years, these are 10 of the stories that stand out as having generated conversation about LGBTQ inclusion in sports, particularly in America.

Cyd Zeigler

Cyd Zeigler is the world's foremost commentator and writer in the field of sexuality and sports. He co-founded Outsports in 1999, the world's only daily LGBTQ+ sports publication. Zeigler has broken the major sports LGBTQ+ news stories that became the source for American major media. He founded the National Gay Flag Football League. He has been a major contributor to Playboy, MSNBC, CNN, Out Magazine, ESPN, The New York Times and Sports Illustrated. He is a recipient of the LGBTQ+ Journalists Hall of Fame. Hotspots Happening Out thanks Cyd Zeigler for accepting our invitation to be part of our special issue on LGBTQ+ Sports.

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