Celebrating the strong out women in sport

This Sunday 26 April is the International Lesbian Visibility Day.

Have you heard of International Lesbian Visibility Day?

Despite existing for over a decade, International Lesbian Visibility Day is little known. Dr. Julie Scanlon, who specializes in equality and diversity, explains why this day is important for recognizing and celebrating the contributions of lesbians and making sure they are included, valued, and engaged’.

If you answered ‘no’, that you haven’t heard of International Lesbian Visibility Day, you’re probably in the majority!

When the world isn’t faced with pandemics, sport can play a huge part in an individual’s life. It provides a place of belonging, lets us escape the repetitive day-in-day-out Ferris wheel, and in some instances provides solace--particularly for those with diverse sexualities and/or genders.

While we could talk all day about the barriers and challenges faced by LGBTQ+ people in sport, we’d like to celebrate the strong, bold, and absolute legends who are our women in sport.

This LGBTQ+ Day of Significance gives an amazing opportunity for sports to acknowledge and pay tribute to the remarkable strength, resilience, and skill of lesbians.

Soccer star Megan Rapinoe

In 2019, the women's US national soccer team won the FIFA Women's World Cup, but it seemed all eyes were on the team's star player and captain: Megan Rapinoe. The athlete quickly made a name for herself in a series of TV interviews, where she voiced her support of women's rights and LGBTQ rights as an openly gay woman.

"I think female athletes, in general, are at the forefront of every protest in general because we're gay, we're women, we're women of color, we're sort of everything all at one time," Rapinoe told NBC news in 2019. "We're unfortunately constantly being oppressed in some sort of way. So, I feel like us just being athletes, us just being at the pinnacle of our game is kind of a protest in a way and is sort of defiant in and of itself."

Women’s Basketball Sheryl Swoopes

Sheryl Swoopes has three Olympic gold medals, and some refer to her as the Michael Jordan of the WNBA. In 2005, she came out as gay.

"I was at a point in my life where I am just tired of having to pretend to be somebody I am not," Swoopes told The New York Times in 2005. "I was basically living a lie. For the last seven, eight years, I was waiting to exhale."

Swoopes retired from the sport in 2011.

Perris Benegas — Women’s BMX Freestyle

Perris Benegas is making her Olympic debut in Tokyo in the BMX Freestyle event for Team USA. Benegas came out in May 2021 on Instagram. “For the first time ever, I'm extremely excited to live my life FREE and to be wholeheartedly ME,” she wrote.

Gia Doonan — Women’s Rowing

Gia Doonan is a first-time Olympian who’s heading to Tokyo for the U.S. Women’s eight rowing team, which is looking to win its fourth Olympic medal. In an Instagram post last September, Doonan spoke out about the hate she received for being in a relationship with girlfriend Gina Pellechio. “Due to the increased homophobia directed towards me recently and also in the country, I have never felt more empowered,” Doonan wrote. “Feeling happy and loved. Respond to hate with kindness.”

Love demands expression. It will not stay still, stay silent, be good, be modest, be seen and not heard, no. It will break out in tongues of praise, the high note that smashes the glass and spills the liquid.

Show your support and courage for love.