Coming Out Stories

Ben Meyer found that being direct was the best approach. The day after coming out as gay, he ran a personal best.

Christian Mays was bullied on his high school football team. He wanted to prove his doubters wrong by earning a spot with the Michigan Wolverines. In the process he strengthened his body, his mind, his self-worth and his resolve.

Diving exposed Alex Clark to people that helped him accept himself as gay, leave the Mormon religion and become Baptist. Now he enters his final season at East Carolina University.

Ryan Mizner has lived a double life, dabbling with being a gay man yet completely closeted with the Central Michigan University men's basketball team. On a trip to Fire Island last summer, he found the strength to make those two lives one.

Phil Claudy had lost all hope of accepting his sexuality. But running saved his life and now he wants to help other LGBT people struggling with depression.

Kyle Martin coaches at the same high school he attended and considers himself lucky for the support he has received.

Kendall Covington opened up with Penn Sports Network on being a bi athlete at the school and finding love and support from her teammates.

Gay former high school football player Harrison Wilkerson opens up about depression despite the illusion that everything is wonderful.

After coming out as gay to family in central Montana, Macoy McLaughlin had to come out a second time to his teammates at North Idaho College. It has gone great.

The Olympic skier who helped find homes for five stray dogs from Sochi now comes out as gay in ESPN The Magazine to be free and help others find their way through their journeys.

"At the end of the day, to them I'm just Rush: their teammate, friend and I just happen to be gay."

Sports has seen a boom in people standing up and being proud of who they are.

Chris Burns has come out as gay, making the Bryant University basketball coach the first in men's Division I college basketball to do so. It's been quite a journey for the former star player to get to this place.

Chris Burns has held the secret that he's gay from everyone in college basketball. In an Outsports exclusive, the Bryant Univ. basketball coach writes about relationships, fear, community and finding his truth.

"I want to be a relatable example,” the U.S. silver medalist said.

Mason Darrow has been embraced by the Princeton football team since he told them he’s gay. Now he comes out publicly days before kickoff.

Ayrton Kasemets just finished his freshman year in college, all of which he was out to his team as gay. Now he's the team's go-to guy for fashion advice.

Landon Patterson is nominated for her school's homecoming queen and describes her cheer teammates as a "second family."

The former athlete comes out after years of struggling and hiding. "I wish I could go back and tell my younger self that it was going to be like this."

Israel Gutierrez has labored for a long time on how and when to come out as gay. A week before he gets married, he has decided now is the time.