Gay mma fighters

Nothing but mma, every single one of them," said Smith. Smith points to the perception fighters should be 'macho', and encourages athletes to just be themselves. Mixed Martial Arts. Our Falklands War: Unflinching personal experiences of a short but brutal war.

From male and female gay UFC fighters to encouraging closet members to reveal their identity to the world, the MMA community embraces Pride month in a spectacular manner. It's a question which could in part be answered by the way UFC star Jeff Molina was treated earlier this month.

Why are there no openly gay male MMA fighters? Plenty of UFC fighters are a fighter of the spectrum and here is a handful of them. In MMA, Pride Month is very much celebrated. The MMA community is no different and the LGBT community representatives can be found among fighters.

This article contains content provided by X. Shad Smith is one of the very few male professional MMA athletes to have come out. Molina, who is heterosexual, wore a special UFC kit supporting Pride during his win over Zhalgas Zhumagulov, but received abuse on social media.

Image source, Getty Images. Taylor agrees, pointing to how athleticism is stereotyped. Its members are within other groups, subcultures, and societies. Smith left enjoyed a year career in MMA. Related topics. End of X post by Jeff Molina. Smith says the reaction he got from the MMA community was key to his positive experience in coming out.

By virtue of being athletic, women coming out conforms to a stereotype, while men coming out rejects a stereotype. However, actions like the American's help create an environment in which athletes could come out and be supported, according to sport unity group Athlete Ally.

View original content on X. Accept and continue. Smith, who retired from the sport earlier this year, inadvertently revealed his sexuality when speaking to a stranger at the age of Smith left is credited with being the first man to come out in professional MMA.

I think sometimes it might be seen as you don't want to be seen as weaker and give other people the upper hand in persecution of you. Taylor agrees, pointing to the tight-knit culture of combat sports which can help create a welcoming environment.

Both team-mates and promotions alike were supportive of his sexuality. Find out the reasons for the homophobia and stigma in MMA and the UFC, and how the promotion supports the LGBTQ community. Image source, Instagram. The LGBT community is a loose group of people with various sex orientations united by a culture and cause.

This X post cannot be displayed in your browser. It's so unnecessary gay hide who we are, you're beautiful no matter what - you're a human being. McCann believes if a male fighter was to come out today, there would be a similarly positive reaction from the MMA community.

Learn about the only openly gay UFC fighter, Amanda Nunes, and why there are no other male UFC fighters who have come was sally ride gay.