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sportsintersections · 4 years

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16 Awesome Queer Sports Books: Books with LGBTQIA+ Athlete Representation

Image: Daniela Porcelli/Getty Images.

In some ways, the last few years has been a golden time for LGBTQIA+ athletes. The 2019 Women’s World Cup was a record tournament for LGBTQ+ visibility, with at least five players on the U.S. women’s national soccer team being openly queer (Ali Krieger and her now-wife Ashlyn Harris, Megan Rapinoe, A.D. Franch, and Tierna Davidson), as well as coach Jill Ellis, and another player coming out in the moment captured in the photo above, kissing her girlfriend in celebration. Rapinoe’s girlfriend, Sue Bird, another out lesbian athlete who plays in the WNBA, wrote an open letter to the President of the United States. A blockbuster movie told the story of iconic out lesbian tennis star Billie Jean King. Jason Paul Collins came out in 2013 (but retired the following year). Michael Sam was the first openly gay man to be drafted into the NFL in 2014 (but he has since retired).

But, according to the Human Rights Campaign, 70% of LGBTQIA+ people don’t come out to their teammates while still playing a sport, and 82% of athletes have witnessed homophobic and/or transphobic language in their sport. It is still more common, especially for male athletes, to come out after they have already left their sport (TW for homophobic slurs/statements and suicidal ideation), and many athletes who are still playing face backlash (TW for misgendering & general transphobia).

These books, from memoirs by professional queer athletes to YA romances with LGBTQIA+ athlete protagonists, explore these issues and more.

Books are YA fiction unless otherwise noted.

Spinning, by Tillie Walden (graphic memoir)

This beautiful graphic novel memoir captures Tillie’s experience with figure skating and why she eventually decided to give it up. Full review here.

Girl Crushed, by Katie Heaney

Quinn thought her senior year would be perfect: college scouts recruiting her to her dream school for D1 soccer and her best-friend-turned-girlfriend at her side. But then Jamie dumps her, a month before the school year begins, and it’s getting a little late to have heard back from schools, if she’s going to end up on one of the top teams. Over the course of the school year, Quinn learns that her binary black-and-white, gay-and-straight, success-and-failure ways of seeing her world could stand to be a little more complicated. This book is about identity, self-esteem, friendship, crushes, and soccer. There are also many fun USWNT references! TW for some (challenged) bisexual erasure.

The Reappearing Act: Coming Out on a College Basketball Team Led by Born-Again Christians, by Kate Fagan (adult memoir)

Kate was thrilled to be playing basketball for a nationally-ranked school and to have a close-knit group of teammates. Her best friends were part of Colorado’s Fellowship of Christian Athletes, and she tried to join them and learn about their church, but she started to realize that she might be one of those people whose “sinful lifestyles” they talked about. She had to figure out how to come out without losing her friends, and her team.

Check, Please! Volume 1, by Ngozi Ukazu (graphic novel)

This adorable graphic novel (which was originally published as a popular webcomic) follows Bitty, a former junior figure skating champion and enthusiastic baker, who somehow ended up on the Samwell University hockey team. He’s terrified of checking (what if he gets hurt??), trying to figure out if he can win over the guys with pies, and also feeling some kind of way about the hot but grumpy captain.

Keeper of the Dawn, by Dianna Gunn

Lai wants to become a priestess, like her mother and grandmother were before her, but first she must prove herself in the trials she’s been training for her whole life. Nothing goes according to plan, but she can still depend on herself and her skill as a fighter and a horseback rider and take matters into her own hands. This fantasy novel features an asexual protagonist and a f/f romance.

The Passing Playbook, by Isaac Fitzsimmons (2020/2021 release)

This book hasn’t been released yet, but there are so few (if any) own voices YA sports books with trans characters that I decided to include it anyway. A queer, biracial, trans soccer player is benched, and has to decide whether to fight the ruling, even though that would mean coming out to everyone…including the Christian teammate he’s falling for.

Running with Lions, by Julian Winters

This coming-of-age novel follows Sebastian, a bisexual rising senior who’s excited for his last summer at soccer camp, where his teammates are great and the coach doesn’t expect anyone to stay in the closet. But then Emir Shah, a Muslim British-Pakistani new recruit, shows up. He also happens to be Sebastian’s former best friend, and they left things on pretty bad terms. So why is he finding himself attracted to Emir all of the sudden?

None of the Above, by I.W. Gregorio

I am hesitant to recommend this non-ownvoices intersex representation, but it’s the only book I know of about an intersex teen athlete, and, while it is imperfect and seems geared towards a non-intersex audience, there are certainly some good things to be said about it. It is informative, well-researched, and moving. Kristin, a homecoming queen and champion hurdler with a cute boyfriend, seems to be having a great high school experience. But a doctor’s visit reveals that she’s intersex, and, while she’s still coming to terms with what that might mean for her and her identity, her diagnosis is leaked to the whole school. TW for transphobic/anti-intersex slurs and bullying.

Forward: My Story, Young Readers’ Edition, by Abby Wambach (memoir)

U.S. Women’s National Team soccer star Abby Wambach tells her story with honesty and vulnerability, sharing how she came to lead her team to a World Cup win in 2015. She is open about her sexuality and romantic life (including a named mention of a certain pink-haired teammate, who also happens to be her ex-girlfriend) and how it affected her career.

We Ride Upon Sticks, by Quan Barry (adult fiction, with teen protagonists)

The 1989 Danvers high field hockey team finds themselves winning…a lot. Is it because they all wrote their names in a mysterious notebook with Emilio Estevez on the cover, and pledged themselves to dark forces so they could make the state championships? This darkly funny story explores friendship, sportsmanship, and what means to find power and sense of self as a teen girl.

Beautiful on the Outside, by Adam Rippon (adult non-fiction)

In his comedic memoir, Olympic figure skater Adam Rippon shares his journey from poverty and uncertainty to success and becoming a self-professed American sweetheart. He opens up about anxiety attacks, coming to terms with his sexuality and coming out, and some enjoyable behind-the-scenes gossip. He also narrates the audiobook.

Ana on the Edge, by A.J. Sass (middle-grade, fall 2020 release)

Twelve-year-old Ana-Marie is the reigning U.S. Juvenile figure skating champion, but that doesn’t mean everything feels easy or figured out. When Ana meets Hayden, a transgender boy, at the rink, Hayden mistakes Ana for a boy…and Ana doesn’t bother to correct him. In fact, it feels good to be seen as a boy. Now Ana must decide which identity feels the most right, in time for a big competition coming up. This book isn’t out yet, but it’s due to be released in fall 2020, and it is written by a non-binary (and autistic) author, who is also a figure skater.

Heartstopper, Volume 1, by Alice Oseman (graphic novel)

Charlie is neurotic and openly gay (after he was outed last year and bullied for months), and hoping that Year 10 at the British all-boys grammar school will be better. He meets Nick, an upbeat, sweet rugby player, and they become friends. Soon he finds himself hoping that their friendship turns into something more.

Fearless: Portraits of LGBT Student Athletes, by Jeff Sheng (non-fiction)

This is a memoir of an American artist who uses his story as a closeted high school athlete in the 1990s as a jumping-off-point to depict hundreds of photos of other LGBTQ+ high school and college athletes in the U.S. and Canada between 2003 and 2015.

Amateur, by Thomas McBee (adult memoir/non-fiction)

In this memoir, Thomas McBee describes grappling with the meaning of masculinity, violence, and sports. As a trans man, he has noticed since his transition that the world treats him completely differently and expects different things from him. But what does he want, and how does he want to define masculinity and strength for himself? He decides to train for a charity boxing match at Madison Square Garden as a way to find out.

Dryland, by Sara Jaffe

Julie is a cynical teen in Portland at the height of the grunge movement, struggling to define herself and her sexuality. No one in her family is willing to talk about her older brother, who at one point seemed destined for the Olympics but then fell off the map. Julie has never considered swimming herself, but then the swim team captain convinces her to join. Is this what she’s been looking for -- a way to get closer to her brother and maybe herself?

[All book covers belong to their respective publishers].

#books #yabooks #sportsbooks #booksaboutsports #sports #queer books #queerathletes #lgbtqia #gay athletes #gay books #lesbian athletes #wlw books #intersex athletes #trans athletes #asexual #comics #graphic novels

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greiflazic · 4 years

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Queer Icons - Patricio Manuel / Oil on Canvas / 30 cm / Hommage to Queer Athletes

#queerart #queerathlet #oilpainting #portrait #queer #transgender #boxer #everlast #art #artberlin #queerartist #gayart #gayartist

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ledqueens · 6 years

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LED Queens’ first-ever sponsored athlete @joethedouglas competed this past weekend in @therainhilltrials CrossFit meet in Manchester, England. I am so proud to have provided Joe’s queer-punk looks for this event! He’s got more meets coming up, which means more leggings and tees. Maybe even some shorts! Please give Joe a huge round of applause. By the way, I still am looking for one more athlete to sponsor. For full details and to submit your application, visit: https://ledqueens.com/blogs/led-queens-blog/ #lgbtq #gymgear #sponsoredathlete #ledqfitness #ledqueens #ledq #running #mensrunning #crossfitmen #outwod #frontrunners #gaypowerlifter #gaybodybuilder #lgbtq🌈 #gayathlete #gaygames #powerliftingmotivation #sportstyle #queerathlete (at Manchester Regional Arena) https://www.instagram.com/p/BoZRM8-Ah3G/?utm_source=ig_tumblr_share&igshid=gavhw2qwvfat

#lgbtq #gymgear #sponsoredathlete #ledqfitness #ledqueens #ledq #running #mensrunning #crossfitmen #outwod #frontrunners #gaypowerlifter #gaybodybuilder #lgbtq🌈#gayathlete #gaygames #powerliftingmotivation #sportstyle #queerathlete

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tristinmiller · 2 years

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To Whom It May Concern,

If you know me, you know that strength training is something that I am pretty passionate about. I have been training in the sport of Olympic Weightlifting for the past 8 years and prior to that, powerlifting. I fell in love with strength training right before my 30th birthday when I was at a crossroads of years of chronic pain, weight gain, and grief. Through the transformative sport of olympic weightlifting, I have been able to move through years of suffering whether physical pain or mental health issues and rebuild my body and self-esteem.

2020 was a hard year for many of us, but the brokenness I experienced through loss and reliving emotional trauma after the passing of my long time cat companion, Dorian Grey, my path was just reset. Shifted. Re-aligned.

By 2021, I had received a diagnosis of CPTSD & OCD tendencies which made me realize I needed to quit my full-time “day job” in retail and focus on my work as an artist. But it was not until the closing of my gym home of 7 years which had always been a safe space for me, that I made an even more important choice and shift.

I decided to take full ownership of my relationship with olympic weightlifting and get certified as a Level 1 USAWL Coach and then... it all started to make sense.

I eventually found out about trauma informed weightlifting and using strength training as an embodied movement practice. This is what I had been doing all along with weightlifting!

And thus, began O N E R E P Weightlifting: Building Strength & Confidence One Rep at a Time.

I am thrilled to be starting this new journey as a coach and I am here if you are interested in starting a strength journey for yourself or for someone you love who you think would greatly benefit from using weightlifting as an embodied movement practice. For more information, CLICK HERE. <3

Yours in Strength & Confidence,

#tristinmiller #olympicweightlifting #strengthtraining #powerlifting #squat #deadlift #snatch #cleanandjerk #womenwholift #weightlifting #traumainformedweightlifting #traumainformed #queerathlete

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rebelrebelblackandwhite · 6 years

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My mcms are these two cuties! @guskenworthy givin’ @adaripp a lil’ kiss on the cheek at this years Winter Olympics ❄️! Props to the both of them and the many other queer athletes participating in the 2018 Winter Olympics . Congratulations to @adaripp for a stunning performance last night and making history 🏳️‍🌈 ! #mancrushmonday #wereherewerequeer #queerpride #queerrepresentation #2018winterolympics #winterolympics #queerathlete #supportqueerathletes #adamrippon #guskenworthy #queerkiss #queerssupportqueers #queerart #iceskating #snowboarding #skiing

#iceskating #queerpride #skiing #guskenworthy #queerrepresentation #queerkiss #snowboarding #mancrushmonday #supportqueerathletes #queerart #winterolympics #2018winterolympics #wereherewerequeer #queerssupportqueers #queerathlete #adamrippon

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ftonews · 3 years

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It's that easy. Just let these kids be kids.

Source • @yarniesbymikey

⚾️Let Trans Youth 🏳️‍⚧️ Play Sports 🏀 Trans youth deserve to be able to play sports and be apart of a team 💕🏈 YET we have politicians 😷in the middle of a deadly pandemic 😷 who weaponize their religious beliefs to discriminate against Trans youth. One of the worst has been the anti-LGBTQIA+ demon Betsy DeVos. It’s disgraceful and truly infuriates me 😡 To find out more follow @thechrismosier a leader in fighting for LGBTQIA+ inclusion in sports @wearehrc @aclu_nationwide to find out how to support Trans athletes right now against these harmful policies ✊🏻✊🏼✊🏽✊🏾✊🏿! #trans #transart #transyouth #lgbtqia #lgbtqiayouth #transathlete #athlete #inclusion #queeryouth #queerathlete #queerart #queerartist #transrights #transrightsarehumanrights #sports #lgbtqrights #socialjustice #socialjusticeart #queeractivism #lgbtqactivist #procreate #typography

#dc comics #black women #comic books #comics #me #dc universe #blackout #black people #black metal #death metal #trans awareness week #trans pride #black women trans

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boutbetties · 4 years

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Say it loud and say it proud @bullcityrollerderby #skatedonthate #queerathlete

#roller derby #BAbetties #roller derby subscription box #bout betties #derby life #roller derby lifes

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fatkidathlete · 6 years

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It's possible that I went a little crazy at #wftdachamps this weekend 😬and this isn't even all of it... Thank you, @bout_betties @strongathletic & @meancat923 for your amazing creations!!!😍😍😍 #fatkidathlete #rollerderby #futureblocker #derbylife #weekendhaul #plussizeathlete #queerathlete #visibility #girlswholift #gymrat #skater #shirtgamestrong #justtakemymoney #iloverollerderby

#weekendhaul #gymrat #futureblocker #iloverollerderby #wftdachamps #queerathlete #justtakemymoney #skater #rollerderby #derbylife #plussizeathlete #fatkidathlete #visibility #girlswholift #shirtgamestrong

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crotram · 4 months

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crotram · 5 months

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sportsintersections · 4 years

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13 Podcasts about Sports & Intersectionality Every Athlete and Sports Fan Should Listen To

These podcast episodes range from short, ten-minute segments to hour-long deep dives, but what they have in common is that all of them explore an issue and how it intersects with sports in an interesting and thought-provoking way.

Trigger warnings listed at the end of episode descriptions (but please let me know if I missed anything).

That’s What She Said with Sarah Spain, “Sexism in Sports”

Sarah Spain talks to all kinds of guests on her show, many of them athletes, but I particularly recommend her episode “Sexism in Sports”, where she talks to women about sexism they’ve faced in sports. TW: discussion of sexual harassment.

TED Radio Hour, “Pat Ferrucci: How Does the Language of Sports Journalism Reveal Racial Biases?”

In his TED talk, journalism professor Pat Ferrucci talks about how, even though sports is supposed to be “the great equalizer,” the language used by sports journalists reveals their prejudice and makes it harder for athletes of color to succeed.

Radiolab, “Gonads, Dutee”

This fascinating episode features an interview with Dutee Chand, a world-class runner from India who was disqualified for failing a “gender test,” and also delves into the history of female athletes at the Olympics and the problems with various tests for “gender.” TW: description of invasive tests by doctors, discussion of misgendering of women athletes, and discussions that assume that “biological” (assigned at birth) sex and gender are the same thing.

The Outside Podcast, “XX Factor: How the Sports Bra Changed History”

The Outside Podcast has many interesting episodes, but a personal (surprising) favorite is one about “how the sports bra changed history.” You may have not given much thought to the sports bra, but its invention was actually a huge deal, completely revolutionizing women’s participation in sports!

The Takeaway, on Trans High School Athletes

This segment for WNYC’s “The Takeaway” explores the obstacles that trans teens face in high school sports. Although it’s only about 10 minutes long, it does a great job examining the issues involved, and the ESPN reporter who the host talks to, Katie Barnes, is non-binary, and has written about trans athletes for ESPN. TW: discussions of transphobia.

The Edge of Sports with Dave Zirin, “Maya Moore Talks Mass Incarceration”

This podcast, by The Nation magazine, focuses on “where sports and politics collide.” Almost any episode from this podcast would be applicable to this blog, but I especially recommend “Maya Moore Talks Mass Incarceration,” in which the WNBA star talks about her inspiring work to raise awareness about prosecutorial misconduct and other issues in the justice system.

Disabled Sports USA’s Challenge Extended, “Paralympian Tricia Downing”

Challenge Extended is another podcast where every episode is great and relevant to this list! One that I especially enjoyed is this interview with Tricia Downing, who was the first female paraplegic competitor in an Ironman triathlon, has completed over 100 races, and is also a disability rights advocate.

NPR Weekend Edition, “Olympic Runner Who Once Competed Against Caster Semenya Weighs In On Testosterone Ruling”

In this short segment, Madeleine Pape, a former Olympic runner who once competed against Caster Semenya, talks about why the exclusion of female athletes with high levels of testosterone is unfair, and how homophobia, racism, sexism, and other issues play into these discussions.

Code Switch, “A Thousand Ways to Kneel and Kiss the Ground”

This episode of Code Switch, a podcast hosted by journalists of color that features all kinds of conversations about race, reports on the 2018 NFL policy to punish players who kneel during the national anthem, looking back on how this fits into the history of sports and black political protest.

Let’s Talk About It, “Sport”

The very first episode of Irwin Mitchell’s podcast Let’s Talk About It, which discusses what it’s really like living with a disability, is all about sports. The host talks to wheelchair tennis star Alfie Hewett, Paralympic gold medalist Hannah Cockroft, and “amateur action man” Ed Buckley, who recovered from a serious brain injury. Note that Irwin Mitchell is a for-profit business, and this is part of their “campaign to get more people into disability sport,” some aspects of which tend towards what disability activists sometimes call “inspiration porn.” However, I think this particular podcast episode is great, and it focuses on #ownvoices representation.

Only A Game from NPR, “[…] U.S. Gymnast Speaks Out […]”

Only A Game is a sports news and issues podcast that tackles multiple topics each episode, so it’s hard to point to a specific one that’s most relevant, but check out this recent episode and skip to minute 20:32 to hear a heartbreaking and essential conversation with gymnastics star Jennifer Sey about abuses in the sport. She also has a book, Chalked Up, about her experiences. TW: discussion of emotional/verbal abuse (including body shaming & restrictive diets and resulting in injury & suicidal ideation) & sexual abuse.

Laughter Permitted with Julie Foudy, “Inside the US Soccer Equal Pay Fight”

Soccer-star-turned-commentator Julie Foudy hosts Laughter Permitted, an interview podcast where she has intimate and funny conversations with other female athletes. This fantastic episode breaks that mold and has Foudy speak candidly about the US Women’s National Team’s fight for equal pay and how the US Soccer Federation’s defense against the suit relies on sexism.

Champions of Change: The RISE podcast, “Celebrating PRIDE Month: Track & Field athlete Nika Ouellette”

Pretty much any episode of this podcast, which discusses issues of race, social justice, and community-building in sports, would be relevant here, but a personal favorite of mine is one from June 2019 with out lesbian javelin thrower Nika Ouellette, who’s an ambassador for Athlete Ally, an organization that champions LGBTQ+ equality in sports. She talks about diversity and intersectionality in sports and the role that the athletic community should play in encouraging inclusivity for LGBTQ+ athletes.

[The rights for all the logos in this post are reserved by their respective podcasts.]

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