Made It Out Stereotypes, Closeted Coaches & the Rise of Women's Sports with Kate Fagan
Apr 8, 2025
Kate Fagan, a former basketball player and ESPN journalist, shares her transformative journey navigating queerness in sports. She delves into the challenges women face in a male-dominated industry, highlighting persistent stereotypes and the need for greater representation. The discussion covers the surge in popularity of women's sports, the impact of the pandemic, and the significance of storytelling in sports journalism. With humor, she explores identity dynamics in sports culture, making the conversation engaging for all, not just sports fans.
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Closeted in College
- Kate Fagan came out while playing college basketball, but the environment discouraged open expression.
- She privately dated women but kept her queerness hidden until she was 30.
ESPN Epiphany
- At ESPN, an executive editor openly declared her lesbian identity.
- This inspired Fagan, who saw her as a mentor and began publicly writing about being queer in sports.
Stereotypes in Women's Sports
- Female athletes face unique challenges when coming out, often reinforcing negative stereotypes around women's sports.
- This differs from men's sports, where coming out is seen as shattering stereotypes.
