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Photo by Canva.Subscribe nowWhen Jason Collins came out in a 2013 Sports Illustrated cover story, he broke down the long-sealed closet in mens sports by becoming the first openly gay active player in any major league sport. President Barack Obama called him to offer his support, saying he couldnt be prouder, and Oprah Winfrey called him a pioneer.By not having to hide who I am, just being able to live an authentic life, there's something powerful about being the one to out yourself and step forward and speak your truth, Collins told Uncloseted Media. There's no greater feeling.Many thought that Collins' announcement would lead to a slew of men coming out in professional sports; commentators called it a tipping point and the moment when things really changed. But 12 years later, the silence is deafening. Today, there are zero active openly gay or bisexual players in the NFL, NBA, NHL, MLB, MLS, PGA and ATP.What makes these numbers particularly shocking is that more than 1 in 5 Gen Z adults in the United States identify as LGBTQ. It is a legit claim that the last closet for men is sports, especially in the North American context, says Charlene Weaving, a professor of gender studies at St. Francis Xavier University. If you look at sport[s], it's as if what's happening in society is amplified. Sports is the worst place for sexism and homophobia. There's so much pressure to adhere to a heterosexual persona.So whats keeping the closet door shut?Subscribe nowCoaching Can Help or HurtOne key element in mens sports that can help or hinder someone from coming out is the mentors who surround them.The coaches create the culture, right? What you say, what you allow [in] your locker room, that's all on us, says Anthony Nicodemo, a gay high school basketball coach in Westchester, New York.He says he intentionally uses LGBTQ-inclusive language with his team to signal that theres nothing wrong with being gay. If we had a game on Saturday morning and it's Friday night, Id say, Hey go home with your boyfriend or girlfriend tonight, stay in. My kids would laugh, of course, but then after I said it a couple times, they didn't even blink, he says. If there was a gay kid on my team, that gay kid knows that he's welcome.A 2016 study by the Journal of Sport and Health Science found that gay and bisexual male teen athletes feel particularly unwelcome when playing in formal sporting environments where there are coaches. The study also found that they were more likely to play on an informal team without a coach, which would lessen their chances of becoming a professional athlete.The hope is that you're going to create inclusive environments that are ultimately going to allow those kids to get to the point in society where we feel comfortable with them coming out and eventually playing at the professional level, says Nicodemo, who worked with Collins at the Pride Centers LGBTQ inclusion basketball clinic in San Antonio this March.Nicodemo says we need more role models like Brian Burke, the former president of hockey operations for the Pittsburgh Penguins. After Burkes gay son passed away in a car accident in 2010, he made it his mission to explicitly advocate for gay men competing in pro hockey. If you're a member of the LGBTQ+ community, you are welcome with the Pittsburgh Penguins, he said at a 2021 Pittsburgh Pride Revolution March. You're welcome to come to our games, you're welcome to play for our team, you're welcome to work on our staff. You are welcome."Photo by 5of7.Research suggests all players want to participate in more inclusive environments. A 2021 study evaluated college coaches who identified as LGBTQ, as allies, or as anti-LGBTQ. In every context, students preferred coaches who embraced nondiscrimination, choosing the ally and the LGBTQ coach over the anti-LGBTQ coach.Despite this, Nicodemo says he may be an anomaly when it comes to LGBTQ-inclusive coaches. In fact, a 2015 study concluded that the United States was the most homophobic country in the world when it comes to sports and 80% of the studys participants reported witnessing or experiencing homophobia in U.S. sports.Just this week, the Wake Forest mens baseball coach Tom Walter issued an apology after cameras caught him using an apparent homophobic slur during an NCAA game.There's a lot of homophobia in our society. There is a lot of homophobia still in sports, in particular, male sports, says Collins. We still have a lot of work to do as far as creating those environments that those athletes do feel comfortable to step forward [in] and share who they are. It's about education and letting them know it's okay to say, I am gay, I am bisexual. You know, you name it, but it's okay. It's okay to speak your truth.Are the Leagues Pulling Their Weight?Beyond the coaches are the leagues. While some of them have taken steps to create inclusive environments, others have gone in a different direction by rolling back their LGBTQ-inclusive policies amid attacks on Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI). In March, the MLB removed references to their Diversity Pipeline Program, which outlined their diversity-focused hiring initiatives, from their website.This may have been in response to external pressure. In October 2023, the conservative public interest organization America First Legal, which was founded by Trumps Deputy Chief of Staff Stephen Miller, filed a formal complaint against the MLB, blasting the leagues diversity pipeline and related initiatives as blatant examples of racial and sexist discrimination against white men.And in 2023, the NHL banned all LGBTQ symbols from uniforms after a handful of players refused to participate in Pride Nights.While the ban was lifted after pushback from sponsors, players and fans, Nicodemo believes it sent the wrong message to young male players. I believe wholeheartedly that Pride nights save lives. I think [about] a gay kid that is watching hockey at home and seeing the rainbow flag and how important that is, he says. Gay kids need to see people representing pride. When I was coaching before COVID, when we used to actually wear suits when we coached, I wore a rainbow lapel in every game just to show it was okay.Some mens leagues have done more to promote inclusivity. NBA Cares, the social justice arm of the leagues charitable programming, has prioritized including gay youth and men in their initiatives. Nicodemo has worked with NBA Cares, and Collins has contributed as an ambassador.This is very important for coaches, for those people in leadership positions, to think about as far as, How do I get the best possible version of my athlete? ... One way you do that is by creating a team environment where everyone feels safe, says Collins.Subscribe nowHomophobia and Misogyny in the Mens Locker RoomUnlike men's leagues, women's leagues are more accepting of LGBTQ players. Billie Jean King, Brittney Griner and Abby Wambach are some of the many women who have thrived while competing as openly gay athletes.In the WNBA, [its] not an issue, says Nicodemo, referencing that 29% of active WNBA players are openly lesbian.Photo by CanvaHomophobia is more common among men. And in the locker room, it isnt always easy to spot, as it often masks itself in homoeroticism.Two male athletes will kiss each other on the lips. And that's considered to be love and appreciation that you scored that big goal. I'm gonna kiss you and it's not at all viewed to be perceived to be gay and the grabbing of the bums or the testicle area. This idea of showering together, slapping towels, that's all considered to be like part of men's sport, says Weaving. So it's this idea where players can be as gay as they want and in the context of the field or the locker room, they're not perceived to be gay. But if they were to act that way outside of that sporting context, then they're considered to be.Collins says this gender divide may be because of sexism and toxic masculinity. This kind of performative homoeroticism is only socially acceptable because it's understood to be ironica joke that relies on not actually being gay. When the behavior slips beyond the bounds of just joking, it exposes an undercurrent of homophobia masked as camaraderie.The Financial Cost of Coming Out: Something to Gain or Lose?Beyond all these pressures lies a monetary component for athletes who are considering opening the closet door while still in uniform. Cyd Zeigler, the cofounder of Outsports, wrote in a 2024 article that he knows for a fact that agents have told gay athletes to stay in the closet and that his best answer has pointed to the agents and managers whose livelihoods depend on athletes maximizing their earning potential in just a few years.Weaving agrees. The general managers and the owners have more traditionally homophobic, sexist thinking. They believe [LGBTQ players] will harm viewership, she says. It's still taboo where athletes fear repercussions, predominantly, around sponsorships.The fear of losing out on money may be misguided. The first day Jason Collins number 98 jersey became available on the NBA website, one year after he came out, it was the top seller of all active NBA players. Carl Nassibs jersey became a top seller on the NFLs official online marketplace when he came out in 2021. And Michael Sam, the first gay NFL player, had the second-highest selling jersey in his 2014 rookie class of more than 250 draftees.The Trump Effect on the Last ClosetPerhaps the biggest factor keeping men in the closet is Americas current political climate, where the Trump administration and corporate America have abandoned DEI and so-called woke initiatives.The Trump administration has also erased many references to LGBTQ people from government websites, and at least nine states have introduced measures to overturn marriage equality.The Trump administration asks districts to sign attestations to say that they're not going to do DEI work in schools. That could be a pride flag hanging in the classroom, says Nicodemo. If you're not creating an inclusive environment for these kids, then these kids are never going to feel comfortable coming out.What Can Be Done?As all these factors create a challenging environment for men to feel safe coming out in sports.Collins says what could move the needle the most is an increase in role models who will make young athletes feel like theyre competing in a safe environment. It definitely got to very dark, lonely places because I felt like I was going through this alone, he says. When I was younger, I was constantly looking for those role models, of people who have sort of been down this path, he says.Weaving agrees and says that a lack of LGBTQ-inclusive coaches can be more than just a deterrent for student-athletes seeking to grow their career.For many children, it doesnt only make things uncomfortable, it can push them out of sports altogether, she says. Coaches play a big role. Youth sport is the starting point. If you can create positive environments, inclusive cultures at that level, it continues and helps to shift the pro culture.Collins remains hopeful that there will be more visibility of gay men in professional sports but underscores the need for role models to step up.If youre a coach or if youre an athletic director or even a headmaster out of school, you have to seek out help. You have to bring other organizations who have expertise. And it can be as simple as a 30- to 60-minute conversation, but at least youre laying the groundwork down for educating those players, educating those athletes, says Collins, a two-time NBA championship finalist who married his partner last month.Additional reporting by Sam Donndelinger.If objective, nonpartisan, rigorous, LGBTQ-focused journalism is important to you, please consider making a tax-deductible donation through our fiscal sponsor, Resource Impact, by clicking this button:Donate to Uncloseted Media

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Welcome back to the Abstract!Sad news: the marriage between the Milky Way and Andromeda may be off, so dont save the date (five billion years from now) just yet.Then: the air you breathe might narc on you, hitchhiking worm towers, a long-lost ancient culture, Assyrian eyeliner, and the youngest old fish of the week.An Update on the Fate of the GalaxySawala, Till et al. No certainty of a Milky WayAndromeda collision. Nature Astronomy.Our galaxy, the Milky Way, and our nearest large neighbor, Andromeda, are supposed to collide in about five billion years in a smashed ball of wreckage called Milkomeda. That has been the prevalent narrative and textbook knowledge for decades, according to a new study that then goes on to sayhey, theres a 50/50 chance that the galacta-crash will not occur.What happened to The Milkomeda that Was Promised? In short, better telescopes. The new study is based on updated observations from the Gaia and Hubble space telescopes, which included refined measurements of smaller nearby galaxies, including the Large Magellanic Cloud, which is about 130,000 light years away.Astronomers found that the gravitational pull of the Large Magellanic Cloud effectively tugs the Milky Way out of Andromedas path in many simulations that incorporate the new data, which is one of many scenarios that could upend the Milkomeda-merger.The orbit of the Large Magellanic Cloud runs perpendicular to the Milky WayAndromeda orbit and makes their merger less probable, said researchers led by Till Sawala of the University of Helsinki. In the full system, we found that uncertainties in the present positions, motions and masses of all galaxies leave room for drastically different outcomes and a probability of close to 50% that there will be no Milky WayAndromeda merger during the next 10 billion years.Based on the best available data, the fate of our Galaxy is still completely open, the team said.Wow, what a cathartic clearing of the cosmic calendar. The study also gets bonus points for the term Galactic eschatology, a field of study that is still in its infancy. For all those young folks out there looking to get a start on the ground floor, why not become a Galactic eschatologist? Worth it for the business cards alone.In other newsThe Air on DrugsNousias, Orestis, McCauley, Mark, Stammnitz, Maximilian et al. Shotgun sequencing of airborne eDNA achieves rapid assessment of whole biomes, population genetics and genomic variation. Nature Ecology & Evolution.Living things are constantly shedding cells off into their surroundings where it becomes environmental DNA (eDNA), a bunch of mixed genetic scraps that provide a whiff of the biome of any given area. In a new study, scientists who captured air samples from Dublin, Ireland, found eDNA from plenty of humans, pathogens, and drugs.[Opium poppy] eDNA was also detected in Dublin City air in both the 2023 and 2024 samples, said researchers led by co-led by Orestis Nousias and Mark McCauley of the University of Florida, and Maximilian Stammnitz of the Barcelona Institute of Science and Technology. Dublin City also had the highest level of Cannabis genus eDNA and Psilocybe genus (magic mushrooms) eDNA was also detectable in the 2024 Dublin air sample.Even the air is a snitch these days. Indeed, while eDNA techniques are revolutionizing science, they also raise many ethical concerns about privacy and surveillance.Catch a Ride on the Wild Worm TowerPerez, Daniela et al. Towering behavior and collective dispersal in Caenorhabditis nematodes. Current Biology.The long wait for a wild worm tower is finally over. I know, its a momentous occasion. While scientists have previously observed tiny worms called nematodes joining to form towers in laboratory conditions, this Voltron-esque adaptation has now been observed in a natural environment for the first time.Images show a) A tower of worms. b) A tower explores the 3D space with an unsupported arm. c) A tower bridges an 3 mm gap to reach the Petri dish lid d) Touch experiment showing the tower at various stages. Image: Perez, Daniela et al.We observed towers of an undescribed Caenorhabditis species and C. remanei within the damp flesh of apples and pears in orchards near the University of Konstanz in Germany, said researchers led by Daniela Perez of the Max Planck Institute of Animal Behavior. As these fruits rotted and partially split on the ground, they exposed substrate projectionscrystalized sugars and protruding fleshwhich served as bases for towers as well as for a large number of worms individually lifting their bodies to wave in the air (nictation).According to the study, this towering behavior helps nematodes catch rides on passing animals, so that wave is pretty much the nematode version of a hitchhikers thumb.A Lost Culture of Hunter-GatherersKrettek, Kim-Louise et al. A 6000-year-long genomic transect from the Bogot Altiplano reveals multiple genetic shifts in the demographic history of Colombia. Science Advances.Ancient DNA from the remains of 21 individuals exposed a lost Indigenous culture that lived in Colombias Bogot Altiplano in Colombia for millennia, before vanishing around 2,000 years ago.These hunter-gatherers were not closely related to either ancient North American groups or ancient or present-day South American populations, and therefore represent a previously unknown basal lineage, according to researchers led by Kim-Lousie Krettek of the University of Tbingen. In other words, this newly discovered population is an early branch of the broader family tree that ultimately dispersed into South America.Ancient genomic data from neighboring areas along the Northern Andes that have not yet been analyzed through ancient genomics, such as western Colombia, western Venezuela, and Ecuador, will be pivotal to better define the timing and ancestry sources of human migrations into South America, the team said.The Eyeshadow of the AncientsAmicone, Silvia et al. Eye makeup in Northwestern Iran at the time of the Assyrian Empire: a new kohl recipe based on manganese and graphite from Kani Koter (Iron Age III). Archaeometry.People of the Assyrian Empire appreciated a well-touched smokey eye some 3,000 years ago, according to a new study that identified kohl recipes used for eye makeup from an Iron Age cemetery Kani Koter in Northwestern Iran.Makeup containers at the different sites. Image: Amicone, Silvia et al.At Kani Koter, the use of natural graphite instead of carbon black testifies to a hitherto unknown kohl recipe, said researchers led by Silvia Amicone of the University of Tbingen. Graphite is an attractive choice due to its enhanced aesthetic appeal, as its light reflective qualities produce a metallic appearance.Add it to the ancient lookbook. Both women and men wore these cosmetics; the authors note that modern assumptions that cosmetic containers would be gender-specific items aptly highlight the limitations of our present understanding of the wider cultural and social contexts of the use of eye makeup during the Iron Age in the Middle East.New Onychodontid Just DroppedGoodchild, Owen et al. A new onychodontid (Osteichthyes, Sarcopterygii) from the Upper Devonian (Frasnian) of Devon Island, Nunavut Territory, Canada. The Journal of Vertebrate Paleontology.Well end with an introduction to Onychodus mikijuk, the newest member of a fish family called onychodontids that lived about 370 million years ago. The new species was identified by fragments found in Nunavut in Canada, including tooth whorls that are like little dental buzzsaws.This new species is the first record of an onychodontid from the Upper Devonian of the Canadian Arctic, the first from a riverine environment, and one of the youngest occurrences of the clade, said researchers led by Owen Goodchild of the American Museum of Natural History.Ah, to be 370-million-years-young again! Welcome to the fossil record, Onychodus mikijuk.Thanks for reading! See you next week.

Gay Mecca West Hollywood knows how to celebrate Pride Month right!WeHo Prides three-day-long Pride celebration kicked off on May 30 with the WeHo Pride Presents Friday Night at OUTLOUD Music Festival headlined by Maren Morris with a bevy of other queer stars and gay faves performing. Moris, who came out as bisexual last Pride Month, sang her country hits to a packed house at the iconic concert, which was free to the public courtesy of the City of West Hollywood.There were also performances by Qveen Herby, Jamie Fine, and Venessa Michaels with special guest Kaleena Zanders, and a Drag Queen Lip Sync Battle Royale with Drag Race queens Kori King and Lana JaRae, and a special guest appearance by Pit Crew member Bruno Alcantara.The music festival continued throughout the weekend, featuring headliners such as Lizzo, Remi Wolf, Honey Dijon, Paris Hilton, and Kim Petras. And because WeHo Pride is always a huge blowout celebration, there was also a Pride Street Fair, Women's Freedom Festival, Dyke March, and WeHo Pride Parade.WeHo Pride is iconic for a reason, and this years star-studded celebration was another one for the history books.Keep scrolling to take a peek at Maren Morris concert and the energy-filled Drag Queen Lip Sync Battle Royale!Check out WeHos Dyke March 2025.Feeling nostalgic? Here are the iconic photos from last years WeHo Prides OUTLOUD Music Festival.How did WeHo Pride celebrate its 40th anniversary? Check it out here.How many of these Pride facts did you know? Pride is for EVERYONE! These vintage photos of Pride prove that it is, was, and will forever be about diversity! If you want to celebrate Pride Month, but youre not sure where to start, check out our Pride 2025 calendar and our lists of every Black Pride event, Dyke March and Trans Pride celebration in the country. Don't forget the first Pride was a riot. Know your Stone Wall Uprising history!Is this your first Pride? Here's 5 essential tips you need to know!Want to celebrate Pride with the whole family? Heres how!Pride is a blast but it can also be awkward! These moments are sadly, too relatable. Looking to get kinky at Pride? Heres how to find your kink scene. Pride Month is a time to let your Pride and kink flags fly. Here's how to do it safely.

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