UFC is a world unlike any other. It is a symbol of inherent masculinity and a brutal mix between martial arts and athletic competition. Comedian Sacha Baron Cohen, dressed as his Bruno persona, once kissed a man in the middle of a UFC ring and was met with hateful abuse from the audience.
But things are definitely moving in the right direction when it comes to gay tolerance in the Octagon.
The UFC Has Begun to Support Gay Rights
The 21st century has seen a huge rise in support for gay rights and LGBTQ+ issues. This has translated to the world of sport. More and more federations and sports brands are throwing their support behind their athletes, which encourages a safe environment for these people to compete.
Obviously, you're going to get some men who will have difficulty or show levels of insecurity regarding a fellow athlete's sexuality. Also, gaystryst has discussed the topic of courage and openness in the LGBT community many times. However, for the most part, most gay UFC fighters would earn a huge amount of respect for being open about their orientation in a very masculine environment. Here at GaysTryst, we have discussed the topic of courage and openness in the LGBT community many times. Quite simply, there is more to be gained by coming out than there is staying in the closet.
Dana White Has Given His Support to Gay Fighters
Dana White has something of a checkered past when it comes to gay rights. He has been known to make gay slurs in his time as UFC boss. However, he has since gone on record to apologize for his previous behavior and stand by any UFC fights who might actually be gay. "I could care less if there's a gay fighter in the UFC. There probably is, and there's probably more than one."
Are There Any Gay Fighters in UFC?
There are no openly gay male fighters in the UFC, but there are numerous on the female side of things, including dominant champion Amanda Nunes. Two notable fighters have come out as gay to the public. The first was Shad Smith, who deserves so much credit for having the bravery to be a potential trend-setter in the sport. The second fighter to come out was the hugely talented Jordan Faulkner. However, many UFC fighters have shown solidarity with the LGBTQ+ community, such as Kyle Kingsbury, who stripped down to a pair of pro-gay rights undies during a weigh-in.
We couldn't be happier that the UFC is moving in such a positive direction and showing solidarity with gay rights. Hopefully, one day, gay UFC fighters will feel safe enough to come out to their colleagues and fans. Until that day, we hope the company and the MMA world as a whole continue to make great strides!
