LGBTQ
Katie Sowers of the San Francisco 49ers Becomes First Openly Gay Coach in the NFL
23 August 2017
Katie Sowers already made history once this year, as the second woman to be hired by the NFL as a full-time assistant coach. Now she's done it again by coming out as gay, making her the first openly LGBTQ coach ever in the league's history.
"No matter what you do in life, one of the most important things is to be true to who you are," Sowers told Outsportsas part of a lengthy profile. "There are so many people who identify as LGBT in the NFL, as in any business, that do not feel comfortable being public about their sexual orientation."
The NFL does not have a great reputation for embracing people of different sexual orientations. Six players have come out after they retired, and only one - Michael Sam - was out when he was drafted by the St. Louis Rams (though he never played in the regular season).
"The more we create an environment that welcomes all types of people, no matter their race, gender, sexual orientation, religion, the more we can help ease the pain and burden that many carry every day," Sowers added.
Bowers became the full-time assistant coach for the San Francisco 49ers after working as a scouting intern for the Atlanta Falcons. The 49ers were also Colin Kaepernick's team when he infamously protested police brutality last year by kneeling during the National Anthem. Kaepernick is currently not signed to any team, and many believe he is being blackballed by the league for his outspoken political stance.
[h/t Outsports]
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