America's first openly gay pro soccer player fights for LGBTQ inclusivity in sports
San Diego Loyal’s Collin Martin made history in 2018 by becoming the first openly gay MLS player. Five years later, he’s celebrating himself and the sport he loves.
San Diego Loyal SC
Historic America's first openly gay MLS player
One of professional soccer’s biggest LGBTQ trailblazers has a lot to celebrate.
San Diego Loyal midfielder Collin Martin, 28, made history in 2018 by becoming one of the first openly gay Major League Soccer players. Five years later, Martin is still celebrating himself and the support given to him by the sport that he loves.
Martin was playing for Minnesota United in 2018 when he took to Twitter to announce that he was a proud and supported openly gay player in Major League Soccer.
“I wanted to focus on when I first came out was how much I was supported in the locker room, how much my teammates had just treated me like any other teammate,” Martin said.
Martin said he didn’t want his announcement to focus on what he called ‘’negative homophobia’’ or ‘’overt masculinity’’ that has become synonymous with locker room culture in professional sports.
“I didn't want to focus on that stuff, because then I think it hinders maybe someone that would be worried about what it's like in a locker room,” Martin said.
Advocacy LGBTQ Champion
Martin has spent years advocating following his announcement fighting for LGBTQ rights, specifically in the world of sports.
He's used his advocacy to create partnerships with some of the world's biggest sports brands like Adidas and Dick's Sporting Goods. Martin uses each speech and each partnership to share his story.
Martin said his focus when sharing his story with the world is to help educate coaches about the importance of creating a safe space for all players in the locker room. He said that the advocacy organizations he chooses to work with share the same goal.
"They work on the education with a coach and change their mindset, and make sure that they're using the right language and they're just taking into consideration that each kid that they're working with might have a different story," Martin said. "If we acknowledge that and if we create a space where all the kids acknowledge that, then they're going to create healthier, and safer spaces for everyone to show up and do what they love. And that's play sport.”
San Diego Loyal SC 'Kicking hate out of our game'
Martin joined San Diego Loyal SC in 2020 after playing for Hartford Athletic and MLS team Minnesota United.
“I've felt welcomed since the day I came here,” Martin said. “I had a lot of support from my teammates and the city, I felt very welcome.”
In his second game with the team, Martin's professional soccer experience landed him on the San Diego Loyal's starting line-up.
Despite the warm welcome by his team and his new city, an incident during a match against Phoenix Rising FC put Martin's sexuality front and center once again.
During a home match in Sept. 2020, Phoenix Rising FC midfielder Junior Flemings called Martin a homophobic slur.
In response, San Diego Loyal Manager Landon Donovan spoke to the team and subsequently walked off of the field, forfeiting the match.
"We made a vow to ourselves, to our community, to our players, to the club, to USL, that we would not stand for bigotry, homophobic slurs. Things that don't belong in our game," Donovan said on Twitter following the match.
Martin addressed the incident directly in a statement and said it was the first time in his eight-year career that a slur was directed at him during a game.
"Their collective decision to walk off the field in solidarity and forfeit the match speaks volumes of their support for me and what this organization is standing up to. Ultimately, I hope this can be another example that we have a long way to go in educating ourselves and kicking hate out of our game," the statement from Martin said.
Thriving Why visibility is important
The quick and unequivocal response from his teammates during an ugly moment reinforced the support he's received since joining the Loyal in 2020.
"There's been ups and downs, but for the most part, it's been rewarding to celebrate myself. And also just be proud of how far I've come and be able to celebrate it," Martin said. "The teammates in the clubs I've been a part of, I've been extremely well supported. And, that's the story I like to share."
Through the ups and downs, Martin has leveraged his identity to grow as a person, professional soccer player and advocate.
"You have to be willing to share deep aspects about yourself and to be able to grow with the people that you love," Martin said.
The soccer trailblazer wouldn't be where he is today without the support from the people around him.
"When I think about moments that I've eventually thrived, it's because I've opened up and I've been willing to allow the people in my life, whether that's my family, or the people I show up to work with to love me," Martin said.
This year, Martin received the 2023 Harvey Milk Champion of Equality Award. He was also honored in March with a mural in Hillcrest, commemorating the start to another season with the Loyal.
When asked why it's so important to share his story, the answer for Martin is simple: visibility.
"I didn't have a lot of references of gay athletes in professional sports. And I wanted to be a reference for kids that were looking up to me and, so that's why visibility is really important to me.” Martin said.
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