Carmouche: UFC ready for gay male star
Liz Carmouche: “I do actually believe that a man could come out as being openly gay, and he could rise to the top.”
The #6 ranked UFC women’s flyweight Liz Carmouche was the first openly lesbian fighter, debuting in the league at UFC 157 on February 23, 2013. There was no overwhelming negative response compared to say the introduction of African Americans into previously sports from which they had previously been prohibited. However, there was a widespread belief that the first gay male fighter might face a degree of opposition.
Carmouche spoke recently with TMZ Sports and said she thinks that a gay male UFC fighter would be accepted.
“I think now, yes,” she said. “A few years ago, when I was coming out, I didn’t think that that would be the case. I thought it would be very difficult for a man, with the way society views things.
“But seeing just in our own gym, people from the LBGTQ community – they’re transitioning. They’re coming in there confident that this is a safe place for them. So I do actually believe that a man could come out as being openly gay, and he could rise to the top, and people would take him for who his skillset is, not letting his sexual preference take from what he is doing.”
UFC president White was asked a similar question half a decade ago.
“I’ll tell you right now, if there was a gay fighter in UFC, I wish he would come out,” said White. “I could care less if there’s a gay fighter in the UFC. There probably is and there’s probably more than one. I mean, it’s 2012.”
