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‘We're still here. We're still going to enjoy our game': What it's like being a trans sports fan in Trump's second term

CNN

14 minutes ago

CNN

‘We're still here. We're still going to enjoy our game': What it's like being a trans sports fan in Trump's second term

The first six months of Donald Trump's second term as president of the United States have been defined by sweeping executive orders and the introduction of legislation that takes aim at some of America's most marginalized communities. In particular, transgender people living in the US have been a target of the Trump administration's ire. Several actions have been taken to prevent trans people from participating in public life, from banning transgender Americans from serving in the military to an executive order that bans transgender women from competing in women's sports. Trans athletes, especially, have been in the crosshairs of the Trump administration over the last few months. There have been threats to California's federal funding over the participation of a trans high school junior in state track and field championships and in March, the White House cut off $175 million in federal funds for the University of Pennsylvania related to the trans athlete issue. As the US gears up to be one of three countries hosting the 2026 FIFA World Cup next June – the first on American soil since 1994 – the spotlight is turning towards its sporting scene. And as the attention of the world's sports media shifts to the US, a number of athletes and soccer fans, including many trans people themselves, are raising the alarm over the attacks on trans rights. Some want to use the upcoming World Cup – the largest international soccer tournament there is and arguably the most popular global event, sporting or otherwise – to show the world that the trans community in the US takes care of one another, refusing to disappear even as the Trump administration attempts to make life difficult for them. Many just want trans people to have the right to play and enjoy sports as freely as anyone else. Liam Taylor is a season ticket holder of MLS franchise the Colorado Rapids, an overseas fan of English club Tottenham Hotspur, and a former high school powerlifting champion. He is also a trans man who was immensely looking forward to a World Cup in his home nation – but not anymore. 'My wife and I are so into the World Cup, we usually keep a track of every game in the competition. We were so excited for it to be here, where we live. But honestly, now, it doesn't feel safe to travel to certain parts of the US, so we won't be spending our money on that anymore,' Taylor told CNN Sports. Taylor says he largely feels safe as a trans man living in the Centennial State with a supportive community around him, but he used to live in Dallas, Texas – a decidedly Republican state. 'Some of my friends in Dallas are bracing for a more hostile environment towards LGBTQ+ people. And not just in Texas but across the South, really,' Taylor said. One of the reasons Taylor left the Lone Star State is that it was starting to become more and more difficult for him to access the hormones he needed. He is no stranger to experiencing discrimination towards the trans community but sports and, in particular, soccer have often been his solace. He's happy that his beloved Colorado Rapids still hosted its designated Pride night, despite the ongoing exclusion towards transpeople in sports that the Trump administration is fostering, but he told CNN Sports that he is struggling to put an optimistic spin on the current political climate. 'It's scary to think that a percentage of your neighbors really hate you. I try not to be a pessimist, but it's difficult not to get down about it all right now,' he said. 'There's a huge hypocrisy amongst conservatives and the Trump administration, who say we should 'Keep politics out of sport' – but they're doing something political by pushing (queer and trans) people out of sport!' Referring to Trump's executive order to ban trans women from sports, Taylor made the point that the practice is not only harmful to trans athletes but to cisgender ones, too. 'The Trump administration says that they're doing this, banning trans players, to 'protect women and girls,' but who are we protecting when the privacy of athletes is being violated because of enforced (sex) checks?' said Taylor. 'How exactly authorities in schools, colleges and sporting institutions are going to 'check' someone is or isn't trans is incredibly unclear and could potentially be very invasive.' Taylor is deeply concerned that the Trump administration's anti-trans policies are going to encourage hostility towards trans people at sporting events and other public gatherings. He reflected on the transphobia that he himself experienced, particularly while he was transitioning, and told CNN Sports that he fears an uptick in the same kind of behavior in the new America being shaped by Trump. 'In 2016, back in Texas, I was followed into bathrooms, some guys tried to fight me at a truck stop, and it wasn't safe to be there anymore,' Taylor said. 'I'm seeing that kind of thing happen now, to other trans folks, more and more. I'm trying now to do what I can with my passing privilege – going to protests on behalf of people that want to go but don't feel safe to do so, donating specifically to LGBTQ+ charities.' Despite the fears around the discrimination against trans athletes and sports fans right now, Taylor does find comfort in the community he's found in soccer and in the Colorado Rapids fanbase. 'We won't be skipping any home games this season. Our friends are there, and we'll be there, all of us, to support each other while all this is going down under Trump,' he said. Almost 1,000 miles away in Los Angeles, Taylor Gray has also found a family in the soccer club LAFC and, in particular, its LGBTQ+ supporters' group – LAFC Pride Republic. 'Joining LAFC Pride Republic felt like coming home,' Gray, who is a trans man, told CNN Sports. Until he joined the supporters' group, Gray said he had never met another trans person. LAFC Pride Republic has become so important to Gray's life that he even proposed to his husband on the pitch at LAFC's BMO Stadium. As the Trump administration moves to roll back trans inclusion in sports, Gray has found that the feeling amongst his friends at Pride Republic is one of resilience. 'Every time I go to a game at the moment, people are constantly discussing how we can be louder, how to be more visible, how to show that we aren't going anywhere regardless of what this government is trying to do,' he said. 'We want to inspire other soccer teams and supporters' groups who don't know what to do right now. We want to show that it's important to say we're still here, we're still going to enjoy our game and we're still going to be visibly trans.' Amid a changing political landscape, LAFC and the American soccer community have been preparing for increased international attention as the FIFA Club World Cup continues across the US in advance of next year's World Cup. LAFC competed in the tournament group stage and Gray hopes that soccer fans traveling to the States will see that there are people who don't support the policies of the Trump administration and, instead, will fervently defend the rights of marginalized communities. 'For every jerk you might meet in the US, there are 10 people here that will love you regardless of your gender identity or sexuality,' Gray said. 'We can't let the good work that people are doing to provide support to their communities fall to the side. It's so important to uplift the folks that are looking out for those that are being excluded right now.' As many institutions, companies and corporations across the US rescind their diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) policies in the wake of the Trump administration's push to end these initiatives, Gray is proud that LAFC and Pride Republic are standing firm in their values. 'Despite everything else around us, Pride Republic is not changing what its goals are – which is to make sure that soccer is a sport that welcomes everyone. Inclusivity is an incredibly important word for Pride Republic and that isn't going away.' Soccer, and particularly men's soccer, does not always feel like a welcoming space for LGBTQ+ people. In France's top division, Ligue 1, two high profile players were recently given bans for concealing the anti-homophobia badge on their club's shirts. Homophobic chanting continues to be an issue across European soccer. The beautiful game has all too often been marred by unsavory incidents of bigotry. But what Gray has found at LAFC Pride Republic and what Taylor has found amongst his friends in the Colorado Rapids' fanbase stand in opposition to what has been seen before in soccer and in the Trump administration's rhetoric. In the communities that the two have discovered, soccer is for everyone and anyone is welcome to share in the joy and the anguish of the game. Both men say they have found a home in the stands of their respective clubs. As the Trump administration shows no signs of slowing down its attempts to exclude trans people from competing in sports, communities across the United States are fighting back to show that they won't be silenced or made to feel invisible – and they aren't planning to give up.

CNN

26 minutes ago

CNN

‘We're still here. We're still going to enjoy our game': What it's like being a trans sports fan in Trump's second term

The first six months of Donald Trump's second term as president of the United States have been defined by sweeping executive orders and the introduction of legislation that takes aim at some of America's most marginalized communities. In particular, transgender people living in the US have been a target of the Trump administration's ire. Several actions have been taken to prevent trans people from participating in public life, from banning transgender Americans from serving in the military to an executive order that bans transgender women from competing in women's sports. Trans athletes, especially, have been in the crosshairs of the Trump administration over the last few months. There have been threats to California's federal funding over the participation of a trans high school junior in state track and field championships and in March, the White House cut off $175 million in federal funds for the University of Pennsylvania related to the trans athlete issue. As the US gears up to be one of three countries hosting the 2026 FIFA World Cup next June – the first on American soil since 1994 – the spotlight is turning towards its sporting scene. And as the attention of the world's sports media shifts to the US, a number of athletes and soccer fans, including many trans people themselves, are raising the alarm over the attacks on trans rights. Some want to use the upcoming World Cup – the largest international soccer tournament there is and arguably the most popular global event, sporting or otherwise – to show the world that the trans community in the US takes care of one another, refusing to disappear even as the Trump administration attempts to make life difficult for them. Many just want trans people to have the right to play and enjoy sports as freely as anyone else. Liam Taylor is a season ticket holder of MLS franchise the Colorado Rapids, an overseas fan of English club Tottenham Hotspur, and a former high school powerlifting champion. He is also a trans man who was immensely looking forward to a World Cup in his home nation – but not anymore. 'My wife and I are so into the World Cup, we usually keep a track of every game in the competition. We were so excited for it to be here, where we live. But honestly, now, it doesn't feel safe to travel to certain parts of the US, so we won't be spending our money on that anymore,' Taylor told CNN Sports. Taylor says he largely feels safe as a trans man living in the Centennial State with a supportive community around him, but he used to live in Dallas, Texas – a decidedly Republican state. 'Some of my friends in Dallas are bracing for a more hostile environment towards LGBTQ+ people. And not just in Texas but across the South, really,' Taylor said. One of the reasons Taylor left the Lone Star State is that it was starting to become more and more difficult for him to access the hormones he needed. He is no stranger to experiencing discrimination towards the trans community but sports and, in particular, soccer have often been his solace. He's happy that his beloved Colorado Rapids still hosted its designated Pride night, despite the ongoing exclusion towards transpeople in sports that the Trump administration is fostering, but he told CNN Sports that he is struggling to put an optimistic spin on the current political climate. 'It's scary to think that a percentage of your neighbors really hate you. I try not to be a pessimist, but it's difficult not to get down about it all right now,' he said. 'There's a huge hypocrisy amongst conservatives and the Trump administration, who say we should 'Keep politics out of sport' – but they're doing something political by pushing (queer and trans) people out of sport!' Referring to Trump's executive order to ban trans women from sports, Taylor made the point that the practice is not only harmful to trans athletes but to cisgender ones, too. 'The Trump administration says that they're doing this, banning trans players, to 'protect women and girls,' but who are we protecting when the privacy of athletes is being violated because of enforced (sex) checks?' said Taylor. 'How exactly authorities in schools, colleges and sporting institutions are going to 'check' someone is or isn't trans is incredibly unclear and could potentially be very invasive.' Taylor is deeply concerned that the Trump administration's anti-trans policies are going to encourage hostility towards trans people at sporting events and other public gatherings. He reflected on the transphobia that he himself experienced, particularly while he was transitioning, and told CNN Sports that he fears an uptick in the same kind of behavior in the new America being shaped by Trump. 'In 2016, back in Texas, I was followed into bathrooms, some guys tried to fight me at a truck stop, and it wasn't safe to be there anymore,' Taylor said. 'I'm seeing that kind of thing happen now, to other trans folks, more and more. I'm trying now to do what I can with my passing privilege – going to protests on behalf of people that want to go but don't feel safe to do so, donating specifically to LGBTQ+ charities.' Despite the fears around the discrimination against trans athletes and sports fans right now, Taylor does find comfort in the community he's found in soccer and in the Colorado Rapids fanbase. 'We won't be skipping any home games this season. Our friends are there, and we'll be there, all of us, to support each other while all this is going down under Trump,' he said. Almost 1,000 miles away in Los Angeles, Taylor Gray has also found a family in the soccer club LAFC and, in particular, its LGBTQ+ supporters' group – LAFC Pride Republic. 'Joining LAFC Pride Republic felt like coming home,' Gray, who is a trans man, told CNN Sports. Until he joined the supporters' group, Gray said he had never met another trans person. LAFC Pride Republic has become so important to Gray's life that he even proposed to his husband on the pitch at LAFC's BMO Stadium. As the Trump administration moves to roll back trans inclusion in sports, Gray has found that the feeling amongst his friends at Pride Republic is one of resilience. 'Every time I go to a game at the moment, people are constantly discussing how we can be louder, how to be more visible, how to show that we aren't going anywhere regardless of what this government is trying to do,' he said. 'We want to inspire other soccer teams and supporters' groups who don't know what to do right now. We want to show that it's important to say we're still here, we're still going to enjoy our game and we're still going to be visibly trans.' Amid a changing political landscape, LAFC and the American soccer community have been preparing for increased international attention as the FIFA Club World Cup continues across the US in advance of next year's World Cup. LAFC competed in the tournament group stage and Gray hopes that soccer fans traveling to the States will see that there are people who don't support the policies of the Trump administration and, instead, will fervently defend the rights of marginalized communities. 'For every jerk you might meet in the US, there are 10 people here that will love you regardless of your gender identity or sexuality,' Gray said. 'We can't let the good work that people are doing to provide support to their communities fall to the side. It's so important to uplift the folks that are looking out for those that are being excluded right now.' As many institutions, companies and corporations across the US rescind their diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) policies in the wake of the Trump administration's push to end these initiatives, Gray is proud that LAFC and Pride Republic are standing firm in their values. 'Despite everything else around us, Pride Republic is not changing what its goals are – which is to make sure that soccer is a sport that welcomes everyone. Inclusivity is an incredibly important word for Pride Republic and that isn't going away.' Soccer, and particularly men's soccer, does not always feel like a welcoming space for LGBTQ+ people. In France's top division, Ligue 1, two high profile players were recently given bans for concealing the anti-homophobia badge on their club's shirts. Homophobic chanting continues to be an issue across European soccer. The beautiful game has all too often been marred by unsavory incidents of bigotry. But what Gray has found at LAFC Pride Republic and what Taylor has found amongst his friends in the Colorado Rapids' fanbase stand in opposition to what has been seen before in soccer and in the Trump administration's rhetoric. In the communities that the two have discovered, soccer is for everyone and anyone is welcome to share in the joy and the anguish of the game. Both men say they have found a home in the stands of their respective clubs. As the Trump administration shows no signs of slowing down its attempts to exclude trans people from competing in sports, communities across the United States are fighting back to show that they won't be silenced or made to feel invisible – and they aren't planning to give up.

After Her Stepfather's Death, She Set Out to Skateboard Across America in His Honor (Exclusive)

Yahoo

26 minutes ago

Yahoo

After Her Stepfather's Death, She Set Out to Skateboard Across America in His Honor (Exclusive)

A few years ago, Brooke Johnson set out on a personal mission: skateboarding 178 miles from Los Angeles to Mexico The trek sparked a bigger idea: what if she skated across the entire country? For a while, it remained just a dream — until her stepfather, Roger, suffered a devastating fall, breaking his C5 vertebra and becoming a quadriplegic. Inspired by his strength, Brooke decided to skateboard across America in his honorA few years ago, Brooke Johnson set out on a personal adventure: skateboarding from Los Angeles to Mexico. The 178-mile trek sparked a realization — if she could go that far, why not farther? As her confidence and skills grew, the idea of skating across the entire country began to take shape. It felt like a natural next step. For a while, though, it remained just that: an idea, tucked away in the back of her mind without a clear purpose. Then everything changed. Her stepfather, Roger, suffered a devastating fall, breaking his C5 vertebra and becoming a quadriplegic. 'Suddenly, I had a reason,' says Johnson, who began skateboarding at age 13. 'I told him, 'I'll skate across the country and raise money for your recovery.' ' The original plan was simple but powerful: she would skate across the United States and, at the end, push Roger in his wheelchair across the finish line. At the time, she had relocated from New York City back to her hometown of Seattle to help support her family. But before the journey could begin, Roger died while recovering from surgery. It was devastating, but Johnson had made him a promise, and she was determined to keep it. She began reaching out to sponsors, eventually partnering with Playtex to bring her vision to life, all while setting her sights on a history-making goal. This summer, she officially hit the road, aiming to become the first woman to skateboard across America — a 3,000-mile journey from Santa Monica to New York City. She's accompanied by a small crew in a support van, which doubles as their mobile home. The team usually sleeps in the van, but every four or five days they splurge on a budget hotel — a Days Inn or Super 8 — to shower, reset and rest before heading back out the next morning. 'I just told myself, I'll keep going until my body gives out, and I'll find out what my limits are,' she says. 'We've had angels show up in the craziest parts of the desert," she adds. "You think, 'There's no way anyone's going to help us out here.' But then someone always shows up. And I don't think that's a coincidence — that's Roger.' Leading up to the journey, Johnson purchased a skateboard specifically for the adventure. It has a lower drop-through deck that sits closer to the ground, so it doesn't hurt her thighs as much when she's pushing. But along the way, she says the skateboard has developed its own personality. 'It's my chariot," she says. "She takes me where I need to go, and oftentimes it's just her and me skating through. I've put stickers on it. The meaning is it's just the thing that gets me where I'm going. She's my seat when I need to cry. She's my transportation when I need to move. She's just a part of me now.' 'We did leave her once by accident at a stopping spot, and I freaked out," Johnson adds. "I was like, 'Oh no!' But the thing is, to get a world record, I have to finish the entire trip on the same board — so I can't get another one. She's very important.' Never miss a story — sign up for to stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer, from celebrity news to compelling human interest stories. One of Johnson's favorite questions from people she meets is whether they can see her route. She laughs every time. 'I wish I could see it too,' she says. 'It's constantly changing.' Before she set off, she mapped out a route on Google Maps that seemed manageable. Surprisingly, she and her crew have stuck fairly close to it, reassessing the plan every 100 miles — the rough segments they use to break down the trip. She mostly sticks to car-accessible roads, always steering clear of highways when possible. Each stretch brings new challenges, but Johnson keeps pushing forward — one mile, one promise, one purpose at a time. Some of the toughest moments aren't physical. While long uphills and rough roads take their toll, she says the biggest challenge is mental. 'It's not even the road conditions — it's the act of starting,' she says. 'Every motivational speaker says it, but it's true: starting is the hardest part. And I have to do it every single day. Getting out of bed when all you want to do is sleep ... that's the hardest part for me.' In desert regions, where the daytime heat is brutal, Johnson often chooses to skate at night — something she's grown to love. 'I really like night skating. It's colder, quieter. Honestly, it feels like you're in a simulation,' she says. 'The van follows behind me, and because you can't see very far ahead, you lose your sense of distance. You just keep going. It's peaceful.' 'During the day, you're dodging cars constantly, and that's exhausting — not physically, but mentally. Making sure I don't get hit wears me down more than the skating itself,' she adds. 'I'm constantly jumping off the road for semis, waiting, then starting again. It breaks your rhythm.' Her routine has become a dance with the desert: skating at night, resting during the day. On a typical afternoon in New Mexico, for example, she'd rest when the heat peaked around 5 p.m. She'd sleep for about two-and-a-half hours, then take a 5-Hour Energy, pop three ibuprofen and skate as far into the night as she could. It's a physically brutal journey but more than anything, it's a test of will. And so far, she's meeting that test one determined push at a time, fueled by cheers from the community on social media, where she's amassed more than 200,000 followers across TikTok and Instagram. 'The people in my comment section are so kind,' she says. 'They're hyping me up. They're like, 'Keep going, girl.' ' 'I'm doing this to inspire a generation of women to know that they are capable, that they can do anything they put their minds to, even if it's hard,' she adds. 'We're constantly in this space of social media that's really tough — showcasing only the best of people, and comparison is a problem. But here I am, in a helmet and a highlighter vest. I want girls to know you can do this and still look pretty on days like this. I am who I am, but then I have to go on a date with my boyfriend and want to feel pretty. You can get dirty and still be pretty.' Along the way, Johnson and her team have met countless people in every town — people who feel nothing short of magical. Just a few days before her PEOPLE interview, while skating up a highway, Johnson stopped at a small honey farm that looked a bit run-down at first glance. But it turned out to be part of an Earthship community — homes built sustainably from natural and recycled materials, completely off the grid. There, Johnson met a woman who shared her life story: how she runs a shelter for the unhoused and dedicates herself to helping others. The woman could tell Johnson was feeling low, and before she left, she gifted the crew jars of honey, muscle rub and other thoughtful supplies. 'She asked if she could donate or help in any way,' Johnson recalls. 'I told her I was fine, but she insisted on leaving us with those gifts.' 'We also went through this town called Pi Town, and they gave me free pie," she adds. "I showed up at the top of Pi Town, which is at the top of a hill, and I was so tired — crying, exhausted. They just gave me pie, and I was like, 'All I want is a strawberry rhubarb pie right now.' And they happened to have that. People are just kind.' Most recently, Johnson has found herself in Hereford, Texas, steadily closing in on her goal. She hopes to finish the journey in July. What started as a race against the clock has transformed into a lesson in presence: learning to live fully in each moment, mile by mile. But when she finally crosses that finish line, she has one simple but powerful request. 'I've decided the theme of the rest of my life is going to be buoyancy,' she says. 'After pushing so hard against gravity, wind and heat, I want to feel weightless. I want to be in the water — free, floating and light. My celebration? Swimming with dolphins and snorkeling, letting the ocean carry me instead of fighting against it. It sounds kind of wild, but to me, it's the perfect way to mark this journey.' Read the original article on People

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‘We're still here. We're still going to enjoy our game': What it's like being a trans sports fan in Trump's second term

‘We're still here. We're still going to enjoy our game': What it's like being a trans sports fan in Trump's second term

After Her Stepfather's Death, She Set Out to Skateboard Across America in His Honor (Exclusive)

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‘We're still here. We're still going to enjoy our game': What it's like being a trans sports fan in Trump's second term

‘We're still here. We're still going to enjoy our game': What it's like being a trans sports fan in Trump's second term

After Her Stepfather's Death, She Set Out to Skateboard Across America in His Honor (Exclusive)

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