Daniel Steven Kowalski(Born 2 July 1975 in Singapore) Daniel is a former Australian middle- and long-distance swimmer specialising in freestyle events. He competed in the Olympic Games in 200m, 400m and 1,500m individual freestyle events and in the 800m freestyle relay. At the 1996 Summer Olympics, he was the first man in 92 years to earn medals in all of the 200m, 400m and 1500m freestyle events. In April 2010 Kowalski announced that he is gay. Kowalski says he was inspired to come out by Welsh rugby player Gareth Thomas, who announced last December that he was gay.

Claire HarveyClaire is 36 years old and lives with her partner (whom coincidentally is also named Claire) and 2 children. Claire Harvey has always been sporty with her sport being rugby which she played at a high-level in her early adult-hood. In February 2008, an accident left her paralysed, using a wheelchair and requiring a catheter. After rehabilitation and with the support of family and friends, Claire started to refocus on living life to the full again and in summer 2009, started playing sitting volleyball. In December 2009, she was invited to train with the new GB women's team and in 2010 competed in her first international competition.

Mark LeducMark Leduc (May 4, 1962 – July 22, 2009) was a boxer from Canada, who won a silver medal at the 1992 Barcelona Summer Olympics.

In 1994, after retiring, Leduc came out as gay in the TV documentary For the Love of the Game, one of the few boxers ever to do so. He attended Toronto’s Pride Parade in 1999 as grand marshal. Leduc worked for and volunteered with the Toronto People with AIDS Foundation, later becoming a set-builder and construction worker in the film industry.

Martina NavratilovaMartina Navratilova (born October 18, 1956) is a Czech American and former Czechoslovak tennis player and a former World No. 1. Billie Jean King said that Navratilova is “The greatest singles, doubles and mixed doubles player who's ever lived."In 2000, she was the recipient of National Equality Award from the Human Rights Campaign, the nation's largest gay and lesbian activist/lobbying group.

Matthew MitchamMatthew Mitcham (born 2 March 1988 in Brisbane, Queensland, Australia) is an Australian diver. He is the 2008 Olympic champion in the 10m platform, having received the highest single-dive score in Olympic history. He is the first Australian male to win an Olympic gold medal in diving since Dick Eve at the 1924 Summer Olympics, and one of few openly gay athletes at the 2008 Summer Olympics.

Chris MorganChris Morgan (born 16/03/1973) is a British powerlifter competing in the 75kg class. He won the silver medal in the World Drug-Free Powerlifting Finals in Atlanta in November 2004, the gold medal in December 2005 at the finals in Turin and Bronze medal in November 2006 at the finals in Ireland. Morgan is openly gay and competed in several Gay Games, an event for gay sportspeople. He won silver in Amsterdam 1998, gold in Sydney 2002 and 4 golds in Chicago 2006. He holds Gay Games records in squat (225kg), deadlift (250kg) and overall poundage (575kg).Chris is an Ambassador to the Federation of Gay Games and Gay Games Cologne 2010. He is a member of the English Football Associations Advisory Group on Homophobia and is sponsored by sportswear manufacturer Umbro.

Donald Óg CusackDonal Óg Cusack (born 16 March 1977 in Cloyne, County Cork) is a well known Irish hurler and Ireland's first openly gay elite sportsman. He plays hurling at club level with Cloyne and has been a member of the Cork senior inter-county team since 1999.. He was born into a family that had a strong link to Cork's hurling glories of the past. One of his close relations was Christy Ring, regarded by many as the greatest hurler of all-time, and a holder of a record eight All-Ireland medals with Cork.

Nigel OwenNigel Owens (born 18 June in Mynyddcerrig, Llanelli, Wales) is a Welsh international rugby union referee. He is an international and Heineken Cup referee and was the only Welsh referee at the 2007 Rugby World Cup in France.He is only one of two referees ever to be appointed to referee two consecutive Heineken Cup finals: Munster v Toulouse at the Millennium Stadium in 2008 and Leicester Tigers v Leinster at Murrayfield in 2009. In May 2007, he publicly came out as homosexual in an interview with Wales on Sunday. Although reactions have been generally positive, it was a difficult decision to make. He had even contemplated suicide.

Bob ParisBob Paris (born Robert Clark Paris on December 14, 1959) is a writer, actor, public speaker, civil rights activist and former professional bodybuilder. Paris was the 1983 NPC American National and IFBB World Bodybuilding Champion, Mr. Universe.

In the July 1989 issue of Ironman, Paris came out in the media as a gay man.

Lily ParrLily Parr was born in St Helens on 26th April, 1905. Her brother was a keen sportsman and he taught her how to play football and rugby.In 1919, the 14 year old Parr started playing football for the St Helens Ladies football team. Her second game was against Dick Kerr Ladies. St Helens lost 6-1. Alfred Frankland, the manager of the team from Preston, was very impressed with the performances of Lily Parr. Parr was aged 45 when she played her last game on 12th August, 1950. She scored a goal in an 11-1 victory over Scotland. During her long career she had scored more than 900 goals. Lily Parr died of cancer in her home in St Helens on 24th May 1978

Ian RobertsIan Roberts (born 31 July 1965) is an Australian actor and former professional rugby league footballer of the 1980s and 1990s. Late in his football career he announced he was gay, the first person to do so in the game's history, gaining him much attention in Australia and worldwide. A New South Wales State of Origin and Australian international representative forward, he played club football with the South Sydney Rabbitohs, Manly-Warringah Sea Eagles, and North Queensland Cowboys. Roberts came out publicly in 1995, discussing his sexuality in magazines and on television over the following year. The rugby league world was generally very supportive, with other players commenting that it was important to be "true to yourself".

Blake SkjellerupBlake Skjellerup (born June 13, 1985 in Christchurch, New Zealand) is a short-track speed skater who competed for New Zealand at the 2010 Winter Olympics. Skjellerup finished sixteenth in the 2010 Olympics.Skjellerup came out as gay in May 2010, saying he had decided to wait until after the Games to do so in order to focus on his performance and to avoid turning off potential sponsors. Skjellerup lives and trains in Calgary, Canada. He is one of only a few openly gay Olympic athletes.

Marcus UrbanMarcus Urban, 38, was sent to a sports boarding school at aged 13 and played for the national youth teams in the 1990s before settling at second division club Rot-Weiss Erfurt.

He left the professional game after deciding to come out.

Judith ArndtOlympian Silver medalist

Chris Kanyon American professional wrestler in World Championship Wrestling

Missy GioveProfessional Mountain biker

Johan KenkhuisOlympic swimmer & medallist An Olympic medallist, he was one of the best swimmers in the world, helping the Dutch relay team top a sport that the Netherlands is not well known for.

In 1998, he was part of the world record winning 200-meter freestyle relay team

US three time national championin the floor exercise event.

Graham Ackerman Gymnast

Nancy DroletProfessional Hockey player & Olympian

Winner of the Women's World Hockey Championships many times, the Nations Cup, as well as a silver medal at the Nagano Olympic Games.

Mark TewksburyOlympic swimmer & Gold Medallist

Olympics 100m backstroke gold medallist

1988 Olympicswon bronze & silvermedals

Harriet ("Holly") Morris Metcalf Olympic rower & gold medallist A six-time USA national/ Olympic team member

Gold medallist in 1984 Olympics for the Women's Eight.

Mianne Bagger Professional Golfer

In 1999, Bagger won her first South-Australian championship, repeating as champion in 2001 and 2002.

Brian Sims American College Footballer

Captain of Bloomsburg University team, leading them to the 1999 Division II Championship.

William "Billy" Bean Professional American baseball player

Outfielder and left-handed hitter, with 487 at bats with a .226 batting average in a career that lasted from 1987 through 1995:

Detroit Tigers 1987-1989,Los Angeles Dodgers 1989,San Diego Padres 1993-1995

Bean tied a major league record with four hits in his first major league game.

Natalie Cook Volleyball Olympian Australian professional beach volleyball player and Olympic gold medallist.

Imke DuplitzerOlympic fencer German épée fencer. 2004 Olympics she won the silver team medal.

2006 World Fencing Championships won the bronze team medal.

2008 • Silver medallist at the Olympic Games in Beijing, China  2007 • Gold medallist at Pan American Games

2004 • Member of the 2004 National Team, served as alternate for the Olympic Games  2003 • Led USA Softball Elite team to Canada Cup gold medal Named Top Defensive Player at Canada Cup

Lauren Lappin Softball Olympian

Craig RogersonDiving Olympian Represented Australia in Diving at the Olympic Games in Seoul (1988), and Barcelona (1992). 

He won gold medals at the 1990 Commonwealth 3m springboard & 10m highboard events.

1996 Olympics in Atlanta, ranking 12th in the Mens Platform event.

Greg Louganis World Champion & 4 times Olympic Gold Olympic medallist

1976 Montreal Olympics winning a silver medal in the tower event.

1978 won his first world title

1982 won two world diving titles

1984 Los Angeles Olympics, gold medals in both the springboard and tower diving events.

1984 two more world championship titles in

1988 Seoul Olympics two more gold medals

Justin Fashanu Professional Footballer (England & Premiership)

Alyson Annan Hockey player and twice Olympic Gold Medallists

Won 228 international caps playing for the Australian Women's National Team, in which she scored 166 goals.

Gold Medallist 1996 Summer Olympics in Atlanta, Georgia

Gold Medallist 2000 Summer Olympics

1998 Commonwealth Games became Australia's highest ever goal scorer with 110 goals.

Ian Roberts,Australia & International rugby player

Robert Costelloequestrian Olympian Part of gold-medal winning team at 2003 Pan American Championships.

Sydney Olympic Games in 2000

Andrew Goldstein, Professional lacrosse player

Produced for Schools Out/LGBT History Month by JGME

Gareth Thomas Wales/International Rugby Player & Patron of LGBT History Month Welsh rugby union played as a fullback. On 26 May 2007, he surpassed Gareth Llewellyn as the most-capped Wales player with his 93rd appearance. A prolific try scorer at international level, Thomas is listed ninth in the world on the all-time Test try scoring list. During the 2007 Rugby World Cup, Thomas created sporting history when he become the first Welshman to win 100 international caps in rugby. Thomas created sporting history when he become the first Welshman to win 100 international caps in rugby union

Matthew MitchamGold Medallist Olympic diver

Beijing Olympics gold medallist in the 10m platform diving board

Three time WNBA MVP, Swoopes is often referred to as the "Female Michael Jordan". She is the first women's basketball player to have a Nike shoe named after her "Air Swoopes." She married in 1995 and had a son, but divorced and came out 10 years later.

Sheryl SwoopesThree time Olympic gold medallist

Pirinya KiatbusabaPirinya KiatbusabaKickboxer

Chris DickersonBodybuilder/Mr America

Brian OrserWorld Champion Skater

Chris BerglandTriathlete & Author

Thomas Berling professional footballer

Defender for the Norwegian National team and played professional football for:

• Nardo

• Lyn

• Drobak/Frogen

John AmaechiProfessional Basketball Player & Sports Reporter &

LGBT History Month PatronLGBT History Month Patron

Sherri SmithWorld champion triathlete

Ireen Wüst Speed skater & Olympic Medallist

Robert Newton Olympic sprint hurdler

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Orlando JordanProfessional Wrestler

David Pichler Olympic Diver

Patrick JeffreyOlympian diver Member of two U.S. Olympic diving teams. 1988 & 1996

Patrick Jeffrey is currently the diving coach at Florida State University.

In addition to his Olympic success, in 1988 Jeffrey won every diving event (one-meter, three-meter, platform) at the 1988 NCAA Championships and was named NCAA Diver of the Year.