NBA referee Che Flores (they/them) came out as transgender and nonbinary in an interview with GQ, The Advocate noted.
Flores is the first out trans or nonbinary referee in the NBA, and potentially the other major professional sports leagues in the country as well.
"I just feel like just 100 percent myself now, and I just feel so light now moving around, not having to worry about anything," Flores, whose partner is artist Kait Shuster, told GQ. "I don't have to worry about myself not being myself."
The first person in the league Flores came out to was NBA Senior Vice President of Referee Development and Training Monty McCutchen. He immediately responded to their coming out by using Flores' chosen name and offering to send their preferred pronouns to the rest of the league officials.
Flores is in their second season with the NBA, after working 10 years in the WNBA and nine years in the NBA's G League. They also officiated NCAA games.
Andrew Davis