It’s a first for the sports world, and a big step forward for queer visibility.

It’s a first for the sports world, and a big step forward for queer visibility.

Kye Allums, of George Washington’s women’s basketball team, is biologically female but grew up feeling like he was a man. Allums identified as a lesbian in high school, but discovered that he was actually transgendered during his first year in college.

Fearing that coming out as trans could jeapordize his scholarship, he did not come out until this week. He told The New York Times he decided to come out as trans because “I was uncomfortable not being able to be myself. Just hearing the words ‘she’ and ‘her,’ it was really starting to bother me.”

His coach said in a statement that “George Washington University women’s basketball program, including myself, support Kye’s right to make this decision.” Kye will continue to play on the women's basketball team as he has not undergone hormone treatments.

For more on Kye’s story click here.