Why are so many women basketball players gay

Ty Harris is in a relationship with a woman named Autumn who makes adorable couples TikToks of the two of them you need to check out. It could definitely be a really good year for them. Arike has been on this team for years, but the rest of the cast is completely shook up. Those 25 player are just a sampling of the best players across the league’s 25 year history, and doesn’t take into consideration of all the players that have ever suited up.

They’re paid the most money by the WNBA. We purposely made that a long list, but I wanted to emphasize the amount of popular players where we don’t know very much of their personal lives. So  after some extensive research, here is a list of current and former WNBA players that have either come out and/or living authentically as part of the LGBTQIA+ community sorted by last name.

When we say the player is “out” that means that player has officially announced their coming out, are publicly married, have referred to their sexuality in an article, or has shared their personal life on public social media (Instagram, Twitter, Tumblr, Facebook and others).

If you’re counting, there’s 30 retired player on this list – that means 46 players on our list are active.

The only one that stuck around is Marina Mabrey, who didn’t get the trade she requested but seems to have found a home alongside rookie Saniya Rivers. It adds another heavy layer that affects how you’re viewed. The athlete is married to fellow Chicago star Allie Quigley, who retired from basketball (or so it seems) a couple years ago.

Your post-career opportunities. This group could definitely make a splash despite how disjointed it initially seemed. To see the percentage of gay and lesbian players in the WNBA, go here.

The W25 are the WNBA’s superstars and greatest players. After drafting Paige Bueckers #1 and getting a new coach, it seems like this team is ready to take a step towards competing.

We need that number to determine the true number. They’re incredibly talented from top to bottom. This is why gender roles are hurtful. I’m expecting them to have a half decent season and end up ranked somewhere in the middle of the pack. 

• Jordan Horston
• Erica Wheeler
• Gabby Williams

Connecticut Sun

My hometown team was absolutely decimated in the offseason, with the vast majority of players leaving.

Here’s a complete list of all out gay players in the league, broken down by team. Led by Unrivaled founder Napheesa Collier, they could be really good! 

This team’s gay players also make a huge difference on the court for the Lynx. They get the most endorsements. That’s also true in the WNBA where All-Stars Dewanna Bonner and Alyssa Thomas are engaged, former teammates Penny Taylor and Taurasi are married, current teammates Allie Quigley and Courtney Vandersloot have also wed, Natisha Heideman and Jasmine Thomas are coupled up and Breanna Stewart and Marta Xargay have a child together.

We’ve done a pretty exhaustive search on the above list, but it is not 100% representative of the league’s different communities and identities because of the stigma and discrimination that can hang over a player when they come out.

What Percent of WNBA Players Identify As LGBTQ?

If the league’s W25 – the 25 greatest WNBA players of all-time in celebration of the league’s 25th anniversary – are an indication of how many LGBTQ players there are in the league then it’s 40%,  but that’s not an accurate number.

She joins her girlfriend Isabelle Harrison on the court for a super team that just got a bit more super. That meant the players had to present themselves more traditionally-dressed (see: feminine) often with polished nails and make up – this translated to many players that it wasn’t okay to be themselves.

While the WNBA’s rival the ABL acknowledged and embraced their Lesbian fanbase early on, it was clear that the WNBA hoped to reach a broader audience.

They get the most media coverage. Aliyah Boston and Caitlin Clark were the #1 draft picks in 2024/25 respectively, and now they’ve surrounded themselves by talent that has what it takes to win a championship.