English golfer Mel Reid comes out as gay

Mel Reid, a three-time Solheim Cup player, has come out as gay, admitting that she had been scared to do so before now as she feared it may have cost her potential sponsorship deals.
Golfer Mel Reid. Picture: Andrew Redington/Getty ImagesGolfer Mel Reid. Picture: Andrew Redington/Getty Images
Golfer Mel Reid. Picture: Andrew Redington/Getty Images

The 31-year-old, who has won six times on the Ladies European Tour, made the announcement in an interview with Athlete Ally, a website she has joined as an ambassador to “fight for equality and inclusion in sport”.

Reid, who twice won the Helen Holm Trophy at Troon in her amateur days, said: “I’ve just reached a point in my life where I feel like my true, authentic self. If my story helps one person, then I feel like it’s a good cause. I protected my sexuality for a long time because I thought I had to in order to help my career and to get more sponsors. But then I started to wonder why these companies would want to sponsor me and have me represent them if I can’t be my authentic self.

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“There is only one of you in the world and you have one life, so be the best version of yourself and be proud of who you are. That’s when you attract the right people around you to make you better, and ultimately, happier.

“Honestly, I’ve always fought for equality and I’m now at a point where I want brands to represent me for me. Ultimately I feel like I’m on a platform where I can have some sort of an influence. It’s just important to say to people that this is who I am. Hopefully it will help a couple of young girls or guys.”

Earlier this year, American Tadd Fujikawa, who played in the 2006 Open as a 15-year-old, became the first male professional golfer to come out publicly as gay, saying he hoped his story would help others in the LGBT community.

Reid, who also won the St Rule Trophy at St Andrews as an amateur, added: “Looking back on it, I knew from quite a young age, but then never thought about it during my teenage years. It then crept up on me again when I started playing on Tour, meeting new people and traveling the world. I fell in love with a girl and I was excited about it, so I told my sister who was completely cool about it, and then my brother.

“My parents are older than most, but they couldn’t have been better about everything. They just assured me that as long as I love a good person, it doesn’t matter what race, gender or background they come from. I was very lucky my entire family is very liberal and embraced it totally.”

Reid was praised on Twitter by former world No 1 tennis player Billie Jean King. She said Reid was “an incredible athlete and now a courageous champion for living an authentic life, and encouraging others to do the same”.

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