Originally from Ontario, Canada, Brock McGillis is a trailblazer for the LGBTQ community as he was the first openly gay professional hockey player. He made waves back in November 2016 when he proudly announced publicly who he is. Over the past few years, we have been seeing more athletes coming out of the closet, but for a sport that has such a strong emphasis on masculinity, this type of representation really has the power to inspire many and change lives.
In 2022, The Hockey News named him one of the top 100 most influential people in the hockey industry. Although he has now retired from playing the sport, Brock is still very busy these days. As a 40-year-old man, his priorities have now become different. His work now is focused on helping make the world a more safe and accepting place for all to be their true selves.
The sports industry has not been the easiest place for queer people to be fully accepted. McGillis knows this well, being a gay man in this world. Many athletes have stayed in the closet because of the unnecessary fear society puts out that could be haunting them for many reasons. The hockey industry specifically presents an even more difficult environment because of the intense and aggressive nature of the sport. In a society where strong masculine men have been the ones who are most sought after to succeed in sports, Brock is hoping to inspire more inclusivity in the sports world on the Culture Shift tour.
His tour, which is visiting high-school-aged hockey players throughout Canada, features a discussion that focuses on the importance of accepting everyone who desires to play sports, no matter their sexual identity. He discusses how important empathy is and its importance in the world of sports.
These discussions during the tour have an impact on many of the young athletes. Some are figuring out their own identity and growing as their true selves. McGillis is having a powerful impact on showing the audiences that the power of bracing others up really can make the world such a beautiful place.
He believes that when others accept everyone into the sports world, it brings so much beauty and creates a healthier society. Everyone should have the chance to not feel any shame in being out and proud and McGillis hopes that together we can continue to make that happen more.
On the tour, McGillis is making a huge difference in the sports world and with the future athletes he speaks with. He is changing societal norms that have done a lot of damage and have made people think that their identity has to dictate their passion in life. In reality, he shows a different way. He is showing that no matter who you love or how you choose to express yourself, nobody can tell you what you are capable of. It is also beautiful to see that yes, this tour’s main impact is geared for spreading awareness on LGBTQ individuals in sports, but he is also spreading awareness on other issues within the hockey industry.
He touches on the challenges people of different racial groups have, as well as the unique challenges individuals face coming from different socioeconomic backgrounds. Having different circumstances or being of a different race also creates barriers in the sports world for people to succeed and that should not be happening. He really hopes that the hockey and sports industry can just be a more inclusive and accepting space for anyone who feels called to follow a career in this type of job but may not have had as many advantages.
His message is very important in an industry that places so much importance on being the most masculine one on the ice. The work he is doing on this tour reminds people of how the greatness of fully accepting the dreams of everyone exactly how they are can be life-changing.
McGillis plans to continue spreading his positive message so everyone in the sports world can feel safe and proud to be a teammate with no fear of also embracing their unique individuality. The societal expectations that have been built in the sports industry need to be torn down.
McGillis is hoping that this tour will plant seeds of change for this to happen more. How someone expresses themselves should never be placed as a barrier to them from pursuing what they love.
