We are proud of the diversity of backgrounds our oUTAthletes come with, and we work diligently to provide them with the resources they need to succeed in fitness, health, and wellness.
get to know their stories here.
“My name is Natasha, I’m 31 years old and I’m a writer, artist, academic and small business owner. My passions are telling stories that help people to feel seen and to understand their own identity, as well as transport them somewhere they can dream a little bigger.
I recently started a business designing fan merch based around queer and queer-coded characters in media, whose stories often resonate enormously with the queer community but don’t get the same support as cishet characters. As well as being enormously fun, it’s a way for me to make a visible space for queer identity in the world and show that our stories matter.
Being part of the OUTAthlete program has done exactly the same thing for me. Just being a member of the program, talking about it and sharing my experiences as a lesbian athlete has helped strengthen and validate my identity enormously. It gives me such a sense of self-worth to know that this central part of who I am is being celebrated and valued – and not just in isolation, but as part of a well-rounded and fully understood whole.
As part of the program, I not only receive the benefits of attending CrossFit classes, but I get incredible mentorship from The OUT Foundation staff and educators, who have helped me develop my goals and a sense of purpose. I also have my amazing nutritionist Keagan, who is so patient and dedicated to working with me and has helped me transform my approach to wellness in just a couple of months.
Strength doesn’t just come from being able to care for yourself, though. It is a community act. This program helps us build relationships that uplift and persist, which is essential in our ability to continue to thrive during a time when the right to exist as LGBTQ+ individuals is under threat. I am incredibly grateful to be part of this program and can’t wait to see what the next six months have in store!”
“Participating in the OUTAthlete program has been truly transformative. When I began the program in January, I’d never done a CrossFit class before. Going to the gym made me nervous: I felt weak, like I didn’t know what I was doing, and out of place. However, my gym placement at CrossFit Chapel Hill made me feel immediately at home. I started going to the gym as often as I could. In the past, I felt like I was mainly motivated to work out based on how I wanted to look. I wasn’t very kind to myself about my body. This changed for the better since starting as an OUTAthlete. I started caring less about getting a “perfect body” and just wanted to get stronger and fitter. My eating also changed for the better: I stopped cutting out food groups, skipping meals, and punishing myself when I ate “bad”. After I improved my nutrition, I could start giving my body the energy for workouts and repair.
There were a lot of challenges that have come up in my fitness journey, but because of the OUTAthlete program, I haven’t been alone at all. I’ve been able to share my achievements and obstacles with the rest of my cohort and get their advice. Seeing how everyone else is crushing their goals is a constant source of inspiration, and when I need a community to lean on when I’m struggling in or out of the gym, I know the other OUTAthletes have my back. With my powerlifting all maxes going up, my cardio endurance growing, more and more CrossFit skills under my belt, and new friends at the gym and in the program, I’ve accomplished a lot so far this year. I’m very excited for what’s to come as an OUTAthlete!”
“My name is Dynte’ (He/They), a New Orleans native, and student at Tulane School of Public Health. I identify as Queer and Transmasculine. I joined the OUTAthlete Program in April, and it has been such a great source of support as I introduce new and exciting workouts and movements into my fitness routine. At the time of joining the program, I had not been physically active for a while, and I wanted to change that. I know that I tend to excel in community-based settings that are supportive and free from judgment. I found myself feeling very self-conscious and a little vulnerable those first few days back in the gym, but Flambeaux Fit’s trainers, the community there, and my OUTAthlete cohort really helped ease me into a sense of belonging. I really enjoy meeting with other LGBTQ+ athletes in the program and hearing about their fitness journey and goals. They all motivate me to push myself, while reminding me that consistency is key.
So far, I have lost 10 lbs and gained some unexpected muscle mass within the 45 days I have been an OUTAthlete. I enjoy being able to get through the day feeling more energized than I used to. I also feel more confident in my movements, and I notice myself getting stronger. I really want to improve upon my endurance level and compete in some of the local runs that are held here in New Orleans. There is one race that I really look forward to; it has a route that crosses the Crescent City Connection bridge that is located 300 ft above the Mississippi River. I can’t wait to look back on this post and appreciate this fun and exciting journey.”
“Hi! I’m Lukas (they/them/he/him), and I’m located in Denver, Colorado. I recently started as an OUTAthlete in January of 2023. Before I became involved with The OUT Foundation, I knew a couple of other LGBTQ+ athletes through the CrossFit gyms I attended. But the OUTAthlete program has connected me with so many queer athletes, mentors, and coaches in Denver and across the country! I am starting to develop friendships and connections with others in my community who genuinely want to lead healthy lives, and want to see me live my best, healthiest life too.
Through the support of the OUT Foundation, I have been able to take a look at the lifestyle I have struggled to build around fitness and nutrition – going to the gym, meal-prepping, hustling, getting in bed early to get enough sleep, etc. – and I’ve been able to find other people within my community who also want to live this lifestyle. The OUT Foundation has given me the toolkits and encouragement it takes to actually follow through with living out this lifestyle. The support felt through the monthly meetings, check-ins with mentors, friends, etc. has kept me going. When motivation is low, the other OUTAthletes and my mentors are there to talk things through.
Through my membership at Movement Fitness, I also discovered Yoga classes. After being a CrossFit athlete for five years, it was difficult to slow my movement down and focus on my breath work. However, what I’ve realized is that the stretches, slower movement, and breath work have improved my workouts, flexibility, strength, and mental health.
I am forever grateful to be a part of the OUTAthlete program! If there’s anything I’m actively learning right now, it’s that it is very possible to enjoy the process of fitness and nutrition when you have a supportive community around you, instead of just waiting for or looking for the results that only come with time.”
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