“One wrong call and every slur in the dictionary will be said” – Che Flores comes out as first openly transgender, non-binary referee, NBA fans fire NO MERCY warning

After coming out as the first-ever transgender and non-binary referee in American professional sports, NBA fans are reminding Che Flores to stay focused on making the right calls.

“One wrong call and every slur in the dictionary will be said” – Che Flores comes out as first openly transgender, non-binary referee, NBA fans fire NO MERCY warning

Che Flores (via NBA.com)

Che Flores became the first-ever transgender and non-binary referee in the NBA, revealing this in a story published by GQ on Monday. Flores, who will be entering their second season as an NBA referee, officiated a total of 35 games last season, having worked 12 games previously in the 2021-22 season. Flores made their way to the league after officiating in the G-League and WNBA for almost a decade.

They revealed that the one thing hindering their performance, and making them feel like they were missing out on the court, was that no one knew how they identified. Being misgendered as ‘she/her’ always felt like a jab. Now, with them coming out and revealing their identity to the world, they feel more comfortable.

According to their co-workers, Flores had disclosed their identity in the pre-season meeting for officials. Flores aims to become an inspiration for young queer kids, wanting them to believe that people who identify differently than the norms of the world can be successful as well.

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Flores has seen success in their long career, officiating many prominent basketball games such as the G-League Finals, WNBA Finals, and NCAA women’s national championship game.

NBA fans react to Che Flores coming out as the first openly transgender, non-binary referee in American professional sports

Che Flores has now become the first openly transgender and non-binary referee in the league and American professional sports as a whole. NBA fans expressed their reactions towards Flores coming out, emphasizing that they wouldn’t treat them differently than any other referee. Here are some of the reactions:

NBA fans react to Che Flores coming out as the first openly transgender, non-binary referee in American professional sports
Che Flores (via NBA.com)
https://twitter.com/hercumrag/status/1716595776888139862?t=-4rRcFzfgzBuPL_ZQv_pdg&s=19
https://twitter.com/ovocartier/status/1716583978902122805?s=46&t=MCK6Sr-cwAu35GsaUve33w
https://twitter.com/2renji/status/1716582297355616753?s=46&t=MCK6Sr-cwAu35GsaUve33w
https://twitter.com/domoresaylesss/status/1716579368636502230?s=46&t=MCK6Sr-cwAu35GsaUve33w
https://twitter.com/sadpackersfan/status/1716582515014562236?s=46&t=MCK6Sr-cwAu35GsaUve33w

Flores is a pioneer in the sport, and their coming out will serve as an inspiration for other queer kids who aspire to enter the world of officiating. Flores will be on the floor next season, aiming to reach the top and earn an opportunity to officiate another major event, such as the NBA Finals.

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