In support of the LGBTQ community, the UFC has partnered with OutSports ahead of the massive Pride march scheduled for New York City this weekend.
The event taking place during Pride month brings together more than 150 LGBTQ athletes from around the world to participate in a sports summit as well as other activities including the Pride march on Sunday.
In addition to the UFC sponsoring the event, several athletes on the roster will be participating in the events taking place in New York City this weekend.
UFC strawweight contenders Tecia Torres and Nina Ansaroff as well as flyweight competitor and former “Ultimate Fighter” finalist Sijara Eubanks, who are all members of the LGBTQ community, will participate in the summit and the events taking place over the weekend.
Ansaroff’s longtime girlfriend is Amanda Nunes, who became the first openly gay UFC champion when she defeated Miesha Tate to win the title back in 2016.
The UFC has shown strong support for the LGBTQ community in recent years including a t-shirt in rainbow colors that stated ‘We Are All Fighters’ with proceeds from the sales going to the LGBTQ Center in Las Vegas.
UFC owner Ari Emanuel has also been recognized with a Vanguard award for his work in support of the LGBTQ community.
Unfortunately, the UFC has been somewhat inconsistent in other policies regarding the LGBTQ community with several athletes on the roster using homophobic slurs including former champion Conor McGregor, who later apologized for what he said after it was caught on camera during a backstage conversation in 2017.
McGregor was a very vocal supporter for the Irish initiative to legalize same-sex marriage back in 2015.
UFC president Dana White addressed that subject last year when asked about fighters who have been heard using homophobic slurs.
“We’ve had a problem with that lately,” White told TMZ Sports. “It’s been more than [Conor McGregor]. We’ve had a problem with that. It’s a thing that you have to educate people on.
“I’ve had my history with it myself. It’s definitely a problem, and something we need to focus on.”
There are also several fighters on the UFC roster including former heavyweight champion Fabricio Werdum, who have openly shown support for Chechen dictator Ramzan Kadyrov, who has been accused of torturing and killing gay men in the Chechen Republic.
