Will Josh Dixon Be the First Openly Gay Gymnast at the Olympics?

Neal Broverman

Neal Broverman is the Editorial Director, Print of Pride Media, publishers of The Advocate, Out, Out Traveler, and Plus, spending more than 20 years in journalism. He indulges his interest in transportation and urban planning with regular contributions to Los Angeles magazine, and his work has also appeared in the Los Angeles Times and USA Today. He lives in the City of Angels with his husband, children, and their chiweenie.

Read Full Bio

Neal Broverman

May 07 2012 7:46 PM EST

November 17 2015 5:28 AM EST

Nbroverman

We need your help
Your support makes The Advocate's original LGBTQ+ reporting possible. Become a member today to help us continue this work.

On Saturday, out gymnast Josh Dixon finished second out of 72 competitors at a qualifier for the 2012 Olympics.

If Dixon continues to advance he could become the first openly gay male gymnast competing in the Olympic games. Outsports spoke to the young athlete, who graduated from Stanford University. His gymnastic team at the university won national championships in 2009 and 2011; Dixon himself is a seven-time all-American athlete. Dixon, a San Jose native, tore his Achilles tendon last spring, which almost derailed his gymnastics career. But he's in the midst of an amazing turnaround and is practicing at an Olympics training center.

Dixon says he's received no negative feedback from teammates after he told them he was dating a fellow male athlete. He does admit that he's had to face down his own internalized homophobia. Read more here.