How a Fierce Rivalry Became the Unexpected Catalyst for His Bold Coming Out Story
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Despite Heated Rivalry’s overtly queer themes, the show has been embraced by the wider hockey community.
It is, of course, escapism rather than a realistic portrayal of what life would be like for a homosexual player in the American top-tier National Hockey League (NHL).
But Kortuem thinks a popular show with a positive attitude towards gay athletes can only do good.
“It really hit me and a lot of gay athletes; our whole lives we were taught it was not OK to be gay,” he says.
“To see the positive reception – not only from gay people, but straight hockey fans – and watching them cheer on these queer hockey players really resonated, even if these are fictional characters who get this Cinderella story.
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