Professional Bowler Scott Norton has become the first openly gay male to be nominated for ESPN's Excellence in Sports Performance Yearly (ESPY) Award. Norton, who came out publicly in 2011, has been nominated for the Best Bowler ESPY. Outsports reports:
"After such a monumental week for LGBT rights, what an incredible feeling to be a part of something to take us a step even further towards equality," Norton told Outsports. "I am so excited to be the first of what I hope will be a long line of world-class openly gay male athletes nominated for this prestigious award."
…
Norton was made nationally famous when ESPN aired video of him kissing his partner, Craig Woodward, after a tournament earlier this year; It's believed to be the first celebratory "gay kiss" ESPN has ever aired.
While no gay man has ever been nominated for an ESPY either before or after coming out publicly, several out lesbians have been nominated for ESPY Awards in the past. This year, Brittney Griner has been nominated for Best Female Athlete and for Best Female College Athlete.
And if you would like to help Norton and Griner win their respective ESPYs, you can vote HERE.