New lesbian icon alert!
San Francisco 49ers offensive assistant Katie Sowers will make history next week, becoming the first woman - and the first out LGBTIQ+ person - to coach at the NFL Super Bowl.
But Sowers is no stranger to making history.
The reports that Sowers is only the second woman to be hired as a full-time coach for an NFL team, as well as the first out LGBTIQ+ coach in NFL history. She was hired by the 49ers as part of the Bill Walsh Minority Fellowship in 2017, having been a professional player herself until suffering a hip injury.
“No matter what you do in life, one of the most important things is to be true to who you are,” she back in 2017.
“There are so many people who identify as LGBTIQ+ in the NFL, as in any business, that do not feel comfortable being public about their sexual orientation."
She added: “The more we can create an environment that welcomes all types of people, no matter their race, gender, sexual orientation, religion, the more we can help ease the pain and burden that many carry every day.”
Appearing in a heartfelt commercial for Microsoft's Surface Pro 7 earlier this year, Sowers gave advice to her younger self, and those like her, saying that she once dreamed of being in "a real football team".
“I’m not just here to be the token female, I’m here to help us win,” she explained.
“I would want to tell this little girl to keep pushing yourself - your dream’s coming."
You can watch the commercial here:
