In the time we live in, we're glad to say that most developed countries and industries accept gay people and treat them equally to heterosexuals. Unfortunately though, many sports are lagging behind the times, and boxing is one of them. As a 'macho' sport filled with stereotypical tough guys, even ten years ago it would have been difficult to imagine a prominent boxer publicly declaring they were gay. And then Orlando Cruz happened.
Cruz, a Puerto Rican boxer who has represented his country at the Olympics and won the IBA World Featherweight Championship, came out as gay in 2013, marrying his longtime partner Jose Manuel. He's continued to fight since and was an inaugural entrant into the National Gay and Lesbian Sports Hall of Fame when it opened. His impact as a role model for gay people in Puerto Rica has been enormous.