#3 Sue Bird
Sue Bird, a three-time WNBA champion, has never been afraid to share whatever was on her mind. But contrary to her normally straightforward, no-nonsense attitude, she did not publicly acknowledge her relationship with soccer star Megan Rapinoe (another athlete who appears on this list) until 2017.
They were the first same-sex couple to appear on the cover of ESPN The Magazine’s “Body Issue,” and Bird and Rapinoe continue to be outspoken advocates for LGBT rights. For good measure, she also holds the record for most assists in WNBA history.