“This is just to let young kids know that we can exist" - NBA referee Che Flores comes out as non-binary trans

NBA referee Che Flores is the first out nonbinary trans referee in any of the major US sports. Flores became an official of basketball’s biggest and most popular league in 2022. They also worked in NCAA, G League and WNBA championship games, making them the first to accomplish such a feat. Their identity, though, is something beyond just refereeing basketball games.

Flores opened up on how they wanted to be identified over the past months. In a male-dominated career, they thought it would be a disservice to themselves if they kept their identity hidden.

In an interview with GQ, Che Flores had this to say about how coming out as a nonbinary trans will impact others:

“I just think of having younger queer kids look at somebody who’s on a high-profile stage and not using it. And I’m not using the league to an advantage in any way. This is just to let young kids know that we can exist, we can be successful in all different ways.”

Flores has been asked to officiate some of the biggest games in the G League and the WNBA. They have had the chance to work for both leagues for roughly a decade already. Reaching the NBA was a dream come true and the result of resilience, perseverance and openness.

The veteran referee told GQ about the importance of making others aware of their identity:

“One piece I was missing for myself was that no one knew how I identified. Being misgendered as she/her always just felt like a little jab in the gut.”

With Che Flores’ identity established, they said:

“I can go through the world and even my job a lot more comfortably.”

Flores’ insistence to be addressed as a trans nonbinary person is quite the statement considering the timing. Trans athletes are under enormous scrutiny and often ridicule. They’ve been banned from joining track, field and swimming competitions across the globe.

Che Flores’ decision will resonate with many, particularly with trans non-binary people.

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NBA referees will be under the spotlight following the Eric Lewis investigation

Eric Lewis was once one of the best and longest-tenured referees in the NBA. He had been an official of the league for 19 seasons and worked for over 1,200 games during his career.

Lewis, though, was kept from officiating the 2023 Finals between the Miami Heat and Denver Nuggets. He was previously part of the 2019, 2020, 2021 and 2022 championships. The league launched an investigation regarding his reported social media accounts.

Eric Lewis reportedly had a burner account under the name of “blair cutliff.” The Twitter account gained attention as one of the most passionate defenders of referees and officials.

The investigation was called off after Lewis announced his retirement. Still, the spotlight has been turned on the NBA referees as the new season is about to start.

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