Next up is another trailblazer, Jon Lee-Olsen @jonleeolsen -
1. Jon is a Danish goaltender who was an adoptee from Korea.
2. He grew up playing juniors and then professionally in Denmark and Sweden. His professional career began in Sweden tending net for 25 games for @limhamnhockey in 2012-2013.
3. After playing another year in Sweden for @trelleborgs_if, Jon returned to Denmark to play in the Metal Ligaen. In 2014-2015, he won a league championship with @sehockey.
4. In 2018-2019, Jon won another league championship with @rungstedishockeysupport, but he made huge headlines when he publicly came out as gay. He was the third male professional hockey player to ever come out and believed to be the first who did so during an active playing career. Jon explained that he had to pretend he was straight and even date women to hide his identity. However, he was now ready to be himself: “There’s a risk that some people might shout and heckle me while I’m playing matches. It’s something I have to be ready for, and be mature about. But I feel that I’m ready to show that you can be gay and play ice hockey. It took longer than I expected, but now I’m ready to stand up for myself and others.”
5. The hockey community has been largely supportive of Jon’s revelation, and he is now an ambassador for @athleteally.