Since its premiere last November, “Heated Rivalry” has led to a growing public embracement of on-screen gay romance. Its unexpected success and positive reception have gone so far as to inspire an actual professional athlete to come out.
“Heated Rivalry” is based on Rachel Reid’s book of the same name, which tells the story of hockey players Shane Hollander (Hudson Williams) and Ilya Rozanov (Connor Storrie), who have been in a long-term relationship that is kept under wraps to safeguard their careers. Since they play in the National Hockey League (NHL), a league notorious for its overt homophobia, the characters are aware that their reputation would suffer if their sexuality were made public.
In an Outsports poll, the NHL was voted the most anti-LGBTQ+ league in North America due to the frequent use of homophobic language and the controversial policies that have been established. In June 2023, the league officially prohibited custom warm-up uniforms, including pride-themed ones. At one point, “pride tape” on sticks was also banned. In his study on the fear of being gay in the NHL, Francesco Collura discusses how LGBTQ+ players have had to constantly deal with a hostile, unwelcoming environment both within and outside the locker room.
Tom Harrington, a retired CBC journalist, shared that he used a trust-building approach to set up an interview with a gay NHL star 25 years ago, but the player ultimately “got cold feet,” and their story was never told. At that time, there was a lack of positive media portrayals of LGBTQ+ people, which naturally made athletes feel that coming out was simply unthinkable. Heated Rivalry, however, appears to be having a transformative effect.
On Jan. 13, in an emotional Facebook post, Jesse Kortuem publicly came out as gay. He said that “Heated Rivalry” “sparked” something in him and gave him the confidence to share his experience as a closeted hockey player, a subject he “kept close to the vest for a long time.”
“Like many closeted athletes, revealing who I truly was to my team would change everything in an instant; their opinion of me could bring negative attention to the team with the ‘gay player,’ so I never took the chance,” Kortuem said. “I spent every week in a locker room with guys I respected, yet I still did not feel safe enough to tell them who I truly was.”
Kortuem admits he never envisioned himself coming out until now. He feels as if the burden he has been carrying has finally lifted off his shoulders. He ends his message by offering words of comfort and affirmation to athletes who are currently hiding their sexuality out of fear of being rejected.
“This is my story. It is not everyone’s story, but for what it is worth, I thought I would share because I want to speak to the athletes out there who are still in the closet or struggling to find their way,” Kortuem said. “I want you to know that there is hope and you’re not alone. There is a life and a deep happiness waiting for you on your path. You will get through this, and it is going to be okay.”
On X, formerly known as Twitter, users expressed their thoughts on Kortuem’s announcement, which surprised but moved many.
During Hudson Williams’s interview on “Radio Andy,” the actor shared that since the release of “Heated Rivalry,” he has received messages from closeted hockey, football, and basketball athletes, demonstrating that Kortuem is not the only one who has been impacted by it.
“It’s definitely the people who reach out somewhat anonymously who are like, ‘I’m still a professional player, and I’m still in the closet,’” Williams said. “They’re just reaching out privately through Instagram, and those ones are the ones that really just kind of hit you and go, ’Oh, this is a fun show, and it’s celebratory, but also sometimes it’s just hitting people right in the nerve.’”
The show has significantly contributed to the dispelling of the myth that homosexual men are incapable of playing sports considered tough and manly. Moreover, “Heated Rivalry” has generated an unprecedented level of online support for media that embraces rather than downgrades LGBTQ+ romance.
While the story is a work of fiction, it is not a far cry from reality, as the fear of rejection is what often stops people from openly being themselves. In a time when the word “gay” is still used as an insult, the show and its massive success are serving as a catalyst for change.
Brisa Silva is a writer and may be reached at [email protected].
