At a Glance
- Jesse Kortuem, a longtime club-level defenseman and center, publicly came out as gay on Jan. 13 after watching HBO Max’s “Heated Rivalry.”
- The series features a fictional closeted player, Scott Hunter, whose on-ice kiss with boyfriend Kip after a Stanley Cup win struck a chord with Kortuem.
- Kortuem says he walked away from his Minnesota high-school team at 17, hid his identity for decades, and only found peace after joining inclusive gay hockey clubs in Vancouver and Toronto.
Why it matters: His story highlights how positive LGBTQ+ representation in sports media can empower real athletes to live openly.
The success of HBO Max’s hockey romance “Heated Rivalry” has prompted a real player, Jesse Kortuem, to end years of silence. In a Jan. 13 Facebook post, the defenseman and center credited the show with giving him the courage to come out.
A Fictional Moment That Felt Real
In Episode 5, fictional player Scott Hunter skates to center ice with boyfriend Kip after winning the Stanley Cup. Their kiss, broadcast live, ends years of secrecy for the character. Kortuem watched the scene and felt seen.
“Never in my life did I think something so positive and loving could come from such a masculine sport,” he told Out magazine, per News Of Philadelphia‘s review of the interview.
Growing Up In Minnesota Hockey
Kortuem, the youngest of four boys, described the rink as “the sound of a place where I felt I had to hide.”
- At 14 he feared being gay and playing a “tough and masculine sport” were incompatible.
- At 17 he quit his high-school team, convinced coming out in the mid-2000s would be “a social disaster.”
- He returned years later, playing at a high level in New York and Atlanta while staying closeted to teammates.
“On the outside, I was still a top-tier player. On the inside, I was still that kid in Minnesota hiding,” he wrote.
Breaking Point In 2017
Kortuem signed up for a gay sporting tournament and met the Las Vegas Boyz, a team of openly gay hockey players.
“From that moment forward, my life has never been the same,” he said. He later joined inclusive clubs: the Cutting Edges in Vancouver and the Misfits in Toronto.
During the Cutting Edges Winter Classic this month, he says he finally felt “peace” on the ice.
His Message To Others
Kortuem ended his post with direct encouragement:
“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.”
According to Out, Kortuem never reached the NHL, but his journey spans competitive amateur leagues across the U.S. and Canada. Robert K. Lawson reported that supportive messages from former teammates quickly filled his Facebook page.
Key Takeaways
- Representation matters: a single TV storyline spurred a real athlete to come out after years of fear.
- Inclusive teams like the Cutting Edges and Misfits provide safe spaces that traditional locker rooms often lack.
- Kortuem’s story underscores the lingering stigma LGBTQ+ players face in hyper-masculine sports cultures.
