Lendale Johnson made headlines as America’s first openly gay professional tennis player. But not everyone saw his coming out as something to be celebrated. Lendale’s sexuality affects his life everyday, on and off the court. And it nearly destroyed his relationship with his mom. Today, Lendale is here to talk about the reality of being an out professional athlete, his family’s journey to acceptance and how his tennis academy inspires the next generation of athletes. Be sure to follow Lendale on IG!Your host is Levi Chambers, co-founder of Gayety.Follow the show and keep up with the conversation @Pride.Want more great shows from Straw Hut Media? Check out or website at strawhutmedia.com.Your producers are Levi Chambers, Maggie Boles, Ryan Tillotson and Edited by Sebastian AlcalaHave an interesting LGBTQ+ story to share? We might feature U! Email us at lgbtq@strawhutmedia.com.*This podcast is not affiliated with Pride Media.Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices