Corey Walsh is gay.
Corey Walsh is one of the best transition riders in the history of BMX. He’s undoubtedly one of the most badass dudes to ever step foot on a bike. He’s well-liked, highly respected, and a prime example of what it means to be a professional rider. And he’s gay.
Does it matter?
Amongst the thousands of supportive comments that flooded social media, I noticed a handful that alluded to Corey’s announcement “not mattering.” I don’t think the majority of these were written with malice - but rather under the implication that this topic shouldn’t influence the way we view Corey. He’s still the same rider and person that he’s always been.
While I don’t think that’s an incorrect viewpoint, I absolutely think it matters and should be discussed.
Why?
Firstly, because Corey put it out there. He’s not one to be incredibly open about any aspects of his personal life and, if it’s important to him to say this publicly, it’s important for us - as Corey’s fans, friends, and fellow riders, to acknowledge it. Corey has given enough to BMX to earn our time, attention, and respect. When he has something to say, we owe it to him to listen and at least attempt to understand.
And, secondly, because Corey is an example. If Corey putting this out there helps anyone holding something similar inside gain the courage to be open about it, he very well could have drastically improved someone’s quality of life - and possibly even saved a life.
It was incredible to see the amount of support Corey’s announcement generated on social media, but now it’s time to put it to action. It’s easy to say “congratulations” and post a rainbow flag emoji. What happens in the coming months and years will really show if our community can step up and continue to show this love to Corey and to others in similar situations.
BMX has come along way, but we’ve never had a rider with Corey’s status, resume, respect, and reputation come out right in the prime of their career. This is an iconic moment for BMX and for action sports in general. I honestly think this is much bigger than Corey realizes.
Corey is a personal friend of mine and, as happy as I am to have him open up about this, I’m also disappointed that he’s likely been battling it internally over all the years I’ve known him. I can only hope he’s happier than he’s ever been - but still brings the pissed off chaos to concrete bowls around the world.
dave lawrence
4/1/2021 7:14 AM
Rad to see that he is open about himself!
Does his sexuality have bearing on his riding? No. It doesn't. It does not change anything about his riding or skills. The guy is a hell of a bike rider. Is it a big deal that he has come out? Yep. Because he is a public figure within BMX and it could inspire others to be open about themselves.
a22
3/31/2021 11:34 AM
Great for him to now have the confidence to be public. But when has the sexualization of anything mattered within a hobby? Choosing to be attracted to someone is a decision someone makes and shouldn't be front page news. Berringer wasn't mentioned at all, and he was arguably the first Pro/Legend to come out. This is clearly a publicity driven article for ad revenue to milk a topic that DIG already wrote a detailed article about. It could be left at the original mention on the main page.
Has BMX just become TMZ and stopped being about the riding? Your sexual decisions are your own, and needing validation from BMX doesn't show the personal growth one may gain by coming out. BMX starts with the younger generation, and focusing the spotlight on something that isn't BMX and isn't something kids should be worrying about is offensive. Focusing on sexual decisions for children now is just a step away from introducing the ignored topic of Pedophilia and how young riders are taken advantage of my older cooler ones. Whether homosexual or not, it has happened many times and will continue to happen. But these things are never spoken about in articles, identically absent from the major "news" outlets. Why? Because funding will be lost.
Let riding be about riding. If his sponsors were going to dump him there would be an outrage in todays climate where no one can have a difference of opinion. Where people automatically get bullied by being called homophobic, Karen, etc. without context and close minded media manipulated behavior. Does this sound like the acceptance narrative everyone promotes?
Is this whole debacle because he wants to start posting photos about his boyfriend or something? The value of this information really isn't there, it just seems like a way to jump on the cultural bandwagon of worrying where someone decides to put their reproductive parts.
Are you going to start discussing other topics that aren't bike related? Probably not. Even though there are much more important things going on within peoples lives than celebrity gossip.
So keep BMX media to riding, stop trying to create the division in culture by talking about something no one was worrying about before. Unless you are willing to tackle the whole can of worms.
Cellmember
3/31/2021 11:45 AM
dave lawrence
4/1/2021 7:30 AM
a22-mentioning Beringer-if I recall correctly, he came out publicly after he was no longer in the main spotlight of BMX-that is the big difference. His friends and family knew, but it was not really anything public until his phone-in podcast a few years back. This is a big deal in that Corey is one of the well known pros currently. While I do agree that it is not important THAT he is gay and that it doesn't change anything about his riding, it IS important that he came out while being essentially a public figure in BMX because it can inspire others to feel comfortable enough to do the same when they see much of the support from other riders. BMX is not exactly welcoming when it comes to anything different.
As to your comment about pedophilia and being "one step away", please explain how you got to that conclusion? I fail to see that connection. Unless I missed something, nothing was brought up about kids being "taken advantage of by older cooler ones" until YOU brought it up. I am sure that does happen-and that is really shitty. But I don't see where that comment has relevance here. Homosexuality and pedophilia are not the same thing, and bringing up pedophilia is a pretty shitty thing to do when someone comes out. Sexual orientation and sexual activity can easily be discussed separately-and him coming out is an example of that.
If we really want to dive into things that can influence young kids (since you seem so worried), how about we add to that can of worms and take a look at nearly everything related to No Jumper, The Come Up and all your other content over the last decade +, with your constant stories about drug use, sexual acts with multiple people, other illegal activities and so on. You don't seem terribly worried about how so many of those videos may have influenced young children.
I'll give you the benefit of the doubt-maybe you had a change in life that caused you to ACTUALLY have concern.
surrealsickness
4/17/2021 2:28 PM
Shut the fuck up wanna be rapper moron. you are cancer.
. Go get some more hair plugs and play with that cup and ball game.
Dude no one likes 22 if this is actually him. Go away and never come back. NO ONE LIKES YOU. In fact, most people can't fucking stand you.
JamesGarethSaunders
3/31/2021 12:44 AM
Fabulous article that I believe is incredibly relevant to our BMX community. Yes is general we are an accepting bunch! But this does not mean that there is not homophobia among us, it is important to break the stigma surrounding homophobia which is highlighted well within the comments of this article, even if some are “supportive” they go on to contradict themselves.
Corey, big up to you for the scale of your public unavailing your a much braver man then most. You had my interest from just riding and now you have my upmost respect from across the pond.
Love is love, but let’s talk about it, let’s accept it, let’s grow together and prove that BMX is for EVERYONE.
flatlandbro
3/30/2021 6:31 PM
I am happy for Corey. To have the courage to admit he is gay, and have the support system who don’t reject him, is great. I do not know what it is like to have same sex attraction, but I imagine it is difficult to admit a thing like that. I mean, we all struggle with different areas of life, I know I do.
I have never meet Corey, but I am worried for people like him who think (or been told) the LGBTQ lifestyle is a safe alternative. Our culture says that it is, so must be right? Unfortunately reports like from the CDC do not paint the LGBTQ lifestyle in a good light. One report concludes that more than half of all new cases of HIV/AIDS, are from gay men alone. That does not count bisexuals, lesbians, nor transgender in that figure. Meaning the rate could be even higher.
The reason I am speaking about this is not to bash Corey or people who are in support and/or in the LGBTQ community, by no means. Everyone deserves to be respected and loved regardless of a person’s beliefs, lifestyle, and actions. However, truth can be controversial and even hated.
I post this to shed light on the consequence side of living such a lifestyle that is not talked about enough. Nothing is worse than being told something is safe, only to turn around and potentially get a disease that takes years off your life and there is no cure.
Disease is just one consequence. There is a lot of physical abuse in the LGBTQ community, prostitution, many promiscuous partners, depression, drugs, etc. I have had roommates and co-workers who have told me about these things and I was shocked, yet no one talks about it and it’s a tragedy. Last thing we want is Corey to be harmed or something far worse. Corey can ultimately do what he wants.
There is a real hope and solution for those who struggle with same sex attraction who no longer want to. That answer is Jesus Christ. Now Jesus Christ is not only for the LGBTQ community but for everyone, including myself and anyone reading this. I am a sinner and in need of God’s forgiveness and grace.
We all fall short of God’s standard but God being rich in mercy and love, sent His is only Son to die in our place on a cross for our sins. I will put two videos down below, one on ex-LGBTQ-er’s and another on what it means to be a Christian. I never thought I would post something like on a BMX website, haha. Life has consequences, whether good or bad. Life is summed up in our decisions. All of us will die one day, does not matter what you believe, what matters is did you believe the right thing? Death is the great equalizer, all of us must pass through it. Let us make the right decisions in life and help those make the right ones too out from a heart of love and kindness while speaking truth. I pray everyone looks at the two videos and is open minded to hearing another side of the argument and the message of the Gospel, which is also known as the “Good News.” Blessings!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Iq8ok84uBXc
What Must I Do To Be Saved? 4:46 minutes
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v--BuHXVA70
Former LGBTQers Testify: If You No Longer Want to Be Gay or Transgender, You Don't Have to Be 16:37 minutes
JamesGarethSaunders
3/31/2021 12:17 AM
How on earth do you have the audacity to post such a disrespectful and religion based comment about a situation you clearly have no actually knowledge on.
The Christian faith is one of the leading examples of homophobia, the fact they have camps and “cures” to turn people straight is a absolutely disgraceful.
Your fact about homosexuals contracting HIV/ AIDS at a higher percentage is utter ballocks. And there is no reason in this day and age that someone with HIV or aids can not live a long a prosperous life. we have come a long way since the 1960’s where there was no cure, we can infact now make the disease dormant. Meaning you will not die from it, simply take a pill each morning to suppress the virus.
I wrote this reply to you, shaking out of anger and adrenaline. For someone to so openly and publicly come out and to be supported by their sponsors their family and friends is amazing and another step forward to accepting people for who the fuck they are.
It’s beliefs like your that cause the physical assault of the lgbtq+ community, it’s the thought process like yours and other that make it unsafe for people to come out and live the life they were always meant to lead.
Grow the fuck up, and as if you have posted links to YouTube videos about being turned straight or “being saved” you are a fucking moron and a unbelievably disrespectful human being.
Reading from a book that was written century’s ago does not give you a right to pave how the world should be today. Go back to your fairytale, keep your religion and your beliefs to yourself and simply fuck off.
a22
3/31/2021 11:38 AM
A08
4/1/2021 6:08 AM
so in the name of tolerance, you want him to be accepting of intolerance?
Lol. It doesn’t work like that.
Grevlingen
4/2/2021 3:47 AM
surrealsickness
4/17/2021 2:29 PM
BrodieB
3/31/2021 3:48 AM
Burnzy149
3/31/2021 5:38 AM
crispyoldcraig
3/31/2021 11:12 AM
grlkemistry
3/31/2021 2:04 PM
I was brought up in a religious household.. I can't express enough of how much more judgmental and hypocritical religious people are in general. The Bible maybe a book of history and I have read it several times over but that doesn't mean it's the tell-all say all for who we are today as people or individuals and our future and not to mention the fact that it has been passed down for centuries from people that have interpreted it wrong or for themselves for selfish purposes, power, greed, and control.. I do agree however that the lgbtq communtiy can be difficult for some people but that is not because of the things that you've mentioned it is because of the Judgment from family and friends that they receive which in turn can cause and push them to go do these things as far as prostitution and drug usage. But let's again not forget that there are still a lot of straight people that have depression, drug issues, and many straight men and women that are in prostitution and in child trafficking as well. So please understand being gay is not a choice and can be changed just cause you pray and read the bible.. why don't you try to be attracted to the same sex and see how you feel about it. Its the same for gay people when you tell them to pray to be attracted to the opposite sex.
Good for him to come out but yes lets focus on the riding.. And keep this comminuty as positive and un judgemental as possible.. Amen 🙏
eskimojay
4/1/2021 11:44 AM
Burnzy149
4/9/2021 6:09 AM
Grevlingen
4/2/2021 3:39 AM
Burnzy149
4/9/2021 6:09 AM
RiotRidesATX
4/12/2021 7:38 AM
possenier
4/3/2021 8:30 AM
Burnzy149
4/9/2021 6:07 AM
crispyoldcraig
4/9/2021 11:37 AM
Ah yes, we've found the enlightened centrist...

Airpipe
3/30/2021 6:08 PM
BrodieB
3/30/2021 5:17 PM
Ex's and Oh's
3/30/2021 4:41 PM
JamesGarethSaunders
3/31/2021 12:38 AM
MikeCarruth
3/30/2021 4:33 PM
Good for Corey. And glad to see the BMX community be more about love than its normal judgmental-self.
Men’s BMX Racing is now the “final frontier” for coming out.
Burnzy149
3/31/2021 5:41 AM
JamesGarethSaunders
3/31/2021 5:46 AM
No. It’s to encourage others who are having to live sheltered lives because they are afraid of being who they really are.
If we continue to just leave it as unspoken, how many other people will have to live there life hiding from reality, everyone in the past has had the same idea as you, you yourself may not be homophobic but by brushing the subject under the rug, nothing gets done. Nothing changes and people still have to hide who they are.
It’s utter bullshit. Times are changing but conversations need to go ahead to allow transition to happen.
Burnzy149
3/31/2021 6:06 AM
RiotRidesATX
3/31/2021 7:43 AM
RiotRidesATX
3/31/2021 7:52 AM
a22
3/31/2021 11:44 AM