‘I’m gay, black, and a furry’: SonicFox wins Best Esports Player at The Game Awards
Dominique McLean is the highest-paid fighting games player in the world, and proudly wears his fur suit to gaming tournaments
“I’m gay, black, a furry — pretty much everything a Republican hates — and the best esports player of the whole year.”
—Dominique “SonicFox” McLean, American Fighting Games player and four-time Evolution Championship Series winner, in a speech accepting the award for Best Esports Player at the The Game Awards 2018.
McLean is famous in the esports community not only for being a skilled gamer, but also for his open embrace of his sexuality and SonicFox furry persona, including wearing his fur suit to gaming tournaments.
The 20-year-old gave a nervous, excited speech while accepting his award at the Microsoft Theater in Los Angeles on Dec. 6, donning his blue fox furry head as he walked up to the stage before stating in disbelief, “I really won this shit.”
Calling the award — which is voted on by a panel of international gaming journalists, all well as by members of the public — a “big honor,” McLean said he “just really really [enjoys] playing video games competitively” and that he doesn’t compete for the fame.
Instead, he joked, “I kind of just enjoy the rush of beating people up” — a nod to his preferred genre of fighting games.
The highest-paid fighting game player in the world, McLean also referenced during his speech a $10,000 donation he made last month to help the father of fellow gamer Curtis “Rewind” McCall, who is undergoing stage three cancer treatment.
He then gave a series of shout-outs to his team and friends, before ending on a bold declaration of his sexuality and identity that drew cheers from the crowd.
“As you guys also may know — or may not know — I’m also super gay,” McLean said. “I wanna give a super shoutout to all my LGBTQ+ friends that have always helped me through life. Obviously I’m a furry, so shout out to the furries…. Guess all I gotta really say is I’m gay, black, a furry — pretty much everything a Republican hates — and the best esports player of the whole year I guess. Thank you so much!”
McLean made headlines and drew praise in August this year when he came out publicly immediately after winning the 2018 EVO championship.
“I’m gay,” McLean tweeted, before reminding any haters, “also the best [Dragon Ball FighterZ] player on this fucking planet [don’t] forget it.”
im gay
also the best dbfz player on this fucking planet dont forget it.
— FOX | SonicFox (@SonicFox5000) August 6, 2018
He took to Twitter shortly after winning his Best Esports Player Award to celebrate, and to say he has “never been so nervous before.”
Im esports player of the year!!
— FOX | SonicFox (@SonicFox5000) December 7, 2018
Forgive me! Ive never been so nervous before!! Shit was scarier than evo GF 😭
— FOX | SonicFox (@SonicFox5000) December 7, 2018
Watch his full speech in the video below:
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