Professional gamer SonicFox comes out as non-binary: ‘Identifying as a cis-man just isn’t right’
Dominique McLean came out in a series of tweets, less than a year after coming out as "super gay" at the Game Awards
Professional gamer Dominique “SonicFox” McLean has come out as non-binary in a series of tweets.
McLean, one of the highest-earning esports players in the world, previously made headlines last year after coming out as gay while accepting the award for Best Esports Player at the The Game Awards 2018.
In a memorable speech, McLean said, “I’m gay, black, a furry — pretty much everything a Republican hates — and the best esports player of the whole year.”
Related: ‘I’m gay, black, and a furry’: SonicFox wins Best Esports Player at The Game Awards
Writing on Twitter this week, McLean said they have been “thinking critically” about their “entire life perspective on how I look.”
“The more I reflect on my pass and likes the more this makes sense to me,” McLean wrote. “With that being said, I’m coming out as a Non-Binary Man!”
Hey ya’ll! I’ve been thinking critically about myself these last couple of months, and my entire life perspective on how I look. The more I reflect on my pass and likes the more this makes sense to me..
With that being said, I’m coming out as a Non-Binary Man!
(He/They) please!— FOX | SonicFox (@SonicFox5000) September 3, 2019
McLean prefers “he/they” pronouns, but could “see myself dropping He/Him,” noting “I cannot tell if I am genderfluid or not.”
“I’ve always found myself enjoying things that were typically considered ‘not masculine’ and I’ve always thought of myself as 50% masc and 50% feminine,” McLean tweeted. “But I always felt ridiculed and made fun of for liking the more ‘feminine’ things of life.
“This in turn made me almost never go clothes shopping. The mens [sic] clothes section just never appealed to me,” McLean continued. “I felt almost nothing there really matched me. Strangely enough, I always enjoyed the masculine look of my facial hair and stuff, but never the attire!”
McLean said when they visualized the “ideal me” they would see “this androgynous appearance,” but said they were “too nervous and shy to try women or ‘feminine’ clothing.”
I for the last 8 years have only settled on hoodie x jeans combo and that’s it, but when I look at myself in the mirror and visualizing the ideal me, I keep seeing myself with this androgynous appearance. I was too nervous and shy to try women or “feminine” clothing..
— FOX | SonicFox (@SonicFox5000) September 3, 2019
“I’ll be shopping very soon and may end up looking hella different than I usually do at tournaments, so stay tuned for that!” McLean wrote, adding, “Don’t worry the mustache is staying.”
McLean continued: “In time I could see myself dropping the He/Him pronouns. I cannot tell if I am genderfluid or not, but I feel identifying as a cis-man just isn’t too right. I definitely know I don’t feel like a woman either, but something in between like He They spectrum I feel fits me most.”
McLean added that, despite coming out as gay, they are “[probably] pansexual” but “not sure yet,” saying, “Sexuality and Gender is confusin’ sometimes!”
Hell even when I called myself gay for simplicity purposes, something always felt off about that as well. I’ll probably still continue to say I’m gay but in true hindsight, I think I am prooooobably pansexual. Not sure yet. Sexuality and Gender is confusin’ sometimes!!
— FOX | SonicFox (@SonicFox5000) September 3, 2019
TRANS RIGHTS
GAY RIGHTS
Expect me to wear these at tournies 😁 pic.twitter.com/l51Us3YA5q
— FOX | SonicFox (@SonicFox5000) September 4, 2019
The pro gamer has received some criticism anti anti-LGBTQ comments following the announcement, but tweeted to acknowledge the “many friendly replies” to their Twitter thread.
McLean, who regularly wears a furry costume to gaming tournament as alter-ego SonicFox, created a viral moment at the Game Awards last year.
Coming out publicly as gay, McLean drew cheers from the crowd and thousands of supportive tweets after saying “I’m also super gay” during their acceptance speech.
““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!”
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