Justin Laevens: From Out Athlete to Mr. Gay Belgium

May 19, 2024
ALEXANDER

Justin Laevens: From Out Athlete to Mr. Gay Belgium

Justin Laevens was 19 years old, competing with the pro cycling team Proximus-Cyclis-Alphamotorhomes in Belgium, when he came out in a publication as gay. His coming out made one of very few openly gay cyclers at the time. He came out publicly because of the lack of queer representation in the sport, and the fear that he had in coming out because of it. He left professional cycling last year and now, at 23 years old, he is working hard to become Mr. Gay Belgium.

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Justin will be one of 12 men competing for the title, now celebrating its 10th year for the competition. He wants to win the title to bring LGBTQ awareness to the sports world, and to serve as an inspiration for those that are still in the closet. While the media and his family embraced his coming out, he realizes that many, especially in the sports field, do not have that experience.

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His coming out was also met with a major boost to his social media following and he was awarded the OUTtv LGBTQ Media Personality for 2021. This week he started working towards the title with events in Kortrijk, his home city. He told OutSports that he often gets asked to judge drag queen shows and other gay events but he wants to take his advocacy a bit more seriously.

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He also offered advice on coming out: “Be yourself and take enough time for yourself. Talk to friends and family about it at your own pace and keep focusing on being happy and liking yourself.”

And sorry boys, he has a boyfriend.

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Fun travel fact, Belgium places third on the annual Rainbow Europe map of LGBTQ-inclusive places, right behind Malta and Iceland. Belgium also places second in the European Union for LGBT rights protection, following Malta. Belgium became the second country in the world to legalize same-sex marriage in 2003.