In the rough-and-tumble world of hockey, where “bro” culture runs deep and the ice is colder than your ex’s heart, Jesse Kortuem, a former hockey player who once thought he had to choose between his passion for the sport and his sexuality, has proven that it’s possible to have both. And it’s all thanks to the unexpected hero—Heated Rivalry.
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The Heated Rivalry Effect
Jesse Kortuem recently dropped a bombshell on Out, revealing that the Heated Rivalry series—the very one that broke the ice on LGBTQ+ representation in sports—gave him the courage to come out. “I know many closeted and gay men in the hockey world are being hit hard by Heated Rivalry’s success,” he confesses. Talk about a full-circle moment! Kortuem admits that seeing positive LGBTQ+ representation in a sport that has often been synonymous with macho energy finally gave him the confidence to tell his truth.
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“I never thought I’d see something so loving come from such a masculine sport,” he says.
And who could blame him? Hockey and rainbows haven’t exactly been besties in the past. But now? It’s Heated Rivalry that’s helping more athletes like Kortuem lace up and come out.
Kortuem is Skating on Thin Ice… Or Not?
Kortuem’s post wasn’t just a revelation—it was a declaration of independence. “The sound of skates carving on that fresh ice was a sound of a place where I had to hide,” he writes. Growing up in Minnesota—the holy land of hockey—Kortuem was caught between two worlds. His love for the sport and the weight of his hidden identity made him feel like he was skating on thin ice… metaphorically, of course.
“Sports and competition weren’t just what we did; they were who we were,” he recalls. But being the youngest of four boys in the state of hockey didn’t leave much room for coming out—at least not in the locker room. In fact, Kortuem says, coming out in the 2000s wasn’t even on his radar. “It would’ve been a social disaster,” he quips. So, at 17, he walked away from the rink, missing out on the “brotherhood” of hockey friendships in exchange for the silence of his closet.
Coming Out and the Locker Room: Not Your Average Power Play
Fast-forward to his 20s, and Kortuem was back on the ice—living his life as an out guy, but still terrified to share his true self with his teammates. “On the outside, I was still a top-tier player. On the inside, I was still that kid in Minnesota hiding,” he admits. Like many closeted athletes, the fear of being labeled “the gay player” kept him from fully being himself.
In the locker room, when the conversation turned to wives and families, Kortuem would just change the subject. “I would just say I was single… even when I was seeing someone,” he confesses. (Can’t blame him for trying to avoid those awkward moments!)
A Sin-City-Sized Shift: From Closet to Cutting Edges
But everything changed in 2017 when Kortuem took one last shot at a gay sports tournament: the Sin City Classic in Las Vegas. And no, it wasn’t just the Vegas lights that caught his eye. Meeting a group of fellow gay hockey players—like the Las Vegas Boyz—was the game-changer he needed. “From that moment forward, my life has never been the same,” he says. No more hiding, no more “pretending to be straight” while surrounded by people he respected.
But Kortuem’s story doesn’t stop there. Since that fateful tournament, he’s found a new home in teams like The Cutting Edges Hockey Club in Vancouver and the Misfits in Toronto, where he’s been able to reconcile his love for the sport with his identity. It’s proof that you can have it all—a hockey stick and a rainbow flag.
Finally, the Peace He’s Been Waiting For
Last weekend, Kortuem took his journey to Sun Peaks for The Cutting Edges’ Winter Classic, and it was there that he realized something huge: he had finally found his peace. “Standing on that ice, wearing your jersey that represents both my sport and my community, felt like a bridge being built over a gap I had lived with for decades.” Kortuem’s journey of self-acceptance didn’t happen overnight, but he’s finally standing on the rink as both the athlete and the man he’s always been—unapologetically himself.
And for the athletes out there still hiding in the shadows, he has a message of hope: “There is a life and a deep happiness waiting for you on your path. You will get through this, and it is going to be okay.”
The Heated Rivalry Legacy
Jesse Kortuem’s journey isn’t just a coming-out story; it’s a love letter to the sport, to the LGBTQ+ community, and to the power of representation. So, to everyone who’s ever struggled to reconcile their identity with the world around them, remember Kortuem’s words: “There is room for all of us on the ice.”
Whether it’s in a hockey rink or a local coffee shop, your truth is something that no one can take away from you. And hey, if Heated Rivalry can inspire a real-life hockey player to come out, maybe it’s time we all start rooting for each other to come out on top.