Sports
“I’m Here”: NBA referee Che Flores comes out as transgender, nonbinary
By Jake Beardslee · October 24, 2023
In brief…
- Flores has had an accomplished 14-year career refereeing basketball across college, G League, WNBA, and now NBA
- This year they publicly came out as transgender and nonbinary, becoming first in major American pro sports
- Colleagues and NBA leadership immediately embraced Flores's identity and new name/pronouns
- Flores says living openly helps them referee to the best of their abilities
After years of hiding their identity, Che Flores has publicly come out as transgender and nonbinary, becoming the first openly nonbinary referee in major American professional sports.
Flores, who uses they/them pronouns, has had an impressive 14-year career refereeing basketball across college, the G League, WNBA, and now the NBA. As Flores told the author, “When I started refereeing, you had to look a certain way. This is the first time I’m comfortable expressing myself through my own fashion and not having to worry about it. I feel one hundred percent myself now.”
Flores grew up a talented basketball player in Los Angeles and started refereeing high school games after college. They quickly moved up the ranks, working year-round across multiple leagues.
Joining the NBA this year was the culmination of that hard work, but early in the season Flores decided to come out as nonbinary to colleagues.
As Flores said, “I don’t want to be misrepresented. I have a community of people [and] I want them to know that someone like them exists.”
Flores’s colleagues and NBA leadership have been fully supportive, immediately using their new name and pronouns.
Veteran ref Billy Kennedy said, “Che is going to feel so empowered out on the floor.” For Flores, living openly helps them referee to the best of their abilities. As they said, “I was like, ‘All right, cool. I’m here.’”