I have always been an avid reader, but for the last year and change I have truly been in my book era. This year alone I have read 134 books so far with a goal of 150. I am a sucker for romance, in particular, and a new love of mine is MM romance, especially if it is sports themed. I love reading these stories about two men falling in love, especially when there is adversity to overcome in a setting like professional sports.

While I don’t directly identify with the experiences of LGBTQ+ characters, reading these fictional stories has been heartwarming and impactful for me. The simple truth is that representation matters. Hearing stories and perspectives about historically marginalized and underrepresented communities in books, movies and TV shows is important. It’s happening more and more, and I love to see it! I’ve been particularly pleased with how the romance genre has branched out. I’m consuming as much as I can across all platforms.

This representation increases empathy and highlights what is universal in the human experience. I don’t have to be a gay hockey player to enjoy a fictional story about a professional athlete falling in love with a teammate in a very homophobic space. And yes, it might be fiction but there are also very real elements of what identifying as LGBTQ+ must/could be like in the world of professional sports. I’ve read stories that create an idealized version of that world with an entire network of fictional queer athletes across different sports. I’ve also read ones that capture the often ugly reality mixed with a beautiful love story. As a sports fan, seeing these stories being told makes me feel hopeful. Representation in the media is a step towards change in and of itself. And diversifying what we read and watch helps cross bridges.

I do have questions as I dive fully into this genre. Who are these stories written for and by? If the book is written by a heterosexual identifying woman, does that diminish its impact? Are they only written to be consumed and considered palatable by other heterosexual women? Should people from a community be the only ones creating such stories? I don’t have answers to all those questions. I do firmly believe that people from all communities should be able to tell their own stories. And I also think what I’m reading still has value, regardless of who wrote it. One thing I know for sure is that I love reading these books. They bring me joy, and isn’t that the whole point?

Below are a list of some of my favorite MM sports romance series:

1. “Him” and “Us” by Elle Kennedy & Sarina Bowen
2. “Offsides” and “SCU Hockey” series by J.J. Mulder
3. “The Men of Summer” series by L. Blakely
4. “Sporting Secrets” series by Jax Calder
5. “Hockey Ever After” series by Ashlyn Kane & Morgan James