Billy Bean

Billy Bean is a former Major League Baseball player and one of the most inspirational sportspeople of all time. He is the only openly gay current or former Major League Baseball player alive today making him a key role model for millions not only in America, but worldwide. Highly sought after to share his story, Billy discusses the struggles of being a closeted gay man in the brutally anti-gay world of baseball which ultimately forced him to quit in the prime of his career. As MLB’s first Ambassador for Inclusion and the author of “Going the Other Way: An Intimate Memoir of Life in and Out of Major League Baseball”, Billy has significantly increased conversation surrounding diversity in professional sports, blazing the path towards a more supportive future for the LGBT community.

Billy was always bright and outgoing, selected Valedictorian of his High School class before graduating with a degree in Business Administration from Loyola Marymount University during which, he was a two-time “All-American” Outfielder, helping draw attention from the big leagues. He was subsequently drafted in 1987 and proceeded to play in the Major Leagues for 8 years until he unfortunately retired during his prime in 1995. It was during this time Billy was forced to hide his homosexuality and, when his then-boyfriend died from HIV, he couldn’t even attend the funeral for fear of being found out. Billy eventually came out as gay in 1999 and received nationwide coverage including on the Sunday cover of The New York Times and on CNN.

The struggles he faced are described in detail in his bestselling book published in 2003 which is critically acclaimed, being described as revolutionary in helping pave the way towards a better sport where the same prejudices no longer affect the current and future players. Since the publication of his book, Bily has worked as a Board Member of the Gay and Lesbian Athletics Foundation but most notably, in 2014, Bean was announced as Major League Baseball’s first-ever Ambassador for Inclusion. This role has since developed to Senior Vice President of Diversity, Equity & Inclusion for the MLB where he acts as a senior advisor to the MLB Commissioner focusing on DE&I, player education and social injustice initiatives - the role he continues to serve in today.

Billy was instrumental in the development of MLB’s bullying prevention education programming, MLB’s ‘Ahead in the Count’ player education program and improving mental health resources. With his story known nationwide, he has quickly become one of the most sought-after keynote speakers in professional sports. Don't miss your opportunity to hire one of America's most popular motivational speakers, hire Billy Bean today to share his passions for equality, diversity, and inclusion at your next event.