New Orleans Saints defensive tackle Khalen Saunders is making headlines for more than just his moves on the field — he’s launching a groundbreaking LGBTQ+-friendly youth football camp, aimed at creating a welcoming space for young queer athletes.
Speaking at the 2025 GLAAD Media Awards, Saunders announced that his new camp will kick off later this year, designed specifically to include and uplift LGBTQ+ youth in a sport that has traditionally lacked inclusive spaces.
“FOOTBALL IS FOR EVERYBODY”
In a powerful appearance on NFL Network’s Good Morning Football, Saunders said the idea was sparked by a desire to challenge the hyper-masculine, heterosexual norms that often dominate the football world.
“It feels as though there’s not really a space for the LGBTQ+ community [in football],” he said. “Being an ally is more than just saying ‘I support’ — it’s also showing up.”
INSPIRED BY PRIDE IN FOOTBALL
Saunders credits the NFL-sponsored Pride Football Clinic for motivating him further. After attending and connecting with LGBTQ+ participants, he saw the urgent need for visibility and support within the sport.
“These are people who feel they have to be hidden,” he explained. “Although they love the sport… they kind of shy away from it because of orientations or other outside things.”
His takeaway? Queer youth should not have to choose between who they are and what they love.
“That’s my goal — to spread positive energy. Football is for everybody. Football is for all.”
A FAMILY OF PERFORMERS AND ALLIES
Saunders’ brother is Kameron Saunders, one of Taylor Swift’s backing dancers — and a visible LGBTQ+ performer himself. Their family’s spirit of visibility and support is clearly a shared value.
The football camp, set to launch on 5 July, will be run in partnership with GLAAD and the NFL Pride Football Combine. It aims to build a new generation of athletes who are confident in their identity and their game.
A COUNTER TO POLITICAL BACKLASH
The camp also arrives at a tense moment for LGBTQ+ youth in sport. The Trump-Vance administration’s controversial executive order, titled “Keeping Men Out of Women’s Sports,” has drawn backlash for targeting trans women athletes.
GLAAD labelled the order “baseless,” stating it has “zero credibility in any conversation about protecting women and girls.”
Saunders’ initiative stands in stark contrast — an active show of allyship in a political climate that continues to sideline queer youth.
