Out100: Robbie Rogers

Photography by Ryan Pfluger in Hollywood on August 19, 2015. Styling by Alison Brooks. Groomer: Ananda Tuyes. Swim shorts by American Apparel.

It's been a banner year for Robbie Rogers, the first openly gay man to compete in a top American professional sports league. The athlete, who came out in 2013 while announcing his retirement, and then promptly un-retired to join the LA Galaxy, scored a stunning goal for his team in June -- his first since coming out. Making the achievement all the sweeter, his triumph coincided with the team's Pride Night. "It was just perfect how it turned out," says Rogers, who was thrilled by the Supreme Court decision on marriage equality, yet dismayed by some of the reactions. "There are a lot of Americans and people around the world who seem to hate the LGBT community," he says. "Until we are equal citizens like my brother and sisters, I feel responsible to use my position to raise awareness." His memoir, Coming Out to Play, published at the end of 2014, is helping take care of that.

SLIDESHOW | Out100 2015