While accepting the award for Best Esports Player at the 2018 Game Awards in Los Angeles last night, a 20-year-old video gamer named Dominique McLean (aka. “SonicFox”) declared, “I’m gay, black, a furry — pretty much everything a Republican hates.”
This made us instantly fall in love with him.
While accepting the award, MetroWeekly.com reports that McLean said, “As you guys also may know — or may not know — I’m also super gay.”
He continued, “I wanna give a super shoutout to all my LGBTQ+ friends that have always helped me through life. Obviously I’m a furry, so shout out to the furries…. Guess all I gotta really say is I’m gay, black, a furry — pretty much everything a Republican hates — and the best esports player of the whole year I guess. Thank you so much!”
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McLean is a three time winner at the Evolution Championship Series, an annual esports event that focuses on fighting games. He won honors for being the best fighter in the games Injustice: Gods Among Us in 2014, Mortal Kombat X in 2015 and 2016 and Dragon Ball FighterZ in 2018.
His being proudly gay, black and a furry all matter in the often toxic atmosphere of gaming. Just recently, the creators of the first person team shooter Fallout 76 had to ban players for homophobic assaults. Players in the game Red Dead Redemption 2 have made a game of assaulting and murdering feminist and black characters.
In fact, one need only look at the YouTube comments on McLean’s acceptance video to find numerous people criticizing him for “going political.”
But whether these critics realize it or not, gaming has always been political: from its exclusion of female, dark-skinned and LGBTQ characters to the fact that most games literally involve overthrowing violent regimes. (Super Mario Brothers, anybody?)
im gay
also the best dbfz player on this fucking planet dont forget it.
— FOX | SonicFox @ TGA (@SonicFox5000) August 6, 2018
McLean actually came out via Twitter in August, but his awards speech has helped make even more people aware of his unique and intersectional identity — score!
Kangol
He’s also a cutie, but he didn’t need to say that. It was evident the second he pulled off that costume head and showed his face. I loved that he affirmed being “super gay” too!
Larry
And 2/3 of the comments are spam but of course Queerty wont let us report.
Daniel Villarreal
Thanks for the comment, Larry. I try to delete them when I notice them, but I have alerted the management to see what we can do to block such spam comment posts.
Bryguyf69
Daniel – ironically, one of those spam posts is right under yours.
bowlingbutch
I don’t game but what is a furry? He is definitely a hottie
Catholicslutbox
Gurl please.
fur_hunter
A ‘FURRY’ is anyone who is a member of a group of folks that dress in costumes that are of furry animals. I have a very good friend who is a member and he has a costume very much like his dog that passed away several years ago. They have conventions and parades. Yep. Go online and I think you will be able to check them out.
gaypalmsprings
I was thinking he was an otter.
Bryguyf69
CNN’s This Is Life with Lisa Ling just did an entire episode of the Furry lifestyle a few weeks ago. Fascinating community that’s very accepting of others. You can probably find the episode online.
Doug
This guy is a sweetheart!
Xzamilloh
There is something seriously hot about nerdy guys like him.
mcflyer54
WOW! Just found a reason to take up gaming. This man is totally together in addition to being totally HOT!
Dyana B
He seems like he’s a sweet, good-natured young man, not to mention the fact that he is all kinds of adorable. Congratulations to him on all of his accomplishments…
draven
Awesome dude!!!!!!
mgconlan
I’d do him.
scotty
good on him. and us for playing on the same team.
yay! we all win.