Interview by Paul Salfen
Country Music Artist, Out Professional Baseball Player, and the subject of an upcoming documentary – Bryan Ruby. Bryan Ruby first started to realize he was different at 14 years old, and was forced to hide who he was by a society that attacks those they consider other. In September of 2021 he became the only active professional baseball player to come out as gay,
Bryan Ruby found refuge in two very different yet core parts of his identity – as a professional baseball player, a member of the Salem-Keizer Volcanoes, and he’s a country music songwriter, having written chart-topping music for other artists, he’s since begun releasing his own incredible music. His hit single “Left Field” has nearly a million streams on Spotify, alongside his other original songs.
What’s most important to Ruby,who has found himself torn between the worlds of baseball and country music, is to help others and be of service to those still accepting themselves. Which is why he has founded his first-of-its kind charity, Proud To Be In Baseball, which supports and encourages LGBTQ+ youth in the sport. Proud To Be In Baseball,is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization dedicated to advocating, educating, and creating opportunities for the next generation of LGBTQ baseball players.
