Che Flores is the NBAs first out nonbinary and transgender referee, making that revelation in a story published by GQ on Monday.

Flores, who uses the pronoun they, is entering their second season as an NBA staff referee, after working 35 games last season. They also worked 12 games as a nonstaff official during the 2021-22 season.

One piece I was missing for myself was that no one knew how I identified, Flores told GQ. Being misgendered as she/her always just felt like a little jab in the gut.

I can go through the world and even my job a lot more comfortably, they added.