Outsports’ groundbreaking docuseries Ballin’ Out has been nominated for a Daytime Emmy Award for Outstanding Short Form Program, recognizing its powerful contribution to inclusive sports storytelling. The nomination marks a significant moment for LGBTQ+ media, celebrating a series that centers queer disabled athletes and brings long-overdue visibility to the intersection of identity, disability, and competitive sports.
Highlighting the Intersection of LGBTQ Identity and Disability in Competitive Sports
Ballin’ Out shines a spotlight on a group rarely seen in mainstream sports media: out LGBTQ women athletes in wheelchair basketball. The series follows their emotional and high-stakes journey through tryouts and competition for Team USA at the 2022 IWBF Wheelchair Basketball World Championships, held in Dubai in June 2023.
At its core, Ballin’ Out is a story about strength, ambition, and identity—told through the voices of queer, disabled women who continue to break barriers in sports. It’s a deeply human narrative that challenges assumptions about who gets to play, who gets seen, and who gets celebrated.
“It’s an incredible honor to be nominated for a Daytime Emmy Award for such a powerful, groundbreaking project. But the real honor has been these disabled LGBTQ women trusting us to fairly and accurately tell their stories. I couldn’t be more proud of Ballin’ Out and the impact it’s had on an important yet too-often overlooked part of our community.”
Cyd Zeigler, co-founder and editor-in-chief of Outsports
Earlier this year, Ballin’ Out was also honored with a GLAAD Media Award nomination, recognizing its powerful contribution to LGBTQ+ visibility and inclusive sports storytelling.
A Win for Inclusive Sports Storytelling
The Emmy nomination for Ballin’ Out underscores Outsports’ continued leadership in LGBTQ+ sports media and Q.Digital’s larger commitment to inclusive, purpose-driven storytelling. It also affirms the cultural and commercial value of content that represents the full spectrum of the LGBTQ+ community—especially queer disabled athletes, whose stories are still too often marginalized.
For our brand and media partners, Ballin’ Out represents the kind of bold, human-centered narrative that today’s audiences are looking for. It connects on an emotional level, delivers social impact, and reinforces the importance of visibility in sports and media alike.
Watch the Emmy-Nominated Series Now
Episode 1 – Culture Change
Episode 2 – Disability
Episode 3 – Being LGBTQ+
Episode 4 – Mental Health
Episode 5 – Pride
Let’s Partner on What’s Next
Q.Digital works with inclusive, forward-thinking brands to bring LGBTQ storytelling to life—across digital, social, and real-world platforms. If you’re looking to align with award-winning, identity-driven content, we’d love to connect.
Contact us at [email protected]