WOODINVILLE, Wash. — When you walk through the doors of Ascend Gymnastics in Woodvinville, two things catch your attention: The American Flag and the Pride Flag.
"It's not super political. It's just like humanity and like just loving everyone and accepting who they are," shared Cale Robinson, who co-owns the gym with his partner Owen Sun.
"We were thinking will this turn people away? But at the end of the day, we thought, we want to be authentic," explained Owen.
Cale and Owen both have experienced what it's like to wonder how people feel about them and also, what it's like to feel supported.
Cale is an accomplished gymnast, having competed for Stanford University, where he was part of a national championship.
And during that time, he found the courage to come out.
He remembers the support he received and how much it meant.
"I think for LGBTQ people, you just don't know what people think inside their heads, so to have some sort of outward piece or symbol [to show you care]. It does mean the world, I think, for people who aren't out yet. It's even more important because they can use that resource as a safe space," said Cale.
Cale and Owen want to ensure more athletes can find those safe spaces. So for Pride Month, they are selling an Ozone rainbow leotard Cale helped design.
All of the proceeds will benefit the You Can Play Project, which is a nonprofit working towards safety and inclusion for LGBTQ+ athletes.
"I just hope these four walls can empower anybody to feel confident in themselves and hold their head high. From the time they come in here to the time they graduate," shared Cale.
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