Thomas Hitzlsperger

“At what point is a girl ‘too tall’ … ‘too strong,’ ‘too good,’ ‘too fast,’ ‘too masculine’ to then be accused of being transgender?” one trans athlete asked.

BERLIN — Encouraged by others who have come out as gay, retired soccer player Thomas Hitzlsperger is hoping going public will help make it easier for other sporting stars to do the same.

BERLIN — A former World Cup player from Germany became the biggest name in soccer to come out as gay, saying he wants to break down the stigma of homosexuality in sports.