Hilary Knight is synonymous with women’s hockey. Her accolades speak volumes. They include an Olympic gold medal, three Olympic silver medals, ten International Ice Hockey Federation World Championship gold medals, and that’s just scratching the surface of her hardware. However, Knight knows her legacy and impact extend far beyond her nearly two decades on the ice with Team USA.

I'm a part of the queer community and I think it's awesome that we have these great feats on ice and that also brings visibility and more storytelling to the space that is underrepresented in many ways.

Saying these words out loud was not always easy for Knight, who admits she struggled with her identity for a long time. “I didn't want to come out, Knight said. “One, just being fearful. And two, I was like it's not necessarily my responsibility. But I also thought, you know what? What an amazing opportunity it was to be able to authentically just show up as myself, as I am, in front of my friends, my small circle, publicly as well.”

Now, Knight says the decision to come out was liberating. “This weight fell off that I didn't even know that I had." The Olympian put up barriers between her public and private life because she was afraid of how others would react inside and outside of the hockey community. Knight said after the walls came down, she was relieved to be surrounded by incredible support. “I'm fortunate because I had a lot of positive voices after that happened. I know that's not the case for many people."

Which is one of the reasons why she believes visibility is so important and continues to share her story. “Make sure you’re surrounded by people that love you. I think that's just the most powerful thing at the end of the day. These people are there to support you, to embrace you, to pick you up, to push you.” She said without that she wouldn’t be who she is today.

Today, she’s loving life with fellow Olympian and speedskater Brittany Bowe. “I'm just able to be freely who I want to be. And need to be,” Knight said. The pair bought a home together last year in Salt Lake City. They enjoy training, working in the backyard and playing pickleball together. “As top-tier athletes, you really know what that person may need, whether it's support or space. And I think both of us being at a high level for a pretty long time helps us understand one another,” Knight said.

Knight and Bowe got to know each other while competing for Team USA at the 2022 Winter Olympics in Beijing. The Olympians went on walks together in the evenings as a safe activity during the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. “Fully masked. It wasn't romantic at all. But it was cute,” Knight recalled. She said her relationship with Bowe helped her find the strength to eventually come out.

It’s monumental I think in the women’s sports space and obviously in the Olympics space as well, so hopefully our story can have a small impact on someone in a positive way, and that's just such a huge win. 

Bowe and Knight both are aiming to represent the U.S. at the Winter Olympics in Milan Cortina next year. Knight has said 2026 will be her final Olympic Games.