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The Below Deck franchise has celebrated and supported LGBTQ members, including Captain Sandy Yawn who rode the Bravo Pride float in 2019.

Yawn has been at the helm of Below Deck Mediterranean since season 2. She reflected on what it means to accept and embrace who you are.

Daisy Kelliher, Gary King, Ileisha Dell, Chase Lemacks, Colin Macrae, Alex Propson from 'Below Deck Sailing Yacht' wave Pride flags
Daisy Kelliher, Gary King, Ileisha Dell, Chase Lemacks, Colin Macrae, Alex Propson | Fred Jagueneau/Bravo

“You know, something that I never really gave a lot of thought to,” she said in a YouTube video. “It’s something that just kind of like I could tell how my heart felt and I just accepted that. I don’t think there was a day where I came to terms, I think it was like a gradual thing. And I think when you’re comfortable in your own skin, you’re just comfortable no matter who you are.”

From Below Deck Season 1, several yachties shared their stories and their pride.

‘Below Deck’ Pride began in season 1

Beginning with Below Deck Season 1, deckhand David Bradberry shared with the crew that he was gay and hoped to save money for a wedding. Bradberry and his boyfriend at the time never married. But he returned for Below Deck season 3 and was often the voice of reason during that wild season.

Below Deck Season 4 deckhand Kyle Dixon also shared that he was fluid and was in a relationship with a transgender woman. The following season, Bruno Duarte shared that he too was fluid and has since been in a committed relationship with a man.

The first male stew, Josiah Carter from Below Deck Season 6 shared some of his story of being bullied when he was younger. “For me to come out as gay was quite a big thing,” he told Bravo’s Personal Space. “Where I lived it’s not normalized, so it’s also really, really scary and I was apprehensive. But I realized that actually it should be normalized. It shouldn’t be a thing. My sister never rang up my parents and said that she’s straight. So I don’t feel like I need to ring up my parents to say that I’m gay.”  

Fraser Olender became the second male Below Deck stew and eventually took over as chief stew on the series. Deck stew Tyler Walker shared his story on Below Deck Season 10 that he hadn’t come out to his parents and struggled with how to open up to his family.

Also, chief stew Kate Chastain dated a woman during Below Deck Season 4.

‘Below Deck Med’ Captain Sandy celebrates Pride

Yawn has supported other LGBTQ yachties and has talked about what it means to be a woman in a male-dominated industry. Before Yawn took over for Captain Mark Howard, deckhand Jen Riservato was the first LGBTQ yachtie on the series.

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But it wasn’t until Below Deck Med Season 6 that deckhand Lloyd Spencer opened up to the crew that he was fluid and struggled with being bullied. The crew immediately rallied around Spencer and supported him.

Second stew Kyle Viljoen made quite an impression on a Below Deck Med Season 7 charter guest when it became quite obvious there was an attraction between the men. Viljoen met up with the guest after their charter had ended which is when they shared a passionate kiss.

In terms of Below Deck Sailing Yacht, Bravo teased that the crew gets involved in a Pride celebration for a group of charter guests.

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