Bob Paris
A champion bodybuilder who shattered stereotypes by coming out as gay at the peak of his career, becoming a powerful advocate for LGBTQ+ visibility in sports.
Born 1959 (age 67)·American and Canadian writer, actor, civil rights activist and retired pro athlete·Birthday: December 14·Baby Boomers
Biography
Bob Paris rewrote the script for what a professional athlete could be. He rose to the top of the hyper-masculine, secretive world of bodybuilding, winning the prestigious IFBB World Championship in 1983 with a physique celebrated for its aesthetic symmetry. But his most defining lift was the weight of expectation. In 1989, at the height of his career, he publicly came out as gay in a landmark interview with 'Ironman' magazine, a courageous act that made him one of the first openly gay professional athletes in North America. Facing blacklisting from the sport, he pivoted, becoming a writer, actor, and a sought-after speaker on LGBTQ+ rights. His life and partnership with his husband, Rod Jackson, became a documented testament to love and integrity, far beyond the posing stage.
Baby Boomers
1946–1964
The largest generation in history at the time. Shaped by postwar prosperity, the Vietnam War, the sexual revolution, and Watergate. They questioned every institution their parents built — then ran them.
Bob was born in 1959, placing them squarely in the Baby Boomers. The events that shaped this generation — postwar prosperity, civil rights, Vietnam, and the counterculture — shaped the world they entered and the choices available to them.
#1 When Bob Was Born
The biggest hits of 1959
#1 Movie
Ben-Hur
Best Picture
Ben-Hur
#1 TV Show
Gunsmoke
Bob's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1959Born
Fidel Castro takes power in Cuba
Gas: $0.30/galHome: $12,400Min wage: $1.00/hrPresident: Dwight D. Eisenhower"The Battle of New Orleans" — Johnny HortonBest Picture: Ben-Hur
1964Started school
Civil Rights Act signed; Beatles arrive in America
Gas: $0.30/galHome: $13,450Min wage: $1.25/hrPresident: Lyndon B. Johnson"I Want to Hold Your Hand" — The BeatlesBest Picture: My Fair Lady
1972Became a teenager
Watergate break-in; last Apollo Moon mission
Gas: $0.36/galHome: $19,550Min wage: $1.60/hrPresident: Richard Nixon"The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face" — Roberta FlackBest Picture: The Godfather
1975Could drive
Fall of Saigon ends the Vietnam War
Gas: $0.57/galHome: $27,600Min wage: $2.10/hrPresident: Gerald Ford"Love Will Keep Us Together" — Captain & TennilleBest Picture: One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest
1977Could vote
Star Wars premieres; Elvis dies
Gas: $0.62/galHome: $31,800Min wage: $2.30/hrPresident: Jimmy Carter"Tonight's the Night" — Rod StewartBest Picture: Annie Hall
1980Turned 21
John Lennon shot and killed in New York
Gas: $1.19/galHome: $47,200Min wage: $3.10/hrPresident: Jimmy Carter"Call Me" — BlondieBest Picture: Ordinary People
1989Turned 30
Berlin Wall falls; Tiananmen Square protests
Gas: $1.00/galHome: $79,100Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: George H.W. Bush"Look Away" — ChicagoBest Picture: Driving Miss Daisy
1999Turned 40
Columbine shooting; Y2K panic builds
Gas: $1.17/galHome: $113,900Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: Bill Clinton"Believe" — CherBest Picture: American Beauty
2009Turned 50
Michael Jackson dies; Bitcoin created
Gas: $2.35/galHome: $148,500Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Barack Obama"Boom Boom Pow" — The Black Eyed PeasBest Picture: The Hurt Locker
2019Turned 60
First image of a black hole; Hong Kong protests
Gas: $2.60/galHome: $224,400Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Donald Trump"Old Town Road" — Lil Nas XBest Picture: Parasite
2026Age 67 today
Gas: $3.91/galPresident: Donald Trump
Key Achievements
- Won the IFBB World Bodybuilding Championship in 1983.
- Became one of the first professional athletes in a major sport to come out as gay while still competing.
- Authored several books, including the memoir 'Gorilla Suit' detailing his life in bodybuilding and activism.
- Appeared as a guest star on television shows like 'Star Trek: Deep Space Nine' and 'Silk Stalkings.'
Did You Know?
He and his husband, Rod Jackson, were one of the first same-sex couples to have their wedding featured in the 'New York Times' weddings section in 2004.
He is a naturalized citizen of Canada, where he lives with his husband.
He was a trained actor who studied at the Beverly Hills Playhouse.
His physique is often cited by fans as one of the most classically beautiful in bodybuilding history.
““I decided that I was no longer willing to live a life that was a lie.””
