BUFFALO — He changed his voice mail recording and created a new email address. He updated his LinkedIn profile, too, to reflect his new name.
With those details settled, and the National Women’s Hockey League season about to begin, Harrison Browne, who was born Hailey Browne and identifies as a man, was ready to debut as the first openly transgender athlete in professional team sports in North America.
Browne, a 23-year-old wing for the Buffalo Beauts, first heard his new name over the public-address system here at HarborCenter during player introductions for the season opener, on Oct.