Active NBA Player Jason Collins: I'm Gay

[Fnord]

Source: TMZ



Washington Wizards center Jason Collins -- who's been playing in the NBA since 2001 -- has revealed he's gay ... making him the first major active American male pro athlete to come out of the closet .

Collins revealed the news in an article for Sports Illustrated ... saying, "I'm a 34-year-old NBA center. I'm black. And I'm gay."

He continued, "I didn't set out to be the first openly gay athlete playing in a major American team sport. But since I am, I'm happy to start the conversation."

Collins -- and his twin brother Jarron -- have been high profile athletes since high school ... when they were two of the highest rated prep players in the country.

They both went on to become standouts at Stanford ... and were each drafted into the NBA in 2001.

Jason says he didn't come out to his twin until last summer.

"I'm glad I can stop hiding and refocus on my 13th NBA season."


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[¿PapaPancho?]

Good for him.  It's a conversation the rest of America has been having and it's about time American Sports join in.

[Jennifer]

HA. I beat Fnord to a news story!

[Fnord]

Did you post it?  I didn't see it before I posted it!  lol

[Jennifer]

To be fair I posted it in the NBA thread cause I wasn't sure about how things really work in this forum, I post so rarely.

In seriousness though, I am absolutely thrilled about this, in spite of it not being a sport I follow. I personally hold the belief that it's likely there are quite a lot of closeted athletes - just because purely as a percentage of the population LGBT people are significant enough (and professional sports leagues are large enough) that they MUST be out there - having an active player come out is a huge step in terms of providing a positive role model and example for younger (and future) players.

[¿PapaPancho?]

To be fair I posted it in the NBA thread cause I wasn't sure about how things really work in this forum, I post so rarely.

In seriousness though, I am absolutely thrilled about this, in spite of it not being a sport I follow. I personally hold the belief that it's likely there are quite a lot of closeted athletes - just because purely as a percentage of the population LGBT people are significant enough (and professional sports leagues are large enough) that they MUST be out there - having an active player come out is a huge step in terms of providing a positive role model and example for younger (and future) players.

Loved Charles words on it ... "I've played with gay players.  If there's someone in an NBA locker room who thinks they haven't they are an idiot."

[Jon]

A Navy buddy of mine wasn't so hot that it was all over the media yesterday.

He said this on facebook:

"I don't think it's news that someone is gay, being gay doesn't make someone extraordinary, being lgbt is just as annoying and obnoxious as being left handed. The exoticism of the identity by media, sends the wrong message to kids I think- it says, omg you're so strange! You need to be on tv or on a magazine to reveal your "craziness" which I think hinders true acceptance. More to the point, who the frak is he?!"

I actually tend to agree with him to a certain extent.

And this might be me looking too much into it, but I feel like Jason did this to push himself into the media light in hopes that it will further his NBA career. But that is probably extremely unfair of me to assume.

All in all though, I am happy that the first male pro athlete has publicly come out and I hope it starts a trend of those that have been hiding it thus far.

[Jennifer]

Being left handed is a vague bit of trivia.

Not bringing up something like homosexuality makes it into a taboo and implies there's something wrong with it. Could not agree less with your friend.

And you know what is great for furthering your prospects at a career? Revealing you're part of a discriminated minority that has some of the strongest and deepest seated sets of prejudices against it!

[Jon]

Being left handed is a vague bit of trivia.

Not bringing up something like homosexuality makes it into a taboo and implies there's something wrong with it. Could not agree less with your friend.

And you know what is great for furthering your prospects at a career? Revealing you're part of a discriminated minority that has some of the strongest and deepest seated sets of prejudices against it!

If you don't think NBA GMs won't take a gamble on acquiring Jason Collins because of this, then you are being naive. One, I think with him coming out, he became a big fan in the LGBT community and with the fandom, they would like to come support him by watching him play. Two, due to his media blowup, it will put whichever team does acquire him in a positive light. NBA franchises like to win, but above all, they are a business, they like to make money. Jason Collins heading into free agency is not a very good player, he's old now, but I have NO doubts in my mind that because of his coming out, he will be signed by a team for next season.

Whether that was Jason's intentions or not... Only he knows.

[J-Reb]

I guess I'm just a little weary of the "Hey, look at me!  I'm gay" deal that has been flaunted through the media.  He certainly has the right to play in the NBA for as long as his career allows and live whatever lifestyle he deems appropriate.  I couldn't care less.

However, What's really teeing me off is that the president can take time to congratulate a millionaire for declaring his sexual preference while he continues to ignore the many, many women who were killed or almost killed by Gosnell.

I don't care Jason Collins is gay.  I don't care if there are thousands of gay athletes.  I care about babies being hacked up in some third rate lab in Philadelphia and the world continues to ignore it and put their focus on the "sexy" topic of the day.

/soapbox

[Jennifer]

I feel that it's more than a little ridiculous to see somebody coming out of the closet and basically chalking it up to a PR stunt. Just because homosexuality is a topical issue and the law is starting to come around to equality by NO means indicates that it's all sunshine and happy rainbows for LGBT people.

I know I have a very blatant chip on my shoulder when it comes to this type of topic, and I'm not saying I think it's a one hundred percent coincidence that Collins is coming out this late in his career. However, I do think basically suggesting it's to cause a stir, or to be 'trendy' is wrong enough to be a little offensive. People are disowned, abused, bullied, beat up and murdered for being gay. - that happens off the basis of many things, race comes to mind for one, but homosexuality is something that people try to pathologise and 'cure' people of. For anyone to come out, especially if they are relatively high profile, is BRAVE as hell.

I am NOT saying that this is the most important thing to ever happen in the world, but it's a pretty massive bloody milestone. Sexuality, no, shouldn't be something that needs to be sung from the rooftops, but it's the difference between that and people being forced to hide part of who they are.

I'm really sorry if any of this comes across as overly aggressive or what have you, I haven't had a very good day and it's been predominantly because of lgbt-oriented stuff so my emotions surrounding the topic are a little higher than normal.

[¿PapaPancho?]

I feel that it's more than a little ridiculous to see somebody coming out of the closet and basically chalking it up to a PR stunt. Just because homosexuality is a topical issue and the law is starting to come around to equality by NO means indicates that it's all sunshine and happy rainbows for LGBT people.

I know I have a very blatant chip on my shoulder when it comes to this type of topic, and I'm not saying I think it's a one hundred percent coincidence that Collins is coming out this late in his career. However, I do think basically suggesting it's to cause a stir, or to be 'trendy' is wrong enough to be a little offensive. People are disowned, abused, bullied, beat up and murdered for being gay. - that happens off the basis of many things, race comes to mind for one, but homosexuality is something that people try to pathologise and 'cure' people of. For anyone to come out, especially if they are relatively high profile, is BRAVE as hell.

I am NOT saying that this is the most important thing to ever happen in the world, but it's a pretty massive bloody milestone. Sexuality, no, shouldn't be something that needs to be sung from the rooftops, but it's the difference between that and people being forced to hide part of who they are.

I'm really sorry if any of this comes across as overly aggressive or what have you, I haven't had a very good day and it's been predominantly because of lgbt-oriented stuff so my emotions surrounding the topic are a little higher than normal.

Agree 1000%

[Cory]

Why is it such a big deal? Thats what I dont understand. Jason Collins is a pretty shit NBA player, and he said he's gay. Okay cool, lets move on? The way the media is comparing it to Jackie Robinson breaking the race barrier.......um?

Why are they making him out to be a hero just because he made a decision to share his personal life with us? It should be noted, him coming out COULD help younger kids and I understand that...but to blow it this out of proportion

I guess im the opposite to Jenn in this. Im accepting of homosexuals, its good than Collins came out, but do you really need all this commotion that goes around with it? For trying to get "gays accepted" every time something like this happens the media blows it out of the water and makes it some BIG thing....when it really should be an "accept and move on".

I wouldn't for a second doubt that Collins did this to save his career. First of all, he's a scrub player. Averages 3 points a game. What if he gets cut? It wont say "Wizards cut Collins", it will say "Wizards cut first openly gay player, WAS IT BECAUSE HE WAS GAY?!?!?!". My grief is far more with how the media is handling this, a far far less with the issues and breakthrough itself.

[Dorling]

I think the reason people get annoyed by this kind of thing is precisely because of the media,  for two reasons.

1) Historically the population and thus the media has been ignorant when it comes to homosexuality, meaning that a culture of 'don't ask don't tell' (one of the most backward notions ever) has grown over the years. This means that those that are gay have been, wrongly, frightened to come out for fear of persecution.

2) The media and corporations have turned their opinions around somewhat, but due to the previous culture, the actual act of coming out is still a massively scary prospect. Whether or not people like it, it's scary to come out because there is still the potential of discrimination.

In the UK, a few sportsmen have come out but not until after retirement. Law of averages states that there are many, many more gay sportsmen.

The question to ask is not why this guy did it. The question to ask is why is it still portrayed in this way by the media? What is wrong with our society that means it takes attention of this level? What is so wrong with our society that only ONE major American sportsman is out of the closet?

I don't know the ins and outs of this, but did this guy do a press conference and throw an 'I'm gay' party, or did he tell one guy, who told another, who told a reporter, who reported it small time, then it was picked up and reported everywhere.

I highly doubt he threw the party.

[Cory]

Agree pretty much with what Dorling said.

And he did a cover story for Sports Illustrated, I believe thats how it came out, pardon the pun.