For the first time ever in the United States, an active professional athlete has finally “come out of the closet” and admitted he is gay. Washington Wizards center, Jason Collins has finally stepped up to the plate and has publicly opened up about his sexuality.
Needless to say, media was all over the case, asking professional players and managers to speak out on Collins’ decision. So far, Collins has received a ton of encouragement. Society has changed a lot in the last two decades and people should be able to embrace their values and beliefs, which is exactly what Collins did.
When you take a look at Twitter, Collins has received numerous tweets, congratulating him on his brave move. It’s not just NBA players and fans, it’s a very wide variety of sports figures that are giving Collins the support that he deserves.
Proud of @jasoncollins34. Don’t suffocate who u r because of the ignorance of others #courage #support #mambaarmystandup #BYOU
— Kobe Bryant (@kobebryant) April 29, 2013
We salute you, @jasoncollins34 for your courage and leadership. Any time you want to throw out a first pitch at Fenway Park, let us know.
— Boston Red Sox (@RedSox) April 29, 2013
I will always support people for being who they are. Happy for @jasoncollins34 that he can lead an honest life.
— Nick Swisher (@NickSwisher) April 29, 2013
Of course there are haters out there, but it’s good to see the professional athletes supporting his sexuality. Professional sports are considered to be “manly” but that should have no effect on one’s sexuality; just as race, ethnicity and spiritual beliefs have no effect on an athlete’s ability to play the game.
I predict that we will start to see more and more athletes “coming out” after Collins’ announcement today. This is just one more step towards equality for the world of professional sports. Congratulations Jason Collins, you definitely have a lot of supporters and have officially made the first step to ending the stereotype that athletes are always “straight.”
