NBA center Jason Collins made history on Monday by becoming the first active professional athlete on a major American team sport to publicly announce that he is gay. In a cover article for the May 6 issue of Sports Illustrated, Collins shared his personal identity and story.
“I’m a 34-year-old NBA center. I’m black. And I’m gay,” Collins begins. He goes on to publicize his personal struggle, his professional career, his family and friends’ mostly supportive reactions and how he intends to deal with the aftermath of his announcement.
“Openness may not completely disarm prejudice, but’s a good place to start,” Collins said. “I’m much happier since coming out to my friends and family.”
Playing with his twin brother Jarron, who also played in the NBA, Collins led his Los Angeles alma mater Harvard-Westlake School to two state championships. Collins and his twin brother again joined forces in college, this time for Stanford University. Collins entered the NBA as the 18th overall pick in the 2001 draft and went to the finals with the New Jersey Nets in his first two seasons. For the past five years, Collins has bounced around from the Memphis Grizzlies to the Minnesota Timberwolves, the Atlanta Hawks, the Boston Celtics and, most recently, the Washington Wizards.
Collins will become a free agent in July and intends to stay in the NBA. Announcing his sexuality will probably overshadow those concerns for now, as he has instantly become one of the most talked-about gay athletes in history.
“[Collins] has done a very brave and courageous act, which will lay the ground for fellow LGBT professional athletes to walk with him. There is definitely strength in numbers,” NYU women’s basketball head coach Lauren Hall-Gregory said. “Wider acceptance of LGBT athletes will only come with time and a few individuals taking a stand.”
In his article for Sports Illustrated, Collins spoke about the progress and wider acceptance of LGBT persons and issues.
“I’m glad I’m coming out in 2013 rather than 2003,” Collins wrote. “The climate has shifted [and] public opinion has shifted. And yet we still have so much farther to go.”
Alexis Lim, a junior in the Gallatin School of Individualized Study and a member of the Sexual Assault Response and Prevention Center Coalition at NYU, agreed and also said Collins may benefit from his status in the sports world.
“Public opinion has definitely changed, mainly by exposure,” Lim said.
“Celebrities are generally in a more privileged position,” Lim added. “And if they’re celebrities, they also have a wider support base than the average person.”
CAS junior Doug Keeler, who is the co-president of Queer Union, stated that Collins’ racial identity also plays a key part in coming out publicly.
“I think that Collins coming out is important not because he’s an active NBA player, but because he’s a black public figure,” Keeler said. “When popular representations of gay people are so overwhelmingly white, Collins’ position as simultaneously black and gay is groundbreaking.”
Unfortunately, Collins’ announcement has drawn negative responses — from ESPN columnist and analyst Chris Broussard and Miami Dolphins receiver Mike Wallace, for example. Others, however, now view Collins as an inspirational figure in sports and the LGBT community.
“The general reaction is one of support, appreciation, strength and hope,” Hall-Gregory said.
Daniel Hinton is a contributing writer. Email him at [email protected].