Jason Collins: Tall, Smart, Handsome, and Gay

The inevitable has happened.  A working professional athlete in America has announced that he is gay.  Phew.   As a country we are barreling along the path towards civil rights for gay Americans, with marriage equality rapidly gaining acceptance over the past several years, and a more open dialogue about civil rights and sexual orientation.  It was time.

Jason Collins interview with Sports Illustrated is sort of understated when all is said and done.  He wasn't about to be reluctantly outed, though he had a fear of that.  He is just tired of not being himself, of being alone.  He wants to openly date, have friends who know that he is gay, and to have relationships.  Wow.  Kind of underwhelming, but in a really nice way.  He is just a normal person, who plays rough and tumble professional basketball and makes millions.  At 34 he is ready to start having men in his life that he is attracted to and who are attracted to him.  Not really all that novel. I so hope that this goes well--Kobe Bryant and President Clinton have already tweeted their support, and I hope that as a free agent his sexual orientation is a non-issue.  Just weeks after the Rutgers coach was fired for shoving his players and calling them 'faggots', I hope that the NBA is ready for this--because remember, Rutgers wasn't going to fire him for that behavior until a YouTube video of it went viral and they were pressured to get rid of him.  All eyes are upon you, Mr. Collins, and I wish you the very best of tolerance.  Bold move.