Jason Collins who has played for six teams, doesn’t want to be the first player to come out of the closet in the NBA, but he also doesn’t want to keep hiding who he is. For years he tried to pretend he was straight, confessing to dating women just to fit in, and even being engaged once. But a lie is a lie! I rather someone be open and gay than lying and “straight”. Hopefully more men will be honest about their sexuality, and stop pretending to be someone they’re not because they’re scared of what others will say or do.

No one wants to live in fear. I’ve always been scared of saying the wrong thing. I don’t sleep well. I never have. But each time I tell another person, I feel stronger and sleep a little more soundly. It takes an enormous amount of energy to guard such a big secret. I’ve endured years of misery and gone to enormous lengths to live a lie. I was certain that my world would fall apart if anyone knew. And yet when I acknowledged my sexuality I felt whole for the first time. I still had the same sense of humor, I still had the same mannerisms and my friends still had my back.

This is just an excerpt, but Jason Collins is very open and honest. He really puts it all out there in a Sport Illustrated exclusive, that’s a must read. Jason also has a twin brother who also played in NBA who is NOT gay. So he talks about his struggles with being different from his twin when it comes to his sexuality, and how he hid it from Jarron until last year: Continue Reading →