Last week, in just 12 words, professional basketball player Jason Collins went from a little-known NBA journeyman to a household name.
“I”™m a 34-year-old NBA center. I”™m black. And I”™m gay.”
And with that simple declaration, Collins became the first active player in any of the four major U.S. professional sports (baseball, basketball, football and hockey) to come out as gay.
The sports world was flooded with reactions, but perhaps none was more gratifying than that of Carolyn Moos, who dated Collins for eight years and was engaged to marry him until he called it off.
“This does alleviate some of the pain,” Moos told ESPN columnist Rick Reilly. “I”™m so happy for him. He deserves to live the life he wants.”
In a first-person Sports Illustrated article, Collins wrote, “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.”
Collins said he had long yearned to share his true identity, but added, “Loyalty to my team is the real reason I didn”™t come out sooner. When I signed a free-agent contract with Boston last July, I decided to commit myself to the Celtics and not let my personal life become a distraction.”
Republicans and Democrats will always have their sacred cows. But on issues like gun control, immigration and gay rights, the tide is turning. Despite the recent setback for reform in Congress, gun control advocates will have their day with nine in 10 Americans favoring expanded background checks. Immigration reform is gaining steam, evidenced by a six-figure donation to the National Immigration Forum Action Fund by hedge fund mogul and Republican campaign fund bundler Paul Singer. And gay rights is more than just a movement ”” it”™s a reality, an inevitability.
First it was the repeal of “Don”™t Ask, Don”™t Tell,” followed by arguments before the Supreme Court for the overturn of the Defense of Marriage Act.
Most recently, more than 160 Republican and Democratic members of the U.S. House of Representatives have co-sponsored a bill to prohibit employment discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation or gender identity.
In more than 25 states, individuals can be fired or overlooked for employment due to their sexual orientation or gender identity. According to Rep. Jim Himes of Greenwich, 43 percent of gay people and 90 percent of transgender people report being discriminated against in the workplace.
The Employment Non-Discrimination Act ”” first introduced in 1974 ”” was reintroduced April 25 and seeks to correct that by protecting individuals in the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender populations.
As Himes notes, “Not only is protecting LGBT people from discrimination the right thing to do morally, it is also good for our economy: America”™s businesses are at their best when they hire the brightest and most talented workers, and it simply doesn”™t make sense to overlook someone because of something that has nothing to do with their ability to do their job.”
Jason Collins has never been labeled a star. But he has played a key role at the highest levels of his sport, from high school championships to the NCAA Final Four to nine NBA playoff appearances in 12 seasons, and is often called “a pro”™s pro.”
Being gay, he says, has never hindered his ability to do his job, and nor should it now that he has gone public with his sexual orientation.
Collins is a free agent, and at age 34 there is a chance he won”™t be re-signed next season. After his revelation was made public, ESPN surveyed executives of 14 NBA teams; six said they expect to see Collins on an NBA roster next year, and the remainder expressed doubts. Not one attributed their doubts to Collins being gay, with one executive saying, “I don”™t think he was going to be in the league next season no matter what. I don”™t think (sexual orientation) is the issue. I think ”˜Can he still play?”™ is the issue.”
And that”™s how he should be judged: on his ability to get the job done and on how he performs relative to his peers.
Everyone ”” from the trading floor to the production line ”” deserves that right.
