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Collins' coming out should foster LGBT acceptance
By The Record Staff
On May 2, 2013
NBA veteran Jason Collins took a brave stand Monday when he became the first professional male
athlete in the four major U.S. sports to come out as gay. He opened himself up to a wealth of criticism,
mostly from people who still live under a rock when it comes to understanding people with different
cultures. He also received a ton of support from fellow athletes, fans and the general public.
While it's heartening to see that the response was overwhelmingly positive, it's a shame that a person's
coming out - athlete or not - is a big deal in 2013.
Sport's hyper-masculine roots have caused it to be a step behind in terms of the social acceptance of
LGBT people. Gay players have hidden behind a curtain of "shame," fearing ridicule from opponents,
spectators and even teammates. Esera Tuaolo and John Amaechi are examples of this fear, hiding their
true sexuality until they retired from the NFL and NBA, respectively.
It isn't hard to see why this happens. Even if society as a whole has progressed in its acceptance of the
LGBT community, participants and fans promote intolerance in sports, even if it isn't premeditated or
done with malicious intent.
Just last month, former Rutgers' men's basketball coach Mike Rice was fired for physically abusing his
players and referring to them using homophobic slurs. MLB player Yunel Escobar had a gay slur written
into his eye black during a game last season. The list of incidents like these is substantial and disturbing.
Society's developments haven't truncated the homophobic nature associated with a great deal of
professional athletes. But Collins's coming out is the first of many necessary steps taken to jumpstart a
shift in American sports culture and further society's migration to a more tolerant atmosphere.
A declaration like this one can - and should - lead to more LGBT people feeling comfortable with their
sexuality. Every situation is different; however, a young person struggling to come to terms with being
gay, lesbian, bisexual or transgender can potentially look to Collins as an example of bravery, inspiration
and hope.
If more people support Collins's motion and follow his lead, maybe when future athletes come out, it
won't be as big a story. For citizens of a country founded on acceptance and tolerance, the goal should
be to hear about somebody coming out and be unfazed by it.
It should also involve education, enrichment and becoming more open-minded about sexuality and
gender. Organizations like You Can Play and Athlete Ally have worked toward this goal, and will continue
to be buoyed by athletes like Collins.
Jackie Robinson broke the color barrier in 1947. His breakthrough served as a benchmark for African
American athletes looking to play professionally. Eventually, the Civil Rights Movement led to a more
socially tolerant society.
While correlation doesn't imply causation, it's clear that Robinson played a pivotal role in America's
integration efforts. Collins may well have broke the sexuality barrier in sports on Monday.
Hopefully, like they did with Robinson's milestone, the rest of the sports world and greater society will
follow suit.
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