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byl ContentHearByl-cZqgyJ bqbBYQ"><p class="ByleWrapper-jWHrLH ivtvgj byle byl__byle" data-ttid="ByleWrapper" emProp="thor" emType="><span emProp="name" class="ByleNamWrapper-jbHncj fuDQVo"><span data-ttid="ByleName" class="ByleName-kwmrLn cYaBaU byle__name"><span class="BaseWrap-sc-gjQpdd BaseText-ewhhUZ BylePreamble-iJolpQ iUEiRd jslZfG gnILss byle__preamble">By </span><a class="BaseWrap-sc-gjQpdd BaseText-ewhhUZ BaseLk-eNWuiM ByleLk-gEnFiw iUEiRd ggMZaT cXqSTL eErqIx byle__name-lk button" href="/ntributors/ian-crouch">Ian Crouch</a></span></span></p></div><time data-ttid="ContentHearPublishDate" dateTime="2013-04-29T09:33:29-04:00" class="BaseWrap-sc-gjQpdd BaseText-ewhhUZ ContentHearPublishDate-eIBicG iUEiRd kYZrFA kEBrdf">April 29, 2013</time></div></div></div></div></div></hear></div><div data-attribute-verso-pattern="article-body" class="ArticlePageContentBackGround-cNiFNN kbAoLA article-body__ntent"><div class="ActnBarWrapperContent-lasBkU cAHp"><div 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bDyAMU body body__ntaer article__body" data-journey-hook="client-ntent" data-ttid="BodyWrapper"><div class="body__ner-ntaer"><div class="GenericCalloutWrapper-tojWn iHBnEl llout--has-top-borr set-embedd-le" data-ttid="GenericCallout"><figure class="AssetEmbedWrapper-eVDQiB byBkf asset-embed"><div class="AssetEmbedAssetContaer-eJxoAx dBHGoQ asset-embed__asset-ntaer"><span class="SpanWrapper-umhxW kGxnNB rponsive-asset AssetEmbedRponsiveAsset-cXBNxi eCxVQK asset-embed__rponsive-asset"><picture class="RponsiveImagePicture-cWuUZO KhjZz AssetEmbedRponsiveAsset-cXBNxi eCxVQK asset-embed__rponsive-asset rponsive-image rponsive-image--expandable"><noscript><img alt="Jason Colls Com Out" class="RponsiveImageContaer-eybHBd fptoWY rponsive-image__image" src=" srcSet=" 120w, 240w, 320w, 640w, 960w, 1280w, 1600w, 1920w, 2240w" siz="100vw"/></noscript></picture></span></div></figure></div><p>“I’m a 34-year-old NBA center. I’m black. And I’m gay.” Wh the three short sentenc <a href=">this week’s issue of <em>Sports Illtrated</em></a>, Jason Colls, wh the help of wrer Franz Lidz, told the sports world two thgs already knew, and one that didn’t, and dog so has ma history, beg the first active male player any of the big four of Amerin sports leagu—baseball, hockey, basketball, and football—to e out as gay.</p><p class="paywall">You may not have heard of Jason Colls before today. Even dited basketball fans might have nfed him wh <a href=">his tw brother, Jarron</a>, who is about an ch shorter, and who played wh Jason at Stanford and also had a long reer the pros. Jason played for the Boston Celtics this year, before beg trad to the Washgton Wizards. He is a ee agent this summer, and is nearg the end of his years the league, but he says he hop to get picked up by another team next season. If he do, he may be the only openly gay player, but as he not at the end of the piece, he will surely not be the only gay player: “Pro basketball is a fay. And pretty much every fay I know has a brother, sister or who’s gay. In the brotherhood of the NBA, I jt happen to be the one who’s out.”</p><div><div class="ConsumerMarketgUnThemedWrapper-iUTMTf jssHut nsumer-marketg-un nsumer-marketg-un--article-mid-ntent" role="prentatn" aria-hidn="te"><div class="nsumer-marketg-un__slot nsumer-marketg-un__slot--article-mid-ntent nsumer-marketg-un__slot---ntent"></div><div class="journey-un"></div></div></div><p class="paywall">Fay, and s different maniftatns, ns through this story. It is about Jason’s own fay: his parents, who, he wr, tght Sunday school and “stilled Christian valu” their children. And about an nt, Teri, a judge San Francis, whom he first me out to; and an uncle, Mark, who is gay and is a long-term relatnship, and to whom Jason spoke about his sexualy last summer. It is about his maternal grandmother, who grew up Louisiana and who, before and durg the civil-rights movement, “saw great bravery play out amid the uglit aspects of humany.” And is about Jason’s tw brother, Jarron, to whom he me out a year ago. Dpe years spent each other’s shadows on and off the basketball urt, Jarron was “downright astound”—but, as Jason adds, “by dner that night, he was full of brotherly love. For the first time our liv, he wanted to step and protect <em>me</em>.”</p><p class="paywall">And then there is the N.B.A., the brotherhood to which Colls refers. This morng, the league offered a statement on s official Twter acunt: “We have known the Colls fay sce Jason and Jarron joed the NBA 2001 and they have been exemplary members of the NBA fay. Jason has been a wily rpected player and teammate throughout his reer and we are proud he has assumed the learship mantle on this very important issue.” The seri of tweets ends wh the hashtag #NBAFay.</p><p class="paywall">In a way, this kd of g out, on the ver of a natnal magaze, seems anachronistic. It was, like many forms of social evolutn, somehow unimagable—until happened and then, a moment later, one wonrs how took this long. But, for years, male pro sports appeared to be one of the great holdouts agast progrs: a place where big-money machismo led over the variatns of human sexualy. Locker rooms were said to be dangero plac, and silence was the only optn. This was a mon trope, perhaps even perpetuated out of a kd of ignorance. Its repn even started to b some athlet the wrong way. In 2011, Charl Barkley, a man known for his mon sense but never for his tact, <a data-offer-url=" class="external-lk" data-event-click="{"element":"ExternalLk","outgogURL":"" href=" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">said</a> plaly that he was sure that “every player has played wh gay guys,” and went on: “It bothers me when I hear the reporters and jocks get on TV and say: ‘Oh, no guy n e out a team sport. The guys would go crazy.’ First of all, qu tellg me what I thk. I’d rather have a gay guy who n play than a straight guy who n’t play.”</p><div class="Contaer-bkChBi byNLHx"></div><p class="paywall">Still, the fact remaed: no current player had e out. And spe whispers and hop, and mountg signs of support om all four leagu and om many current players, was not obv that an announcement would be met wh wispread acceptance. Colls has done somethg tly brave. When the center John Amaechi me out 2007, three years after he had retired om the league, the former All-Star Tim Hardaway said, “First of all, I wouldn’t want him on my team. Send of all, if he was on my team I would really distance myself om him bee I don’t thk that’s right and I don’t thk he should be the locker room when we’re the locker room.” Hardaway later apologized, and is hard to image such ments beg ma or fdg much public support today, but they surely hung over Colls’s announcement—and will ntue to do so for other male athlet that follow his footsteps.</p><div data-attr-viewport-monor="le-recirc" class="le-recirc-wrapper le-recirc-observer-target-1 viewport-monor-anchor"></div><p class="paywall">The announcement also echo a statement ma last week Nevada, when state senator Kelv Atkson <a href=">me out</a> durg a floor bate on a same-sex-marriage bill: “I’m forty-four years old. I have a dghter. I’m black. I’m gay.” The same orr of the statement is notable—and tells somethg not jt about the ways which racial and sexual inty rema plited issu but about the historic ntuy many see the stggle for civil rights Ameri. This is another step on a long path forward.</p></div></div></div><div class="GridItem-buujkM fVLMby grid--em grid-layout__asi"><asi class="PersistentAsiWrapper-VGrR daRVRt persistent-asi" style="posn:absolute;top:to;height:to" data-ttid="PersistentAsiWrapper"><div class="StickyBoxWrapper-jfYB jxBcTH sticky-box"><div class="StickyBoxPrimary-dzWDWL cdhYoN sticky-box__primary"><div class="AdWrapper-dQtivb fZrssQ ad ad--rail"><div class="ad__slot ad__slot--rail" data-no-id="rbw69c"></div></div><div class="ConsumerMarketgUnThemedWrapper-iUTMTf jssHut nsumer-marketg-un nsumer-marketg-un--display-rail" role="prentatn" aria-hidn="te"><div class="nsumer-marketg-un__slot nsumer-marketg-un__slot--display-rail"></div><div class="journey-un"></div></div></div><div class="StickyBoxPlaceholr-grPmrg dxAvXx"></div></div></asi></div></div><div class="RowWrapper-UmqTg HEhan full-bleed-ad row-mid-ntent-ad"><div class="StickyMidContentAdWrapper-fSBzwl drzyIa ad-stickymidntent"><div class="AdWrapper-dQtivb fZrssQ ad ad--mid-ntent should-hold-space"><div class="ad__slot ad__slot--mid-ntent" data-no-id="c10mu"></div></div></div></div><div class="GridWrapper-cAzTTK kHBDeH grid grid-margs grid-ems-2 ArticlePageChunksGrid-hfxa bjczjj grid-layout--adrail narrow wi-adrail"><div class="GridItem-buujkM stRKV grid--em grid-layout__ntent"><div class="BodyWrapper-kufPGa bDyAMU body body__ntaer article__body" data-journey-hook="client-ntent" data-ttid="BodyWrapper"><div class="body__ner-ntaer"><p class="paywall">Genr matters, too. Brtney Grer, who may turn out to be the bt woman ever to play basketball, me out a uple of weeks ago, and <a data-offer-url=" class="external-lk" data-event-click="{"element":"ExternalLk","outgogURL":"" href=" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">few people managed even a shg</a>. There is a longer rerd of high-profile female athlet beg gay—Marta Navratilova me out 1981—and, a way, the lack of publicy was rehg, a sign of where we’d already arrived. Grer is more tertg bee she n dunk than bee she is a lbian. Still, jt bee Grer didn’t turn the sports world on s ear—her story is no ls one of urage and pri. She is at the pacle of her sport; she was jt selected No. 1 the W.N.B.A. draft, and signed a high-profile endorsement al wh Nike. If Colls is a hero, then so is Brtney Grer.</p><p class="paywall">“I’m glad I’m g out 2013 rather than 2003,” Colls wr, bee of the way public opn has shifted. Ten years ago, he might not have had policians and other players, om Bill Clton to <a data-offer-url=" class="external-lk" data-event-click="{"element":"ExternalLk","outgogURL":"" href=" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">Kobe Bryant</a>, rpondg wh statements of support. But that silence st him, too: “No one wants to live fear. I’ve always been sred of sayg the wrong thg. I don’t sleep well. I never have. But each time I tell another person, I feel stronger and sleep a ltle more soundly.”</p><p class="paywall">Colls’s statement is as much a ll to arms as a personal nfsn: “I didn’t set out to be the first openly gay athlete playg a major Amerin team sport. But sce I am, I’m happy to start the nversatn.” That nversatn has already started, and will be fascatg to follow the g hours and days. Who will support him? Who will cricize him? And who might be next to follow his example?</p><p class="paywall"><em>Photograph by Jonathan Daniel/Getty.</em></p></div></div></div><div class="GridItem-buujkM fVLMby grid--em grid-layout__asi"><div class="StickyBoxWrapper-jfYB jxBcTH sticky-box"><div class="StickyBoxPrimary-dzWDWL cdhYoN sticky-box__primary"><div class="AdWrapper-dQtivb fZrssQ ad ad--rail"><div class="ad__slot ad__slot--rail" data-no-id="32ip2f"></div></div><div class="ConsumerMarketgUnThemedWrapper-iUTMTf jssHut nsumer-marketg-un nsumer-marketg-un--display-rail" role="prentatn" aria-hidn="te"><div class="nsumer-marketg-un__slot nsumer-marketg-un__slot--display-rail"></div><div class="journey-un"></div></div></div><div class="StickyBoxPlaceholr-grPmrg dxAvXx"></div></div></div></div></div><div class="GridWrapper-cAzTTK kHBDeH grid grid-margs grid-ems-2 PaywallInleBarrierWhWrapperGrid-fyrGfS kLQIUk grid-layout--adrail narrow wi-adrail"><div class="GridItem-buujkM stRKV grid--em grid-layout__ntent"><div class="body 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HEhan"><div class="GridWrapper-cAzTTK kHBDeH grid grid-margs grid-ems-2 grid-layout--adrail narrow wi-adrail"><div class="GridItem-buujkM stRKV grid--em grid-layout__ntent"></div></div></div><div class="RowWrapper-UmqTg HEhan"><div class="GridWrapper-cAzTTK kHBDeH grid grid-margs grid-ems-2 grid-layout--adrail narrow wi-adrail"><div class="GridItem-buujkM stRKV grid--em grid-layout__ntent"><div class="ContributorsWrapper-eNpWFu GWFsc ntributors" data-ttid="Contributors"><div class="ContributorBWrapper-bnVHbt gMon"><div class="ContributorBAvatar-bIGTqf eMWbvj"><a href="/ntributors/ian-crouch"><span class="SpanWrapper-umhxW jvZaPI rponsive-asset"><picture class="RponsiveImagePicture-cWuUZO dUOtEa rponsive-image"><source media="(max-width: 767px)" srcSet=" 120w, 240w" siz="100vw"/><source media="(m-width: 768px)" srcSet=" 120w, 240w" siz="100vw"/><img alt="" class="RponsiveImageContaer-eybHBd fptoWY rponsive-image__image" src="></picture></span></a></div><div class="ContributorBContent-ubQdr jZTSSi"><div class="ContributorBHear-ledood XOIEx"></div><div class="ContributorBB-fBolsO giFhKz"><a href="/ntributors/ian-crouch">Ian Crouch</a> is a newsletter edor at The New Yorker.</div><div class="ContributorBFooter-brqDlv ezUmSv"></div></div></div></div></div></div></div><div class="RowWrapper-UmqTg HEhan"><div class="GridWrapper-cAzTTK kHBDeH grid grid-margs grid-ems-2 grid-layout--adrail narrow wi-adrail"><div class="GridItem-buujkM stRKV grid--em grid-layout__ntent"><div data-ttid="TagCloudWrapper" class="TagCloudWrapper-gGgndx ctyZyK ContentFooterTagCloud-krQmRG ZLGh"><span class="BaseWrap-sc-gjQpdd BaseText-ewhhUZ TagCloudSectnHear-cOforY iUEiRd bPyAoD kQQRmu">More:</span><a href="/tag/basketball" class="BaseWrap-sc-gjQpdd BaseText-ewhhUZ BaseLk-eNWuiM TagCloudLk-kvjZFu iUEiRd ggMZaT gFob hIhJOI"><span class="BaseWrap-sc-gjQpdd BaseText-ewhhUZ TagCloudName-eAUnLd iUEiRd gwIVBQ bUkXwu">Basketball</span></a><a href="/tag/gay-rights" 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G. Carrillo died, his hband learned that almost everythg the wrer had shared about his life was ma up—cludg his Cuban inty.</div><div class="SummaryItemByleWrapper-boCfbi cuRXdL summary-em__byle-date-in"><div class="SummaryItemBaseByle-fFbXkY cgDBtc summary-em__byle"><div class="summary-em__byle__ntent"><div data-ttid="BylWrapper" class="BylWrapper-KIudk irTIfE byl"><p class="ByleWrapper-jWHrLH dSEWiO byle byl__byle" data-ttid="ByleWrapper" emProp="thor" emType="><span emProp="name" class="ByleNamWrapper-jbHncj fuDQVo"><span data-ttid="ByleName" class="ByleName-kwmrLn cYaBaU byle__name"><span class="BaseWrap-sc-gjQpdd BaseText-ewhhUZ BylePreamble-iJolpQ iUEiRd jslZfG gnILss byle__preamble">By </span>D. T. Max</span></span></p></div></div></div></div></div></div><div class="SummaryItemWrapper-iwvBff ewgXAt summary-em summary-em--ARTICLE summary-em--no-in summary-em--text-align-left summary-em--layout-placement-text-below-sktop-only summary-em--layout-posn-image-right summary-em--layout-proportns-33-66 summary-em--si-by-si-align-center summary-em--si-by-si-image-right-mobile-false summary-em--standard SummaryCollectnGridSummaryItem-WColm kdEfwY" role="button" tabx="0"><div class="SummaryItemAssetContaer-gwhFFH VOyg summary-em__asset-ntaer"><a class="SummaryItemImageLk-dshqxb USLvL summary-em__image-lk summary-em-trackg__image-lk" href=" aria-hidn="te" tabx="-1" data-ponent-type="recirc-river" data-recirc-id="em-image-2" data-recirc-pattern="summary-em" target="_self"><span class="SpanWrapper-umhxW kGxnNB rponsive-asset SummaryItemRponsiveAsset-hjGIGg egpoQR summary-em__image"><div data-tt="aspect-rat-ntaer" class="AspectRatContaer-bJHpJz jMoLpX"><div 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data-ttid="SummaryItemHed">Are You the Same Person You Used to Be?</div></a><div class="SummaryItemAssetContaer-gwhFFH VOyg summary-em__asset-ntaer"><a class="SummaryItemImageLk-dshqxb USLvL summary-em__image-lk summary-em-trackg__image-lk" href=" aria-hidn="te" tabx="-1" data-ponent-type="recirc-river" data-recirc-id="em-image-2" data-recirc-pattern="summary-em" target="_self"><span class="SpanWrapper-umhxW kGxnNB rponsive-asset SummaryItemRponsiveAsset-hjGIGg egpoQR summary-em__image"><div data-tt="aspect-rat-ntaer" class="AspectRatContaer-bJHpJz jMoLpX"><div class="aspect-rat--overlay-ntaer"><picture class="RponsiveImagePicture-cWuUZO dUOtEa SummaryItemRponsiveAsset-hjGIGg egpoQR summary-em__image rponsive-image"><noscript><source media="(max-width: 767px)" srcSet=" 120w, 240w, 320w, 640w" siz="100vw"/><source media="(m-width: 768px)" srcSet=" 120w, 240w, 320w" siz="100vw"/><img alt="Are You the Same Person You Used to Be?" class="RponsiveImageContaer-eybHBd fptoWY rponsive-image__image" src="></noscript></picture></div></div></span></a></div><div class="BaseWrap-sc-gjQpdd BaseText-ewhhUZ SummaryItemDek-CRfsi iUEiRd jxOIpm cPtisA summary-em__k">Rearchers have studied how much of our personaly is set om childhood, but what you’re like isn’t who you are.</div><div class="SummaryItemByleWrapper-boCfbi cuRXdL summary-em__byle-date-in"><div class="SummaryItemBaseByle-fFbXkY cgDBtc summary-em__byle"><div class="summary-em__byle__ntent"><div data-ttid="BylWrapper" class="BylWrapper-KIudk irTIfE byl"><p class="ByleWrapper-jWHrLH dSEWiO byle byl__byle" data-ttid="ByleWrapper" emProp="thor" emType="><span emProp="name" class="ByleNamWrapper-jbHncj fuDQVo"><span data-ttid="ByleName" class="ByleName-kwmrLn cYaBaU byle__name"><span class="BaseWrap-sc-gjQpdd BaseText-ewhhUZ BylePreamble-iJolpQ iUEiRd jslZfG gnILss byle__preamble">By </span>Joshua Rothman</span></span></p></div></div></div></div></div></div><div class="SummaryItemWrapper-iwvBff ewgXAt summary-em summary-em--ARTICLE summary-em--no-in summary-em--text-align-left summary-em--layout-placement-text-below-sktop-only summary-em--layout-posn-image-right summary-em--layout-proportns-33-66 summary-em--si-by-si-align-center summary-em--si-by-si-image-right-mobile-false summary-em--standard SummaryCollectnGridSummaryItem-WColm kdEfwY" role="button" tabx="0"><div class="SummaryItemAssetContaer-gwhFFH VOyg summary-em__asset-ntaer"><a class="SummaryItemImageLk-dshqxb USLvL summary-em__image-lk summary-em-trackg__image-lk" href=" aria-hidn="te" tabx="-1" data-ponent-type="recirc-river" data-recirc-id="em-image-3" data-recirc-pattern="summary-em" target="_self"><span class="SpanWrapper-umhxW kGxnNB rponsive-asset SummaryItemRponsiveAsset-hjGIGg egpoQR summary-em__image"><div data-tt="aspect-rat-ntaer" class="AspectRatContaer-bJHpJz jMoLpX"><div class="aspect-rat--overlay-ntaer"><picture class="RponsiveImagePicture-cWuUZO dUOtEa SummaryItemRponsiveAsset-hjGIGg egpoQR 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class="SummaryItemImageLk-dshqxb USLvL summary-em__image-lk summary-em-trackg__image-lk" href=" aria-hidn="te" tabx="-1" data-ponent-type="recirc-river" data-recirc-id="em-image-3" data-recirc-pattern="summary-em" target="_self"><span class="SpanWrapper-umhxW kGxnNB rponsive-asset SummaryItemRponsiveAsset-hjGIGg egpoQR summary-em__image"><div data-tt="aspect-rat-ntaer" class="AspectRatContaer-bJHpJz jMoLpX"><div class="aspect-rat--overlay-ntaer"><picture class="RponsiveImagePicture-cWuUZO dUOtEa SummaryItemRponsiveAsset-hjGIGg egpoQR summary-em__image rponsive-image"><noscript><source media="(max-width: 767px)" srcSet=" 120w, 240w, 320w, 640w" siz="100vw"/><source media="(m-width: 768px)" srcSet=" 120w, 240w, 320w" siz="100vw"/><img alt="On Killg Charl Dickens" class="RponsiveImageContaer-eybHBd fptoWY rponsive-image__image" src="></noscript></picture></div></div></span></a></div><div class="BaseWrap-sc-gjQpdd BaseText-ewhhUZ SummaryItemDek-CRfsi iUEiRd jxOIpm cPtisA summary-em__k">I did everythg I uld to avoid wrg my historil novel. When I fally started “The Frd,” one prciple was clear: no Dickens.</div><div class="SummaryItemByleWrapper-boCfbi cuRXdL summary-em__byle-date-in"><div class="SummaryItemBaseByle-fFbXkY cgDBtc summary-em__byle"><div class="summary-em__byle__ntent"><div data-ttid="BylWrapper" class="BylWrapper-KIudk irTIfE byl"><p class="ByleWrapper-jWHrLH dSEWiO byle byl__byle" data-ttid="ByleWrapper" emProp="thor" emType="><span emProp="name" class="ByleNamWrapper-jbHncj fuDQVo"><span data-ttid="ByleName" class="ByleName-kwmrLn cYaBaU byle__name"><span class="BaseWrap-sc-gjQpdd BaseText-ewhhUZ BylePreamble-iJolpQ iUEiRd jslZfG gnILss byle__preamble">By </span>Zadie Smh</span></span></p></div></div></div></div></div></div><div class="SummaryItemWrapper-iwvBff ewgXAt summary-em summary-em--ARTICLE summary-em--no-in summary-em--text-align-left summary-em--layout-placement-text-below-sktop-only summary-em--layout-posn-image-right summary-em--layout-proportns-33-66 summary-em--si-by-si-align-center summary-em--si-by-si-image-right-mobile-false summary-em--standard SummaryCollectnGridSummaryItem-WColm kdEfwY" role="button" tabx="0"><div class="SummaryItemAssetContaer-gwhFFH VOyg summary-em__asset-ntaer"><a class="SummaryItemImageLk-dshqxb USLvL summary-em__image-lk summary-em-trackg__image-lk" href=" aria-hidn="te" tabx="-1" data-ponent-type="recirc-river" data-recirc-id="em-image-4" data-recirc-pattern="summary-em" target="_self"><span class="SpanWrapper-umhxW kGxnNB rponsive-asset SummaryItemRponsiveAsset-hjGIGg egpoQR summary-em__image"><div data-tt="aspect-rat-ntaer" class="AspectRatContaer-bJHpJz jMoLpX"><div class="aspect-rat--overlay-ntaer"><picture class="RponsiveImagePicture-cWuUZO dUOtEa SummaryItemRponsiveAsset-hjGIGg egpoQR summary-em__image rponsive-image"><noscript><source media="(max-width: 767px)" srcSet=" 120w, 240w, 320w, 640w" siz="100vw"/><source media="(m-width: 768px)" srcSet=" 120w, 240w, 320w" siz="100vw"/><img alt="A Small-Town Paper Lands a Very Big Story" class="RponsiveImageContaer-eybHBd fptoWY rponsive-image__image" src="></noscript></picture></div></div></span></a></div><div class="SummaryItemContent-eiDYMl bcywvc summary-em__ntent"><div class="RubricWrapper-dKmCNX kImuKS bric bric--disvery SummaryItemRubric-dguGKN fYiFyD summary-em__bric"><span class="RubricName-fVtemz cLxcNi">U.S. Journal</span></div><a class="SummaryItemHedLk-civM cZPaWG summary-em-trackg__hed-lk summary-em__hed-lk" data-ponent-type="recirc-river" data-recirc-id="em-hed-4" data-recirc-pattern="summary-em" href=" target="_self"><div class="SummaryItemHedBase-hiFYpQ iIjKeM summary-em__hed" data-ttid="SummaryItemHed">A Small-Town Paper Lands a Very Big Story</div></a><div class="SummaryItemAssetContaer-gwhFFH VOyg summary-em__asset-ntaer"><a class="SummaryItemImageLk-dshqxb USLvL summary-em__image-lk summary-em-trackg__image-lk" href=" aria-hidn="te" tabx="-1" data-ponent-type="recirc-river" data-recirc-id="em-image-4" data-recirc-pattern="summary-em" 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jason collins gay

NBA veteran Jason Colls be the first openly gay athlete to play a major US sports league, and is given a warm receptn by spectators.

Contents:

JASON COLLS, FIRST OPENLY GAY ATHLETE TO PLAY NBA, MAK U.S. SPORTS HISTORY

NBA center Jason Colls on Monday announced that he's gay a story for Sports Illtrated, beg the first active player one of the four major Amerin profsnal team sports to announce that he is gay. * jason collins gay *

On Febary 23, 2014, Brooklyn Nets center Jason Colls be the first openly gay athlete to play a game the Uned Stat’ four major profsnal leagu. The 35-year-old journeyman plays 10 srels mut, rerdg two rebounds and five fouls the Nets’ 108-102 victory over the Los Angel May 2013, Colls revealed he is gay a first-person say  Sports Illtrated.

And I'm gay, " he wrote. "I didn't set out to be the first openly gay athlete playg a major Amerin team sport. In 2021, Las Vegas Rairs fensive leman Carl Nassib beme the first active NFL player to announce he is gay.

JASON COLLS SAYS HE'S GAY

US basketball player Jason Colls out as gay, the first active male athlete a major Amerin profsnal sport to do so. * jason collins gay *

Jason Colls says he's news servicApr 29, 2013, 11:46 AM ETNBA center Jason Colls on Monday announced that he's gay a story for Sports Illtrated, beg the first active player one of the four major Amerin profsnal team sports to announce that he is gay. Me personally gay men the locked room would make me unfortable. As Amerins grow more acceptg of gay rights and same-sex marriage.

Last year, durg his re-electn mpaign, Print Barack Obama announced his support for gay after Colls disclosed his sexualy, Obama reached out by phone, exprsg his support and tellg Colls he was imprsed by his urage, the Whe Hoe Print Bill Clton, whose dghter Chelsea attend Stanford wh Colls, also appld Colls' announcement. "Jason's announcement today is an important moment for profsnal sports and the history of the LGBT [lbian, gay, bisexual, transgenr] muny, " he said a statement. "He said the first relative he told he was gay was his nt Teri, who is a superr urt judge San Francis.

NBA PLAYER JASON COLLS OUT AS GAY

NBA star Jason Colls shocked the world when he revealed he was gay. Before the athlete shared his tth, he was a long-term relatnship wh a woman and even popped the qutn. * jason collins gay *

He said she told him, "I've known you were gay for years, " which ma him "fortable my own sk. "Colls said he realized he need to make his sexual orientatn public when his former roommate at Stanford, Massachetts ngrsman Joe Kennedy, who is straight, marched Boston's Gay Pri Para last Boston Marathon bombgs earlier this month then rerced to him "that I shouldn't wa for the circumstanc of my g out to be perfect.

"When I told Joe a few weeks ago that I was gay, he was grateful that I tsted him. Colls says he quietly ma a statement for gay rights even while keepg his sexual orientatn a secret.

98 wh the Celtics and Wizards -- 1998 was the year that Matthew Shepard, a gay llege stunt Wyomg, was killed, and the Trevor Project, a suici preventn anizatn, was found. "When I was playg, I had never had nversatns around what meant to be gay. "Sayg 'I'm gay' sets a new standard of honty, openns and teamwork that will posively affect athlet and fans at every level of sports.

NBA STAR JASON COLLS STARTED DATG HIS GAY PARTNER AFTER 8-YEAR-LONG ENGAGEMENT TO FAMO FIANCéE - MEET HIS BOYIEND

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Image ptn, Jason Colls has been undated wh msag of supportUS basketball player Jason Colls has e out as gay, the first active male athlete a major Amerin profsnal team sport to do clared his sexualy an article for Sports Illtrated, announcg: "I'm a 34-year-old NBA center.

JASON COLLS ME OUT 10 YEARS AGO, HERG A PERD OF CREASG GAY VISIBILY MEN’S SPORTS

<p><strong>Hunter Felt:</strong> NBA center Jason Colls g out as a gay sportsman brgs society one step closer to a future where a player's sexual orientatn actually won't matter</p> * jason collins gay *

And I'm gay. "Print Barack Obama, NBA star Kobe Bryant and sportswear pany Nike were among those exprsg public NBA player John Amaechi me out 2007, but had already Monday, Mr Obama, who last year announced his support for gay marriage, lled Colls to tell him he was imprsed wh his urage and offer his support, the Whe Hoe said.

JASON COLLS BE THE FIRST OPENLY GAY NBA PLAYER

Jarron Colls says he never spected that he and his tw brother, Jason Colls, didn't share the same tert women until his brother sat him down and revealed that he was gay. Watch as Jarron tells Oprah about his ial reactn and shar the first qutns he asked Jason. * jason collins gay *

'Learship mantle'Former Print Bill Clton lled the move "an important moment for profsnal sports and the history of the LGBT muny" dghter, Chelsea, who knew Colls when they were both stunts at California's Stanford Universy, tweeted: "Very proud of my iend Jason Colls for havg the strength and urage to be the first openly gay player the NBA. "The reactn was not entirely welg: An analyst for sports broadster ESPN, Chris Brosard, said on Monday he did not believe that "you n live an openly homosexual liftyle" and be a Christian.

Symbolic shirt numberIn the Sports Illtrated article, Colls, who has most recently played for the Washgton Wizards and the Boston Celtics, said: "I didn't set out to be the first openly gay athlete playg a major Amerin team sport.

" Colls said he cid he should go public after his former roommate at Stanford Universy, Congrsman Joe Kennedy, scn of the Kennedy polil dynasty, marched a Boston gay pri basketball player at Stanford, Colls peted the natnal llegiate champnship tournament, reachg the fourth round. Colls explaed that 2012 he changed his uniform number to 98 - a number wh signifince for the gay muny the US - as a gture of 1998, Matthew Shepard, a gay stunt at the Universy of Wyomg, was btally killed what has been ced as one of the most notor anti-gay hate crim the US. NBA star Jason Colls shocked the world when he revealed he was gay.

*BEAR-MAGAZINE.COM* JASON COLLINS GAY

Jason Colls me out 10 years ago, creasg gay sports visibily - Outsports .

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