Jason
Collins: A beacon of light
by Alisa Dizon
With
gay rights as the global trend of the moment, more gay people are finding the
courage to publicly announce their sexuality, one of those being NBA (National
Basketball Association) player Jason Collins. Last April 29th, this 7 foot Center
of the Washington Wizards was trending worldwide on Twitter, he shocked the sports
world with the big news, becoming the first openly gay professional basketball
player.
The
news was received with a mixed response although a recent poll conducted by the
Langer Research showed that 70% of the surveyed adults support his decision. Fellow NBA star Kobe Bryant, as well as
President Obama, and his teammates have applauded him for making such a bold
move. Believe it or not, Collins was previously engaged to Carolyn Woos (a WNBA
[Women’s National Basketball Association]
player and also a Center), and shared a eight-year
relationship, but ended in 2009, Woos had mixed feelings after finding out in
the Sports Illustrated Issue Collins was featured on May 2013.
When
he [Collins] learned former Stanford roommate Joe Kennedy joined the 2012 Gay
Pride Parade, it stirred him and since then he realized the time was right that
he too should be proud of who he was. In
the last May 6, 2013 issue of Sports Illustrated, Collins released a very
moving and sentimental statement saying: “I didn’t set out to be the first
openly gay athlete in a major American team sport. But since I am, I’m happy to
start the conversation”.
He
stands as a source of inspiration to others that one’s potentials should not be
defined by the labels placed on a person, especially the discrimination that
exists in the field of sports. As is so, he is set to receive the Courage Award
from the Gay, Lesbian and Straight Network at the group’s Respect Awards on the
20th of May. Now he treads on a new path, one that may not be easy however,
the long struggle to keep up his mask is finally over and he is happier than
ever.
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