With the revelation today that Jason Collins, a black basketball player with the Washington Wizards and the Boston Celtics of the National Basketball Association, has come out as gay, is a major turning point in the gay rights movement in America!
Organized sports has always been seen as the last place we would see any such revelations, but with young people, by massive margins as high as 74 percent, having no problem with gays and lesbians, and believing they should be treated equally with straight people, this will be the beginning of other athletes showing the courage and principles of Jason Collins.
Jackie Robinson was a transformational figure, and this issue of sexuality is even more difficult to deal with, but Jason Collins has become a pioneer for his race and for athletes, and no matter what attacks he must bear, and the prejudice and hatred he will have to deal with, particularly from so called “religious” people, he will triumph and hold his head high, and will give young people struggling with sexuality better able to deal with it, and to accept what they are, rather than fight their natural feelings.
There is nothing worse than living a lie, and allowing so called “religious” people to make one feel guilt about his or her feelings, but the gay rights movement will continue to move toward total triumph and acceptance by all but the hate mongers!