Gay Nets Player Jason Collins Appointed to the President’s Council on Fitness, Sports, and Nutrition

Today, President Obama appointed the nation's first active gay pro NBA player Jason Collins to the President’s Council on Fitness, Sports, and Nutrition, the White House announced in a press release:

Today, President Barack Obama announced his intent to appoint the following individuals to key Administration posts: Jason Collins is a professional basketball player with the Brooklyn Nets, where he has played since 2014. Previously, he played for the Washington Wizards, the Boston Celtics, the Atlanta Hawks, the Minnesota Timberwolves, the Memphis Grizzlies, and the New Jersey Nets. He joined the National Basketball Association in 2001 after playing for Stanford University, where he was a National Association of Basketball Coaches third team All-American and a member of the All-PAC-10 first team. Mr. Collins is a partner with the Gay, Lesbian & Straight Education Network (GLSEN), a national education organization focused on ensuring safe schools for all students. Mr. Collins received a B.A. from Stanford University.

Also named to the Council are Misty Copeland, the first African American female soloist in more than two decades at American Ballet Theatre; Alonzo H. Mourning, Jr.; Rachael Ray; and Robert Thomas Shepardson.

Said Obama: “I amthat these impressive individuals have chosen to dedicate their talents to serving the American people at this important time for our country. I look forward to working with them in the months and years ahead.” grateful

Brooklyn Nets Clinch Playoff Berth

Last night the Brooklyn Nets clinched a berth in the Eastern Conference playoffs with their 14th consecutive home win at Barclays Center, setting the stage for Jason Collins to add a another item to his list of first-ever accomplishments when he enters a playoff game with his Matthew Shepard-honoring jersey. 

Most of the hubbub about the NBA's first openly gay player died down within a week or so of Collins returning to the game in February, but a couple of sportswriters have pleasantly joked this week that Collins has been a good luck charm in light of the team's surprising comeback. The playoffs begin on April 19th.

Jason Collins Enters Game To Standing Ovation From Home Crowd in Brooklyn

NBA to Donate Proceeds from Jason Collins Jerseys to LGBT Groups

The NBA will donate proceeds from sales of Jason Collins jerseys to LGBT causes, specifically GLSEN and the Matthew Shepard Foundation, the Guardian reports:

The league said on Friday that donations would total no less than $100,000, and it will also auction off Collins’s autographed, game-worn jerseys to benefit the same organisations.

Collins says he is thrilled to help the organisations that “work tirelessly to ensure LGBT youth get the resources and assistance they need to be successful in life”.

Jason Collins Wearing Number 98 Jersey In Honor Of Matthew Shepard

Jason Collins will once again don a Number 98 jersey when the Brooklyn Nets take on the Portland Trailblazers on Wednesday—the number, which he wore with the Boston Celtics and the Washington Wizards, is in honor of Matthew Shepard, the young gay man brutally murdered in 1998.

“It’s really exciting—I’m really excited for him. To bring Matt’s story into it, to continue to keep Matt’s story out there, it reminds people that this is the kind of thing that happens and is still happening, even if we don’t read about it like we used to,” said Matt’s mother, Judy Shepard, who has been a tireless advocate for the LGBT community. “We were very touched. For him to make that tribute to Matt was meaningful to us.”

Matthew shepardCollins had been wearing No. 98 for several years, but its significance only became clear after he came out. He wanted to wear the number at Sunday’s game against the L.A. Lakers, but the team only had one spare jersey on the road, No. 46. Full story here via VJ Brendan!

Jason Collins Signs Contract With The Brooklyn Nets; Becomes First Openly Gay Player In The NBA

It's official. Jason Collins is the very first active, openly gay player not only in the NBA but also in any major US sport.

The Brooklyn Nets announced over Twitter that they have signed Collins to a 10-day contract. They also tweeted out a photo of the actual signing.

ESPN reports:

"The decision to sign Jason was a basketball decision," Nets general manager Billy King said in a statement. " We needed to increase our depth inside, and with his experience and size, we felt he was the right choice for a 10-day contract."
The Nets moved quickly to make the historic signing of the 35-year-old free agent center to have another big body available against the Lakers. Brooklyn had been contemplating signing Collins for the past week and the need for Collins became greater after the Nets dealt rebounding specialist Reggie Evans to the Sacramento Kings last week.

Both Michael Sam and Robbie Rogers sent their congratulations out to Collins.

There'll be no time wasted getting Collins on the court. He'll make his debut this with the Nets this evening in LA in a game against the Clippers.

11 people whose coming out made headlines in 2013

The increasing visibility of openly gay politicians, actors and public figures speaks volumes for the progress the LGBTI community and allies have made in the past few decades.

This year saw beloved celebrities, athletes and young students come forward and share with the world one of the most important and intimate aspects of their lives.
Whether they came out at school, on the Golden Globes stage or in a Youtube video - GSN applauds the message these 11 individuals shared when they came out of the closet.

1. Jodie Foster

The actress used the 2013 Golden Globes ceremony for a glorious coming out speech.
Foster went on stage to receive the Cecil B De Mille Lifetime Achievement Award and made a strong statement on how she didn’t think there was a need for a public declaration about her sexuality.
‘Every celebrity is expected to honor the details of their private life with a press conference, a fragrance and a primetime reality show,’ Foster said.
Watch Jodie Foster's speech at the Golden Globes 2013:

2. Jacob Rudolph

This brave student went on stage to receive the Class Actor Award during the presentations of senior class awards at his New Jersey high school.
Jacob took this opportunity to share with everyone what no one knew about him. ‘Most of you see me everyday. You see me acting the part of straight Jacob, when I am in fact LGBT,’ he said. He came out in front of more than 300 peers and the reaction couldn’t be better when classmates responded with a standing ovation.
Check out his speech below:

3. Raven-Symoné

Some people on social media said Raven Symoné ruined their childhood after coming out as a lesbian, but that was definitely the right thing to do. After the demise of the Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA) and the dismissal of Prop 8 in the United States, the Disney Chanel star expressed her excitement over the advances for the LGBTI community on Twitter.
‘I can finally get married! Yay government! So proud of you.’

Matthew Shepard's Mom Moved to Tears By Jason Collins' Gesture

Jason Collins became the first active NBA player to come out, and the Shepards say his example will be a model to young people.

BY Lucas Grindley

May 01 2013 12:13 PM ET

Among the touching details that Jason Collins revealed when coming out in that Sports Illustrated op-ed was the revelation that his number, 98, is actually a tribute to Matthew Shepard. And when she heard that, Shepard's mom said it moved her to tears.

"To hear the story behind his number, well, I cried," said Judy Shepard during an interview with Headline News. "I thought it was such a tribute to Matt, to Matt's story, and to so many other yon people who are struggling. His own silent, private tribute, I was very moved."

Matthew Shepard is the gay college student who was murdered in Wyoming in an infamous hate crime in 1998. During President Obama's first term, a federal hate crimes law was passed that bears his name.

Collins is the first active NBA player to come out, and he had worn a jersey number in honor of Shepard without ever explaining why.

"When I put on my jersey I was making a statement to myself, my family and my friends," Collins wrote in the op-ed.

In the video below, watch the entire interview with the Shepards during which they talk about Collins' impact on young people.

Why NBA center Jason Collins is coming out now

 

This story appears in the May 6, 2013, issue of Sports Illustrated.

I'm a 34-year-old NBA center. I'm black. And I'm gay.

I didn't set out to be the first openly gay athlete playing in a major American team sport. But since I am, I'm happy to start the conversation. I wish I wasn't the kid in the classroom raising his hand and saying, "I'm different." If I had my way, someone else would have already done this. Nobody has, which is why I'm raising my hand.

My journey of self-discovery and self-acknowledgement began in my hometown of Los Angeles and has taken me through two state high school championships, the NCAA Final Four and the Elite Eight, and nine playoffs in 12 NBA seasons.

Andrew D. Bernstein/NBAE
via Getty Images

I've played for six pro teams and have appeared in two NBA Finals. Ever heard of a parlor game called Three Degrees of Jason Collins? If you're in the league, and I haven't been your teammate, I surely have been one of your teammates' teammates. Or one of your teammates' teammates' teammates.

Now I'm a free agent, literally and figuratively. I've reached that enviable state in life in which I can do pretty much what I want. And what I want is to continue to play basketball. I still love the game, and I still have something to offer. My coaches and teammates recognize that. At the same time, I want to be genuine and authentic and truthful.

Jason Collins played with the Celtics and Wizards this season, his 12th in the NBA.

Why am I coming out now? Well, I started thinking about this in 2011 during the NBA player lockout. I'm a creature of routine. When the regular season ends I immediately dedicate myself to getting game ready for the opener of the next campaign in the fall. But the lockout wreaked havoc on my habits and forced me to confront who I really am and what I really want. With the season delayed, I trained and worked out. But I lacked the distraction that basketball had always provided.

Read More: http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/magazine/news/20130429/jason-collins-gay-nba-player/#ixzz2RroGEZ7Z