{"id":985,"date":"2013-05-02T16:31:45","date_gmt":"2013-05-02T20:31:45","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/youthinkwhat.com\/now\/?p=985"},"modified":"2013-05-02T19:35:16","modified_gmt":"2013-05-02T23:35:16","slug":"jason-collins-nba-player-gay-out-and-proud","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/youthinkwhat.com\/now\/jason-collins-nba-player-gay-out-and-proud\/","title":{"rendered":"Jason Collins, NBA Player: Gay, Out and Proud"},"content":{"rendered":"

“Being deeply loved by someone gives you strength, while loving someone deeply gives you courage.” ~ Lao Tzu<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

Congratulations are in order to journeyman\u00a0National Basketball Association, (NBA), player Jason Collins. After months of hints from sports reporters, social commentators and others, along with sly suggestions from professional athletes in other sports\u00a0of the possibility there may be an active\u00a0professional athlete in the National Football League, (NFL),\u00a0\u00a0Major League Baseball, (MLB), or the NBA\u00a0who may one day in the near future\u00a0courageously disclose his sexual preference for other men.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a><\/p>\n

Jason Collins, who is nearly seven feet tall, plays center and made public his choice of lifestyle in the current issue, May 6, 2013,\u00a0of Sports Illustrated Magazine<\/a>. He’s the cover story. It’s a very interesting read of how he wishes to be “to be genuine and authentic and truthful.”<\/p>\n

“Though I’m coming out to the world, I intend to guard my privacy. I’m making this blanket statement in part to keep rumors and misunderstandings at bay. I hope fans will respect me for raising my hand. And I hope teammates will remember that I’ve never been an in-your-face kind of guy. All you need to know is that I’m single. I see no need to delve into specifics.” ~ Jason Collins, NBA professional player on announcing he’s homosexual.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

Personal choices, public discussions…of who and what a person prefers for the most intimate of relationships\/acts is somehow to\u00a0us out of order. We believe what is private should remain private.<\/strong><\/p>\n

We do not mean being closeted or ashamed of who we are and what we like; we just mean some details need not be shared with the whole entire world. There are many aspects of any sexual lifestyle choice we believe should be kept private. We believe being discreet should be the order of the day in our society.<\/p>\n

And we know it is not going to happen. With such innovations as Google glasses soon everyone’s sex life will be on display whether they want that or not.<\/p>\n

Admittedly we do not understand the choices some people make\u00a0 in expressing their sexuality. We do not condemn them or their choices. We make no judgment.<\/p>\n

And so when we attend a social gathering, either a family event, or a business\/professional occasion, we are unlike so many, who are aghast when they see a same sex couple behaving as any other couple at a public social event.<\/p>\n

But does everybody have to keep talking about it? Get over it.<\/p>\n

Sexual preference is not important. What is<\/em> important is love.<\/p>\n

We think it’s time to get over the fear, gossip, gawking and voyeurism associated with homo or hetero sex.<\/p>\n

It’s time for homophobia to end.<\/p>\n

In the words of Dean Martin…everybody loves somebody sometime.<\/p>\n