NFT: Jason Collins is teh ghey

[Planetman]

NTTAWWT

Why NBA center Jason Collins is coming out now

By Jason Collins with Franz Lidz

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.

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.

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.

The first relative I came out to was my aunt Teri, a superior court judge in San Francisco. Her reaction surprised me. "I've known you were gay for years," she said. From that moment on I was comfortable in my own skin. In her presence I ignored my censor button for the first time. She gave me support. The relief I felt was a sweet release. Imagine you're in the oven, baking. Some of us know and accept our sexuality right away and some need more time to cook. I should know -- I baked for 33 years.

When I was younger I dated women. I even got engaged. I thought I had to live a certain way. I thought I needed to marry a woman and raise kids with her. I kept telling myself the sky was red, but I always knew it was blue.

I realized I needed to go public when Joe Kennedy, my old roommate at Stanford and now a Massachusetts congressman, told me he had just marched in Boston's 2012 Gay Pride Parade. I'm seldom jealous of others, but hearing what Joe had done filled me with envy. I was proud of him for participating but angry that as a closeted gay man I couldn't even cheer my straight friend on as a spectator. If I'd been questioned, I would have concocted half truths. What a shame to have to lie at a celebration of pride. I want to do the right thing and not hide anymore. I want to march for tolerance, acceptance and understanding. I want to take a stand and say, "Me, too."

[Ultra Peanut]

Originally Posted by Donger

I really don't have an ultimate point, other than to point out that heterosexuals and homosexuals are not equal, specifically when it comes to the propagation of the species.

Cool, then maybe you should shut the **** up.

[Donger]

Originally Posted by Ultra Peanut

Sweet disingenuousness~



Certainly the ability to marry a partner of your own mutual choosing is not a matter of equality! Also, my conception of "nature" is Stone Cold Fact and anyone who disagrees is a naive rube! *repeats post 7000 times*

You can marry your dog for all I care, male or not. I'm actually rather ambivalent when in comes to the subject of homosexual marriage.

[Donger]

Originally Posted by Ultra Peanut

Cool, then maybe you should shut the **** up.

You aren't attempting to stifle discussion, are you?

[Brooklyn]

Originally Posted by Donger

I really don't have an ultimate point, other than to point out that heterosexuals and homosexuals are not equal, specifically when it comes to the propagation of the species.

That's imbecilic. Are you saying that a gay dude can't get a chick pregnant? They choose not to. And what completely blows your point out of the water, sometimes to closeted ones do reproduce. The parts and/or the wiring aren't broken.

[Donger]

Originally Posted by ChiefsLV

Are you saying gays don't deserve to be treated as equal because they are biologically "flawed" as you say? Even if we were to consider them flawed, that same logic (biological flaw) could be used against other segments of the population for the same reason, segments that you would probably consider to be deserving of being treated as equal.

Sorry, I didn't respond to your other questions.

As I said above, yes, when it comes to propagation of the species, homosexuals are clearly not equal to heterosexuals. Heterosexuals who cannot breed with each other have something medically wrong with one of them (or both). Two homosexuals of the same sex trying to breed cannot procreate even though their sexual organs might be working just fine. They are just trying to fit a round peg in a square hole, so to speak.

Is a heterosexual couple who can't breed as equal as a heterosexual couple who can breed? No, from the perspective of the propagation of the species.

[Donger]

Originally Posted by Brooklyn

That's imbecilic. Are you saying that a gay dude can't get a chick pregnant? They choose not to. And what completely blows your point out of the water, sometimes to closeted ones do reproduce. The parts and/or the wiring aren't broken.

Yes, absolutely he can. And he would be going against his homosexual attraction and drive at that point. Or, using his sexual organs as Nature designed. The wiring being broken refers to the desire not the organs.

Thanks for making my point more clear.

[Planetman]

Originally Posted by Donger

I've already explained why it is fact. Nature/God/whatever gave homosexuals the organs to copulate and breed with members of the opposite sex and the desire to copulate with the same sex, which cannot lead to procreation. That's dictated by Nature/God/whatever.

We were given an appendix too. Seems we evolved beyond it.

Allegedly, some aquatic species evolved into land dweller.

Are wisdom teeth actually needed?

My point is, if you step back and look at this planet, it continues to evolve and change. Hell, you dont have to look back that many years. Women wearing pants used to be socially unacceptable. I could rattle off a ton of these but I won't.

As a hetro male, the whole gay thing doesn't bother me. Its not like I'm being forced into buttsecks or anything. For the "God says it's wrong!" crowd, that's fine too. I'm not God. When you die, you don't have to answer to me.

Now, you and Peanut go to your own corners and stop cluttering up my thread with all this pointless bickering or there will be no supper for either of you.

[Saul Good]

Originally Posted by Donger

Sorry, I didn't respond to your other questions.

As I said above, yes, when it comes to propagation of the species, homosexuals are clearly not equal to heterosexuals. Heterosexuals who cannot breed with each other have something medically wrong with one of them (or both). Two homosexuals of the same sex trying to breed cannot procreate even though their sexual organs are working just fine. They are just trying to fit a round peg in a square hole, so to speak.

Is a heterosexual couple who can't breed as equal as a heterosexual couple who can breed? No, from the perspective of the propagation of the species.

Neither agreeing nor disagreeing with you here, but what does propagation of the species have to do with the discussion in this particular thread? I understand that you are using the word "equal" to mean "identical", but I don't see anyone saying that gays and straights are identical.

[Prison Bitch]

Originally Posted by Donger

Yes, absolutely he can. And he would be going against his homosexual attraction and drive at that point. Or, using his sexual organs as Nature designed. The wiring being broken refers to the desire not the organs.

Thanks for making my point more clear.

It's kinda like asking if a wife beater can be a good person if he chooses. Of course he can. But only when he goes against his nature of beating his wife. This is a hard concept for the queer lovers to get. You'll find however that they are VERY EMOTIONAL about this topic, and will never understand why anyone would dare pick on those humble, sweet, beautiful (and tidy!) gay folks.

[Brooklyn]

Originally Posted by loochy

so you are of the "gay is a choice" camp?

no. Free will has little to do with it IMO. Donger is saying that gay men can't assist in populating the Earth because they are badly wired. I'm saying they can, but aren't inclined to do so. Can't and won't are very different things. Push comes to shove, he's wrong. Gay men have all the capacity in the world to reproduce.

Can the Chiefs draft a QB in the first? Yes, of course they can. Will they? No, no they will not.

[Donger]

Originally Posted by Saul Good

Neither agreeing nor disagreeing with you here, but what does propagation of the species have to do with the discussion in this particular thread? I understand that you are using the word "equal" to mean "identical", but I don't see anyone saying that gays and straights are identical.

It's a thread about "teh ghey."

The only reason we have male and female is to procreate (propagation of the species).

The ability to propagate the species varies rather wildly between homosexuals and heterosexuals.

[Saul Good]

Originally Posted by Ultra Peanut

Why must you point out this "fact" (which is based completely on shit that you've thought up in your own brain, and not any sort of scientific research -- good and bad being wholly subjective concepts and science having absolutely zero concern with personal beliefs) so insistently? What makes it important to point it out, obnoxiously, over and over again with a shit-eating grin on your face like you just won a high school debate?

You're like, "BOOM MOTHER****ERS, WHAT ABOUT THIS!!! Sorry, did I blow your mindsssss? DEAL WITH IT!" and I'm all, "What the **** is wrong with you?"

UP has to find a boogeyman. She can't find anyone here outraged by gays in sports, marriage, etc., so she has to settle for what she can get.

Keep fighting the good fight, UP. You will find reasons to be outraged as long as you look for reasons to be outraged.

[loochy]

Originally Posted by Brooklyn

no. Free will has little to do with it IMO. Donger is saying that gay men can't assist in populating the Earth because they are badly wired. I'm saying they can, but aren't inclined to do so. Can't and won't are very different things. Push comes to shove, he's wrong. Gay men have all the capacity in the world to reproduce.

Can the Chiefs draft a QB in the first? Yes, of course they can. Will they? No, no they will not.

I deleted that post because I couldn't figure out how to word what I was trying to say. Please disregard.

[Saul Good]

Originally Posted by Donger

It's a thread about "teh ghey."

The only reason we have male and female is to procreate (propagation of the species).

The ability to propagate the species varies rather wildly between homosexuals and heterosexuals.

Okay...but this thread isn't about procreation nor the merits thereof. It's about how we treat homosexuals as members of society, not as a means to continue to populate the planet.

[patteeu]

Originally Posted by Prison Bitch

It's kinda like asking if a wife beater can be a good person if he chooses. Of course he can. But only when he goes against his nature of beating his wife. This is a hard concept for the queer lovers to get. You'll find however that they are VERY EMOTIONAL about this topic, and will never understand why anyone would dare pick on those humble, sweet, beautiful (and tidy!) gay folks.

I'm a queer lover and I'm not emotional about it, but I still don't understand why you would dare pick on humble, sweet, beautiful (and tidy!) gay folks. Why would you?