I'm glad you all "don't care" about this, though. Perhaps you could tell your legislators to stop dehumanizing and degrading gays via denial of basic human rights, since you don't care and all.

I agree, I really wish it was a prolific athlete, but I think at this point it is great just having someone step up.

^ completely agree.

Rhetoric, I really feel you are trying to attack us as a community here. It is obvious you are passionate about this issue. And no one is discrediting you for that in any way. I am sure there are a lot of things a lot of us would like to tell the legislators. But they dont care and wont listen. They just care about their paychecks.

It is good to see your passion and try to raise awareness and make people care more though.

I think it says something about NA as a community when right wing nonsense is posted here within minutes and this is left alone all day despite being a MAJOR event in the history of the US and human rights struggles.

In other words: the norm on NA is anti-gay.

Prove me wrong.

Urrrmmm, where this is going maybe this isn't the best topic for me to post my opinions in :/

Its good that he admitted it, it must have been hard, free rights and nes for all.

Dude....just stop already.

People don't talk about hot pretzels all day either, does that mean that the norm on NA is anti-pretzel?  No.

I see kneejerk reactions and anger, but no arguments proving me wrong.

Damn, I wish I had a hot pretzel and some Cheez-Whiz, yummy!

Kind of what I was thinking. This guy isn't an active athlete. Kobe Bryant isn't an active athlete right now. If Collins steps on court next year, then he is an active athlete.

Yep.   Supposedly a small group of active NFL guys are supposed to come out this year, maybe that'll help that along?

rhetoric, it's not that I do not care about the discrimination many gays face. I do.

What I meany by 'not caring' is that if somebody is gay or straight - that doesn't affect how I am going to feel towards them.
I understand what you are saying, but in my experience standing on a soap box and voicing your frustration to an apathetic audience on topics like this only make everyone (including yourself) upset.

When I was younger I used to get furious at people that would publically laugh at me for the way I walk. I tried to to the "20's" thing and go to bars and all - but more often than not at some point in the night some idiot would be mocking me. The first few years I'd get furious and try to make them understand how difficult things were and that there was no reason to be an ass... be they never listened... they didn't care. It wasn't them.

As I became older, I realized the best way to deal with douchebags like that is to conduct myself with as much dignity as possible. Now when people make fun of me (yes it still happens, just less often) I just give them a quick look and continue what I was doing. THAT guy will never change, but the people who saw that interaction might.

Again, there are current laws in place that designate differences (in my view unfairly) about marriage rights, but arguing about them on a game forum is not going to change a single person's mind. Sharing your honest experiences and feelings might not either - but at least that might give some people some perspective. Things like this do not change overnight. But they are starting to change.  

Where?

I see people voicing their opinions. Not that it matters, but I dont even see anybody taking anti-gay stances.

Why are you getting so worked up?

I LOVE hot pretzels! I was so angry that Auntie Anne's stopped making the jalapeno pretzels, but you can stol make them at home with the kit.

Finally. Someones comment made me laugh out loud tonight!

I'm glad for Collins that he doesn't have to live a lie anymore, and doesn't have to be afraid of what will happen to him. I do look forward to the day when this isn't a newsworthy story, because it will be just socially accepted. Stats show that a lot of people are gay. It's noteworthy that a male athlete in the NBA is now open about it, but one day I think we'll look back at this and be amazed that there were none (publicly) for so long.

And Rhetoric, you are an angry dude with a lot of misplaced rage. Be civil if you want to have a conversation.

I agree that this should not be newsworthy, and that gay rights shouldn't even be an issue. It's no ones business what goes on in the bedroom, and its really not anyone's business either who someone wants to marry. I look forward to the day when people look back and say, Damn, that gay marriage debate sure was stupid, maybe we should have said, oh yea, sure you want to get married to that guy, not my business, good luck and enjoy instead of throwing our ideas of religion and morals into the mix and trying to tell you whats right and wrong!

Prove na is anti gay....

You're absolutely correct. Whether or not this was an attention grab like some people say is invalid, the fact is is that every rolemodel the LGBT community has to look up to as a positive one (despite the fact that bisexual and transgender people don't really align with the struggles of gay men all the way is besides the point) is one step for advancement.  The community could really use some positive role models of real gay men and women instead of faux-bisexuals like Katy Perry and Lady Gaga just trying to make bank off of a minority. As someone who has gay family members and is on the LGBT spectrum, this shit tends to be important to me. And I understand if you don't care, but there's no need to announce how much you don't care when people are trying to engage in discourse. In closing

Good another thread to post in -
I don't think it's a big deal maybe now for this era? Cuz their hasn't been any major news about it
But this is already a known fact ,
Look up Roy Simmons - NY giant player
He cameout years ago

Good for this guy but not big news

I watch sports for the sport, not what sexual preferences the athletes have. Doesn't matter at all to me, in the same boat as religious views.

I think he should have signed a new contract with someone before he came out though.

None of my gay friends have commented about it on facebook.  Obviously they are all homophobic!  Or they just also believe this isn't actually major given how many years of other current and former athletes are already openly gay.  Sort of like Obama, first term was OMG BLACK GUY, second term is no big deal.  Collins is only "first" if you add the restrictions of specific sports in the USA while actively playing.  Otherwise he is years behind.  

Saying this isn't news does not mean anti-gay.

Im actually shocked this hasnt happened already.