HE'S GOT BALLS!

[Duchess]

One shouldn't need courage to own their sexuality but in some cases I guess you have to. I admire what he's done & think it probably took some balls to do it.

NBA center Jason Collins has become the first male U.S. athlete in a major professional sport to come out as gay.

The 34-year-old, a free agent who has played with the Washington Wizards and the Boston Celtics this past season, tells Sports Illustrated:

"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."

[aussiefriend]

I love gay men, especially when they come out of the closet and are loud and proud. I hope he has a great blessed life because of this stand he has taken. I am sure it will not be all hugs and kisses in the locker room.

[HairOfTheDog]

Though he says that he'd rather not be a trailblazer, it's admirable that he's stepping forward and opening the door for himself and other pro athletes to publicly live a lifestyle that's true to them.

I really don't think that Collins will get a lot of backlash from the public or in the locker room (hope not anyway), but do believe he'll get some more high profile interviews and spokesperson gigs for daring to be first. Good on him.

Great smile.

[Jimbone]

Really? I thought Oscar de la Hoya was.

[HairOfTheDog]

I hadn't seen all of those.

De la Hoya's like John Leguizamo ; they look good as men or women.

I don't know if de la Hoya's gay; he might just like cross dressing? I don't think that he came out as either; he was outted, AFAIK.

[Jimbone]

I mean really, what gay man has pumps that fit, right?

I know he says he's not gay. I say the pictures say otherwise.

[aussiefriend]

Maybe he is in denial. Put it this way, you wouldn't catch Maggot dead in those stilettos and fish net stockings.

[Duchess]

I mean really, what gay man has pumps that fit, right?

I know he says he's not gay. I say the pictures say otherwise.

We established that a man doesn't have to be gay in order to enjoy dressing in women's dainties. We have proof - Clang.

[Duchess]

it's admirable that he's stepping forward and opening the door for himself and other pro athletes to publicly live a lifestyle that's true to them.

He got a phone call from the Prez & a tweet from the First Lady.

As far as I can tell he's had nothing but a positive response from people but I haven't read everything.

[QueenBee]

I just wait for the day when no one gives a flying shit if someone is gay, straight, bi, transgender or whatever. You know, when a friend of mine came out it did not make national news, and he did not get a call from the President. And he still cannot formally come out at work because he is a middle school administrator.

[RaisingAPrince]

I just wait for the day when no one gives a flying shit if someone is gay, straight, bi, transgender or whatever. You know, when a friend of mine came out it did not make national news, and he did not get a call from the President. And he still cannot formally come out at work because he is a middle school administrator.

My husband and I had this discussion last night. We couldn't understand why in this day and age this is such a big deal. It shouldn't be. Yes, good for him for coming out, but this shouldn't be a news story. It's life.

[HairOfTheDog]

We established that a man doesn't have to be gay in order to enjoy dressing in women's dainties. We have proof - Clang.

Most cross-dressers aren't gay.

As Dr. William Stayton, Head of the University of Pennsylvania’s Department of Human Sexuality and himself a therapist for crossdressers, reported “People associate crossdressing with effeminacy and being gay and the fact is most of them are not gay. They are very definitely heterosexual. “In fact one of the most difficult areas for crossdressers was how to deal with the women with whom they wanted to be involved".

Studies also show that cross-dressing tends to start young and there is some level of sexual excitement then. But, as the men grow older, it's more often a form of stress-relief and relaxation and most cross-dressers do it once a month or less.

I don't care that de la Hoya is a cross-dresser, or whether he's gay or not. IF he happens to be gay but feels the need to deny it, maybe Collins' coming out will make him and other gay athletes view it as less necessary to put on a pubic facade. Step by step.

It's silly to me that QueenBee's friend still has to hide his sexual orientation because he's a school administrator, meanwhile I read about female teachers seducing male teen students every month, Catholic priests continue to molest young men, etc... It doesn't make sense. Gay doesn't equate to deviant; deviancy isn't selective.

Anyway, hoping that in my lifetime no one will give a shit about other people's sexual orientations, in any profession.

[Duchess]

This is the woman he was engaged to. They were together for years & shortly before their marriage he cancelled the wedding.

[Duchess]

From an ESPN reporter -

Chris Broussard, who covers the NBA for ESPN, had said on the air that Collins and others in the NBA who engage in premarital sex or adultery were "walking in open rebellion to God, and to Jesus Christ." I don't agree with homosexuality," he said. "I think it's a sin, as I think all sex outside of marriage between a man and a woman is."

I don't want to hear personal commentary, it's their job to give me the facts of the story not relate their personal opinion to viewers.

[Donovan]

I just wait for the day when no one gives a flying shit if someone is gay, straight, bi, transgender or whatever. You know, when a friend of mine came out it did not make national news, and he did not get a call from the President. And he still cannot formally come out at work because he is a middle school administrator.

My husband and I had this discussion last night. We couldn't understand why in this day and age this is such a big deal. It shouldn't be. Yes, good for him for coming out, but this shouldn't be a news story. It's life.

Because this.

[Duchess]

Goddamn! I didn't know it was legal to fire people for being gay. Ugh!

I'm not one to pretend to be an Einstein even though I have access to google & I've already copped to using Urban Dictionary because I often haven't a clue about some references being made...and I am shocked to discover it's legal to fire someone for their sexuality.

[Duchess]

How could I not have known that. Jeezus. I feel like such a boob right now.

I live in a bubble.

[Maggot]

MMMMMMMM....soapy squishy warm bubbles.

[Duchess]

YeeHaw

[HairOfTheDog]

She's very hot, in a semi-trashy way. Kinda looks like a C-version of America's princess.

Hey, how'd she wiggle her way into the gay balls thread?! Slippery.

The boobs are upstairs.