Martina Navratilova's great statement about Jason Collins:

[Are_grits_groceries]

Martina Navratilova: Jason Collins a 'game-changer'

Recently in Miami I ran into NFL receiver Donté Stallworth at a gas station. I was filling up my moped. He came over, introduced himself and then told me he had just joined a group called Athlete Ally. Growing in membership by the day, Athlete Ally consists of straight athletes supporting gay athletes at every level, combating homophobia in sports.

This was just another indication that we're living in a time of transformation. I mean, a gorgeous, straight football player stopped me to talk about his very public support for LGBT athletes? How cool is that?

We've come a long way. In the 1980s I knew an NHL coach who was convinced there were no gay hockey players. Ever. Certainly not on his teams. Why? "This is a macho sport," he said. Remember Reggie White? In the '90s, the Packers star appeared in a newspaper advertising campaign to persuade gays and lesbians that they could "cease" their homosexuality. The NFL responded with ... a lot of silence.

When I came out, in 1981, I didn't have much public support and I know I lost endorsements. But I never had to worry about losing my job. In tennis, there are no bosses, no general managers and no coaches who can keep players from competing. So I was safe in that regard. For team sports athletes, this is not the case. A homophobic coach at any level -- high school, college or pros -- could keep a player from playing. Remember Rene Portland, the women's basketball coach at Penn State? She proudly boasted she would not allow a lesbian on her team. In the past, that kind of homophobia would have had support from the front office. Why come out when -- apart from dealing with all the other complications -- it could kill your sports career!

But the times changed. Boy, did they ever change.
<snip>
http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/magazine/news/20130429/martina-navratilova-jason-collins-reaction/

You go Martina!

[Cha]

1. K&R for Martina.. thanks, Are grits groceries

[Heidi]

2. Kick!

[Skittles]

3. I have long admired Martina

she is a class act

kudos to Athlete Ally participants too

[toby jo]

4. 1981 - over 30 years ago when she came out. I remember that, it was courageous.

Now here comes our macho male sports culture, that which looks askance at rape, which produces college athletes who cannot function in a cerebral environment, hs athletes walking all over their peers, & a professional football culture that seems to function as a mouthpiece for a very violent country, finally getting their 'real' on.

Well, good on ya guys. Better late than never.

The whole thing reflects the war culture - ' hey, I can't step out of line and protest any of this shit and still be a man'. And I need to be a man. Maybe they'll get the peace dividend 'thing' next.

[malaise]

5. Nice

[a la izquierda]

6. Thank you for posting! Nt

[benld74]

7. Last year SI story on a European Rugby player who came out

took him a long time, Nobody said a word to him about it.

[YOHABLO]

8. Too Many "Other'' problems in the world to worry about celebrities coming out. Who cares?