My dream was to play in the NBA and live my authentic life as a proud gay man at the same time. I was able to accomplish both of those goals because of the people who have supported me throughout my life.
Interpretation
This quote expresses the importance of pursuing one's dreams while embracing one's identity.
Jason Collins reflects on his journey to achieve his dream of playing in the NBA while living openly as a gay man. He acknowledges the vital role of support from others in accomplishing these goals, highlighting the intersection of personal fulfillment and societal acceptance.
In practice
During a motivational speech at a pride event.
I would love to see an athlete live their life in an authentic way, not feel that they have to hide, not feel that they have to be afraid, or live with shame - all the other things that go with being a closeted athlete. No human being should have to walk that path. But there is that fear of stepping forward.
The worst insult you can give a professional athlete is to call them soft. And the stereotype out there is that gay is soft.
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.
For many young people growing up in minority communities, there is a sense that their lives are disposable. As athletes, we have a platform to let those kids know that their lives are important. That their lives matter to us.
Some people insist they've never met a gay person. But Three Degrees of Jason Collins dictates that no NBA player can claim that anymore. Pro basketball is a family. And pretty much every family I know has a brother, sister or cousin who's gay. In the brotherhood of the NBA, I just happen to be the one who's out.
I didn't set out to be the first openly gay athlete playing in a major American team sport.
I wrote 'Option B' because I want other people to know it can get better, and I want to help people make it better.
There is power in seeing a face that looks like yours do something, be someone. There is power in moving from the sidelines to the center.
In our resolve to build a better world... we seek to summon what Abraham Lincoln called the better angels of our nature.
At the beginning of the troubles of Saint Domingo, I felt that I was destined to great things. When I received this divine intimation, I was four and fifty years of age; I could neither read nor write.
I don't know whether it's the athlete in me or the passion I have for the game: I always think that I can step back on the field and play.
I still believe in the power of the word, that words inspire.
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