For those who haven't heard, former Wizards center and current free agent Jason Collins came out as gay today, sparking an incredible amount of media discussion on the issue. ESPN has been covering this all day, especially on the radio, and there's an overwhelming amount of support for Collins from just about anyone.
I personally respect Collins' decision, but I'm a little torn on how I feel about the reaction from the media. The word "support" is being used a lot, and it almost seems to be implying that Collins should be getting sympathy for coming out. This was breaking news, and it doesn't seem as though media personnel were diligent enough in figuring out how they wanted to word their analysis.
Another potential issue is the fact that Collins isn't currently on an NBA roster, and if he doesn't get signed this offseason, there may be some speculation that has something to do with this announcement. Collins has actually been a pretty bad player for most of his career, so if he does get signed, people may assume it's solely because he came out.
I agree with much of what you said but I also struggle to find a way that people could talk about Collins' decision to come out without offering words like "support" or expressing admiration for his bravery for being first.
ReplyDeleteI also wonder what the reaction is to Sports Illustrated letting Jason Collins write his own article about his decision to open up to being gay.
Austin, Collins's article was jointly written; he didn't write it all himself. Additionally, I've been hearing that Collins's defensive abilities may get him re-signed for next season. We'll just have to wait and see.
ReplyDeleteI don't think that it implied sympathy and I feel that there is indeed widespread and positive support for Collins. Broussard and Granderson in the OTL video said that he is 34 years old and only played about 9 minutes a game but if a team feels that he can help them win, then they will sign him. From what I've heard and seen, he is a great teammate and Barry Melrose said that if he is signed, the locker room will judge him by his character and production and not on the basis of his sexual orientation.
ReplyDeleteI think it's interesting how big a deal ESPN and other sports organizations are making of Collin's announcement, when just TWO WEEKS ago, the number one overall draft pick in the WNBA and perhaps the most dominant women's basketball player ever, Brittney Griner, came out. There was a brief mention of it, if that, and then the issue was swept under the rug. I'm not saying Collins' admission wasn't significant, because it certainly was. But, I think the fact that the words "trailblazer" and "revolutionary" are being thrown around so much is only exposing society's sexist tendencies when it comes to professional sports. It's like we act as if they "don't count", and that's a shame.
ReplyDeleteGriner, of her own admission, didn't really "come out." It was swept under the rug because she acted like it wasn't a surprise to most of those close to her and she didn't really care if it became public knowledge.
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