WNBA's Swoopes Comes Out

[davidinalameda]

http://www.365gay.com/newscon05/10/102605swoopes.htm

Houston Comets forward Sheryl Swoopes is opening up about being a lesbian, telling a magazine that she's "tired of having to hide my feelings about the person I care about."

Swoopes, honored last month as the WNBA's Most Valuable Player, told ESPN The Magazine for a story on newsstands Wednesday that she didn't always know she was gay and fears that coming out could jeopardize her status as a role model.

"Do I think I was born this way? No," Swoopes said. "And that's probably confusing to some, because I know a lot of people believe that you are."

[soleft]

1. More people would look up to her if she was less fearful

that's the sad thing

[Chimichurri]

2. she doesn't believe she was born that way?

why on earth would someone choose a life where they would have to as Swoops put it, "hide" their true feelings? Seems to me, if one had the choice to prevent such hardship, one would.

So her feelings towards her girlfriend are not innate but a conscious choice? She felt she needed to hide. This means she thought her lifestyle would be persecuted. So why choose to be persecuted? I don't understand her statement.

edited because i'm written word challenged.

[JudyM]

4. Because the benefits of a more authentic-feeling love outweigh negs. n/t

[teenagebambam]

3. Lesbians in pro women's sports? I'm SHOCKED

[freestyle]

5. Good for her, and good wishes to her and her partner.

Everyone moves on a different path and different schedule. I'm happy that she feels it is time to be open. It is not uncommon for a relationship to push people out. Closets just don't work for two people and dishonesty is murder on a relationship. I can only wish her the best.

[terrya]

6. If only this kind of honesty extended to the male pro sports world.

We all surely know, of course, that there are currently gay men in professional baseball, basketball, football, etc.

It will be a long, long, long time before any gay man does come out, though. Professional sports is the last bastion of homophobia.