Sheryl Swoopes: "I'm gay"

Sheryl Swoopes: "I'm gay"

<div class="quote_poster">Quote:</div><div class="quote_post">Swoopes, 34, who is divorced with an 8-year-old son, was unavailable for comment Tuesday. She details her life in ESPN The Magazine, due on newsstands today.

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

"It's not something that I want to throw in people's faces. I'm just at a point in my life where I'm tired of having to pretend to be somebody I'm not," Swoopes said. "I'm tired of having to hide my feelings about the person I care about. About the person I love."

Jim Buzinski, co-founder of outsports.com, wrote that Swoopes "was the highest-profile team sport athlete to come out while playing."

A release from ESPN The Magazine about the story did not disclose the identity of Swoopes' partner.

Houston coach Van Chancellor said of Swoopes: "What she does in her personal life is her own decision. I respect everything about Sheryl."

WNBA President Donna Orender said in a statement, "Sheryl's lifestyle choice is a non-issue for us."

Nike marketing manager Raye Pond said the company is happy to have Swoopes as one of its athletes.
Swoopes said her biggest worry about her revelation is that people will be afraid to look up to her.
"I don't want that to happen," she told the magazine. "Being gay has nothing to do with the three gold medals or the three MVPs or the four championships I've won. I'm still the same person. I'm Sheryl." </div>

Source

 

How bout it. Nothing wrong with it though, it`s ashame if people lose respect within her just because she`s gay.

She will still go down as one of the best woman athletes ever.

 

I didn't know she was divorced, but most WNBA players are gay (no offense to anyone). But it is sad that people lose respect because of that.

 

Big deal, its nobodies business except hers I could care less.

 

Lets say Swoops was MJ.

MJ, I highly respect and love as an NBA player...He is one of my top 10 idols.

If he "came out" (which wouldn't happen but go with it) and said he was gay...I just simply couldn't idolize the man.

I would still respect him, and I would still love is talent, but I simply couldn't Idolize him.

It may be a sad thing that me and many other people that idolize MJ would stop, but its the truth.

Now that I am done w/ this post...I realized that this topic is to serious to be able to just flat out express your thoughts/opinions like I just did, but oh well the truth hurts.

 

Lol. I hate to be the spoiler Sheryl, but we all pretty much knew that. Matter fact, 98% of the WNBA should probably come out the closet. True story. Being in Houston my whole life, I've had the chance to see Swoopes many times. One time, I was at some bball court with some of my boyz. I noticed a white car parked on the side. Guess who gets out the passenger side, Swoopes. Guess who was driving, her gay lover. This was a couple years ago. So I already knew about her little secret, and so did all of Houston. She's still the second best WNBA player ever (outside of Cythnia Cooper).

I just hope little girls who look up to Swoopes don't up and decide they're gay just because they're favorite player is.

 

well there's not much to say.Its not that big of a deal,its her life, nothing for ppl to overhype,although it is suprising.

 

Theres nothing much to say because it doesnt matter. Shes still the reigning MVP and being gay doesnt take away anything. She now feels comfortable by saying the truth. Being lesbian anyway doesnt mean as much as being gay. So its not going 2 change alot but lesbian women probably do see swoopes as a hero.

 

<div class="quote_poster">Quote:</div><div class="quote_post">Being lesbian anyway doesnt mean as much as being gay. </div>
Am I missing something here? But anyway, yeah it doesn't matter that much, she's still the same player that she was last year, not going to change anything now that the media perceives her as being gay.

 

<div class="quote_poster">Quote:</div><div class="quote_post">Being lesbian anyway doesnt mean as much as being gay. </div>

Lol, had a nice laugh at this statement.

 

LoL, im serious. Society doesnt view Lesbians the same way as they view gays. Im not bothered by her being lesbian but millions of people wouldve looked Kobe, T-mac, or any star if they said they were gay. Thats how it goes in the US.

 

RJ's turn

 

LoL, this incident reminds me of Juwanna Mann. You think Swoopes spyed on her teammates? Its a possibility.

 

<div class="quote_poster">Quoting Rock4life:</div><div class="quote_post">Lol. I hate to be the spoiler Sheryl, but we all pretty much knew that. Matter fact, 98% of the WNBA should probably come out the closet. True story. Being in Houston my whole life, I've had the chance to see Swoopes many times. One time, I was at some bball court with some of my boyz. I noticed a white car parked on the side. Guess who gets out the passenger side, Swoopes. Guess who was driving, her gay lover. This was a couple years ago. So I already knew about her little secret, and so did all of Houston. She's still the second best WNBA player ever (outside of Cythnia Cooper).
</div>

I'm curious, was the driver wearing a shirt that said "Sheryl Swoopes' Gay Lover"? Or were you just using your "gaydar"?

<div class="quote_poster">Quoting igotask8board:</div><div class="quote_post">If he "came out" (which wouldn't happen but go with it) and said he was gay...I just simply couldn't idolize the man.
</div>

Why? How would his sexual preference impact, in any way, his position as a basketball legend and idol? Last time I checked, that wasn't one of the stats the league tracks.

<font color="red">Please use the 'edit' button in the future. ~Locke</font>

 

<div class="quote_poster">Quote:</div><div class="quote_post">RJ's turn </div>
that line had me laughing for a long time.

The way I see it is, there are others in the league who are in the closet, Sheryl's just the first to admit it(someone correct me if i'm wrong). Hell, for all we know someone in the NBA could be gay..

 

Look how open minded all these people in this thread are, but I'm quite sure you'll feel a lot different if an NBA superstar comes out and says he was gay. Afterall, 5% of the NBA are gay, according to the Tracy McGrady Stats Tracker™.

 

How special.

Thats just what I've always wanted to hear.

Why are so many women in the WNBA lesbians? Eh. Nothing against them, I just don't see how they can't like men. Damn. Men are wonderful.

 

<div class="quote_poster">Quoting Ice:</div><div class="quote_post">How special.

Thats just what I've always wanted to hear.

Why are so many women in the WNBA lesbians? Eh. Nothing against them, I just don't see how they can't like men. Damn. Men are wonderful.</div>


Ice, you may wanna clearify that you're a female or this thread is going to take an ugly turn after your post

 

<div class="quote_poster">Quoting unbeliever:</div><div class="quote_post">I'm curious, was the driver wearing a shirt that said "Sheryl Swoopes' Gay Lover"? Or were you just using your "gaydar"?</div>

its amazing how tribal people still are about homosexuality. her claiming that she wasn't born gay is going to irk lots of homosexuals i think.

 

Well I guess this goes to show that not all gay people are born that way (which is the common excuse). I'm not gay-hating here, but I just can't see myself looking up to an NBA player if I knew he was gay, I mean honestly unbeliever, could you? But hey, that's just me. She may not want her young fans to look at her differently, but many of them will. Heck, little kids' parents may not want them idolizing a lesbian athletes, it could give them wrong ideas. It may be sad, but for a lot of people, she will no longer be known as sheryl Swoopes, the one with 3 golds, 3 mvps and 4 chips. For many less knowledgeable fans, she'll probably be known as the "gay one".