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Before announcing to the public that he is gay, NBA athlete Jason Collins was engaged to be married to his college sweetheart, former WNBA player Carolyn Moos. The two were together for eight years before Jason called off the wedding in 2009, leaving Carolyn heartbroken and confused as to why the relationship ended. The truth wouldn’t be revealed to her until years later — just a few days before Jason publicly announced his homosexuality in Sports Illustrated.

In this clip from his interview with Oprah for “Oprah’s Next Chapter,” Jason opens up about being engaged to Carolyn while struggling with his sexuality, explaining that he was still working through several different emotional stages that prevented him from accepting the truth about himself.

“At that point, I hadn’t reached acceptance in myself yet,” Jason tells Oprah in the clip. “Being in the closet… it really is going through the 12 steps of denial and shame and anger and all of that. I hadn’t reached acceptance yet.”

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Eric McCandless/ABC

Yesterday, Sports Illustrated unveiled their newest issue with the face of Jason Collins on it, who by announcing to the world on the cover that he was gay, would go on to be the first openly gay and active male athlete. It wasn’t that deep to some who could count the many women who have played sports and have come out as gay, but considering the fact that he is the FIRST male athlete to finally feel comfortable enough, while still in the NBA, to come out, it is a bigger deal than we think.

Collins sat down for an interview with George Stephanopoulos, his first since coming out, and talked about previously living a lie, why he wanted to come out, trying to “play it straight,” and what he hopes will come from his choice to open up to the world.

On living in misery for years and what pushed him to come out:

“When you keep telling yourself a lie, at some point you buy your own cover story.”

“[The bombings] reinforced the notion that I shouldn’t wait for the circumstances of my coming out to be perfect. Things can change in an instant, so why not live truthfully?”

“I knew that I tried everything in the book as far as trying to convince myself to lead the life that you should…calling off the wedding, it was a tough decision, but it was the right one because I knew I wasn’t getting married for the right reasons.”

On his aunt (the person he came out to first) saying she always knew he was gay:

“She was the first family member. I have a special relationship with my aunt. I love my parents and my brother and everyone else in my family, but there’s just something about the way I get along and relate with her.”

“She had her suspicions about me. She was extremely supportive. She’s a judge in San Francisco so I guess she’s good at reading people [laughs].”

As for how his coming out changed his relationship with his twin brother (who unlike his aunt, hadn’t suspected he was gay)…for the better:

“I’m really good at playing it straight [laughs]. No, uh, maybe he needs to hang out with my aunt a little bit more and get a discerning eye like she has. But he’s been incredibly supportive…I’ve always had the big brother role…and I was protective of my little brother, but now he’s sort of taken on that role of protecting me.”

And what he hopes for his teammates and for other athletes afraid to come out:

“From my teammates, I’m expecting support because that’s what I would do for my teammates. A team is like a family and the NBA is like a brotherhood.”

“I hope every player makes a decision that leads to their own happiness. Whatever happiness that is in life. I know that I’m the happiest that I’ve ever been in my life.”

Check out his full interview with George Stephanopoulos for ABC on the next page and let us know what you think below. Good luck to Collins and we’re happy for his newfound happiness!

Source: WENN

It shouldn’t be surprising that the WNBA is a lot more accepting of “alternative lifestyles” than the NBA is, but for No. 1 draft pick Brittney Griner it doesn’t make her much nevermind. Before Monday, it was a toss-up whether the Baylor grad would be heading to the WNBA or charting new territory with the Dallas Mavericks, as owner Mark Cuban claimed he’d give the Houston-born baller a shot to try out. But four days ago, the Phoenix Mercury scooped up the 22-year-old before he had a chance to make good on that offer, and from an interview with Sports Illustrated it’s clear she already feels at home.

Asked along with the No. 2 and 3 draft picks, Elena Delle Donne and Skylar Diggins, why coming out in women’s sports is more accepted as opposed to men’s, Brittney said:

“I really couldn’t give an answer on why that’s so different. Being one that’s out, it’s just being who you are. Again, like I said, just be who you are. Don’t worry about what other people are going to say, because they’re always going to say something, but, if you’re just true to yourself, let that shine through. Don’t hide who you really are.”

At 6’8″ it’s hard for Brittney to hide much — a reality that made being “out” much less of a deal for her, she told SI when asked whether it was difficult for her to be openly gay.

“It really wasn’t too difficult, I wouldn’t say I was hiding or anything like that. I’ve always been open about who I am and my sexuality. So, it wasn’t hard at all. If I can show that I’m out and I’m fine and everything’s OK, then hopefully the younger generation will definitely feel the same way.”

Whether the NBA adopts such an open and accepting attitude — along with the NFL and other predominately male sports — remains to be seen. But so far, it looks like we can chop up the WNBA’s LGBTQ acceptance as yet another example of how women are surpassing men.

In honor of Women’s History Month this March, we’re counting down monumental magazine cover firsts for African American women.

Though it was just a sketch, in January 1965, Donyale Luna became the first black woman to cover Harper’s Bazaar.

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It certainly doesn’t have to be Black History Month to celebrate the achievements of some of yesterday’s, today’s and always classic superstars. This time we take a quick journey in the entertainment and sports fields (with maybe a little taste of “spice” on one or two of them). Of course, you’ll know some of them but what I’d REALLY love is if you’d add some in the comments section that maybe some of us didn’t know. Each one teach, one!

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Untidy as his looks may be, and eager as we the supporters of a more moralistic America may have been to see him with just one wife (i.e. his ex, Toya), Lil Wayne has curried favor with many a woman in the industry.

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