Jason Collins will be marching in Boston’s gay pride parade today, and tweeted this photo with Joe Kennedy III, Congressman for the 4th District of Massachusetts.
Collins came out as gay in April, becoming the America’s first gay male professional major league active team sports player to come out as gay. “I’m a 34-year-old NBA center. I’m black. And I’m gay,†he said at the time in a Sports Illustrated op-ed.
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The Boston Globe earlier this week noted “Saturday, he’ll march in the Boston Pride Parade with his college roommate, Representative Joseph P. Kennedy III.”
“I knew coming out that I was going to walk with my old college roommate, and getting to throw the first pitch out is sort of icing on the cake,†said Collins. “I saw that Joe had participated in the parade last summer and I was very proud of him. I was also partly jealous.
“I don’t know what to expect. I’ve never been to a Pride parade. Joe has told me, ‘Prepare for anything.’ I’m looking forward to a brand new experience and really seeing the community celebrate who we are. That sense of acceptance will be a lot of fun.â€
For Collins, traveling to Boston and, in particular, marching with Kennedy will be a full-circle experience. When he learned that Kennedy had marched in last year’s event, it helped Collins realize he wanted to come out and celebrate gay pride, too. The Marathon bombings provided a final push out of his closeted life.
“I lived a couple blocks away from Copley Square,†said Collins, who played in 32 games for the Celtics this season before a February trade sent him to Washington. “I knew where the bombings took place. I used to walk up and down Boylston Street a lot.
“The tragic event was another reminder that there are no guarantees in life and that there is no perfect time to do something. It was a reminder that things can change in an instant. So why not start today living your life in a genuine and honest way?â€
Last week, Congressman Kennedy had tweeted this:
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Hat tip: Blabbeando