WNBA MVP Sheryl Swoopes: "I'm Gay" - GoFuckYourself.com

mal · 10-26-2005, 11:20 AM

NEW YORK (Ticker) - Three-time WNBA MVP Sheryl Swoopes revealed she is gay in the latest issue of ESPN The Magazine released Wednesday.

In a first-person account, Swoopes - who teamed with Lisa Leslie and Rebecca Lobo in the marketing and promotion of the fledgling women's basketball league almost 10 years ago - explained why she came out, her potential impact on young female fans and the perceived double-standard regarding gays in men's and women's sports.

"My reason for coming out now isn't to be some sort of hero," Swoopes, 34, told the magazine. "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. I'm tired of having to hide my feelings about the person I care about, about the person I love."

Since joining the WNBA in the mid-1990s, Swoopes has married, given birth to a son now 8 years old and divorced. She maintains the breakup of her marriage was not because of her sexuality, which she says has changed over the last several years.

"I didn't always know I was gay. I honestly didn't," she said. "Do I think I was born this way? No. And that's probably confusing to some, because I know a lot of people believe that you are.

"Being with a man was what I wanted. When I got divorced in 1999, it wasn't because I'm gay."

A handful of prominent athletes have come out during their careers, including tennis players Martina Navratilova and Amelie Mauresmo, diver Greg Louganis and golfer Rosie Jones.

However, Swoopes may be the most prominent team sports athlete to make her alternative lifestyle public.

Swoopes' accomplishments in women's basketball are virtually unparalleled. She led Texas Tech to the NCAA title in 1993, when she was named Player of the Year and set a record by scoring 46 points in the championship game.

In international basketball, Swoopes has collected three gold medals as a member of Team USA at the 1996, 2000 and 2004 Olympics.

And in the WNBA, no player has had the combination of individual and team success of Swoopes. After giving birth to her son, Jordan, she returned late in the 1997 season and teamed with Cynthia Cooper to lead the Houston Comets to the league's first four championships.

Swoopes won her first WNBA MVP award in 2000 but missed the following season due to injury. She returned to win MVP honors in 2002 and again this season, when she led the league in scoring and minutes and was second in steals.

Also a three-time WNBA Defensive Player of the Year, Swoopes is worried that her accomplishments on the court and off will be obscured by her sexuality.

"My biggest concern is that people are going to look at my homosexuality and say to little girls - whether they're white, black, Hispanic - that I can't be their role model anymore," she said. "I don't want that to happen.

"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."

Swoopes does not understand why the public makes a big deal of lesbians competing in sports but ignores the probability that there are gay male pro athletes as well.

"What really irritates me is when people talk about football, baseball and the NBA, you don't hear all of this talk about gay guys playing," she said. "But when you talk about the WNBA, then it becomes an issue.

"Sexuality and gender don't change anyone's performance on the court. Women play just as hard as guys do. We're just as competitive."

Swoopes would love to see an active male athlete come out but doubts it will happen.

"I don't know if a guy will have the courage to come out while he's still playing because of the whole male-ego thing," she said. "Male athletes of my caliber probably feel like they have a lot more to lose than gain. I don't agree with that. To me, the most important thing is happiness."

http://sports.yahoo.com/wnba/news;_y...v=st&type=lgns

jawanda · 10-26-2005, 01:14 PM

Wow didn't see that one coming lol

-P

PS: I could watch this pretty much all day long:

Vitasoy · 10-26-2005, 01:27 PM

Hey, if shes happy.. that's all that matters

Monique Niccole · 10-26-2005, 01:28 PM

Wow. Lesbians in the WNBA...who'da thunk it?

Sosa · 10-26-2005, 01:29 PM

good for her to get it out.

FluxAds · 10-26-2005, 01:29 PM

shocker! there goes my chances!

baddog · 10-26-2005, 01:30 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Afrekete

Wow. Lesbians in the WNBA...who'da thunk it?

No kidding, next you are going to tell me that there are lesbians in the LPGA, or in women's tennis.

Holly Lez! · 10-26-2005, 01:37 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by baddog

No kidding, next you are going to tell me that there are lesbians in the LPGA, or in women's tennis.

Or softball or Gay Porn LOL

NoCarrier · 10-26-2005, 01:39 PM

OMG!!!! There are lesbians in the lesbian community?!

lesbodojo · 10-26-2005, 01:40 PM

Oh didn't you know that we are recruiting?

If I can convert 2 more, I get a toaster oven.

Pornwolf · 10-26-2005, 02:05 PM

Naah, there's no way! Hahaha

I'd be more surprised to see confirmed straight women in the WNBA.

10-26-2005, 11:20 AM	#1
mal Confirmed User Join Date: Dec 2003 Posts: 1,899	WNBA MVP Sheryl Swoopes: "I'm Gay" NEW YORK (Ticker) - Three-time WNBA MVP Sheryl Swoopes revealed she is gay in the latest issue of ESPN The Magazine released Wednesday. In a first-person account, Swoopes - who teamed with Lisa Leslie and Rebecca Lobo in the marketing and promotion of the fledgling women's basketball league almost 10 years ago - explained why she came out, her potential impact on young female fans and the perceived double-standard regarding gays in men's and women's sports. "My reason for coming out now isn't to be some sort of hero," Swoopes, 34, told the magazine. "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. I'm tired of having to hide my feelings about the person I care about, about the person I love." Since joining the WNBA in the mid-1990s, Swoopes has married, given birth to a son now 8 years old and divorced. She maintains the breakup of her marriage was not because of her sexuality, which she says has changed over the last several years. "I didn't always know I was gay. I honestly didn't," she said. "Do I think I was born this way? No. And that's probably confusing to some, because I know a lot of people believe that you are. "Being with a man was what I wanted. When I got divorced in 1999, it wasn't because I'm gay." A handful of prominent athletes have come out during their careers, including tennis players Martina Navratilova and Amelie Mauresmo, diver Greg Louganis and golfer Rosie Jones. However, Swoopes may be the most prominent team sports athlete to make her alternative lifestyle public. Swoopes' accomplishments in women's basketball are virtually unparalleled. She led Texas Tech to the NCAA title in 1993, when she was named Player of the Year and set a record by scoring 46 points in the championship game. In international basketball, Swoopes has collected three gold medals as a member of Team USA at the 1996, 2000 and 2004 Olympics. And in the WNBA, no player has had the combination of individual and team success of Swoopes. After giving birth to her son, Jordan, she returned late in the 1997 season and teamed with Cynthia Cooper to lead the Houston Comets to the league's first four championships. Swoopes won her first WNBA MVP award in 2000 but missed the following season due to injury. She returned to win MVP honors in 2002 and again this season, when she led the league in scoring and minutes and was second in steals. Also a three-time WNBA Defensive Player of the Year, Swoopes is worried that her accomplishments on the court and off will be obscured by her sexuality. "My biggest concern is that people are going to look at my homosexuality and say to little girls - whether they're white, black, Hispanic - that I can't be their role model anymore," she said. "I don't want that to happen. "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." Swoopes does not understand why the public makes a big deal of lesbians competing in sports but ignores the probability that there are gay male pro athletes as well. "What really irritates me is when people talk about football, baseball and the NBA, you don't hear all of this talk about gay guys playing," she said. "But when you talk about the WNBA, then it becomes an issue. "Sexuality and gender don't change anyone's performance on the court. Women play just as hard as guys do. We're just as competitive." Swoopes would love to see an active male athlete come out but doubts it will happen. "I don't know if a guy will have the courage to come out while he's still playing because of the whole male-ego thing," she said. "Male athletes of my caliber probably feel like they have a lot more to lose than gain. I don't agree with that. To me, the most important thing is happiness." http://sports.yahoo.com/wnba/news;_y...v=st&type=lgns

10-26-2005, 01:27 PM	#3
Vitasoy GFY HALL OF FAME DAMMIT!!! Join Date: Oct 2003 Posts: 58,202	Hey, if shes happy.. that's all that matters __________________ [email protected]

10-26-2005, 01:29 PM	#6
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10-26-2005, 01:39 PM	#9
NoCarrier We need more free porn Join Date: Mar 2002 Location: Montreal Posts: 16,356	OMG!!!! There are lesbians in the lesbian community?! __________________

10-26-2005, 01:40 PM	#10
lesbodojo Confirmed User Join Date: Sep 2003 Location: San Francisco Posts: 2,839	Oh didn't you know that we are recruiting? If I can convert 2 more, I get a toaster oven. __________________ Adult DVDs + Amateur Video Mobile Porn (iPad, Android, iPhone, + Palm Pre) Promote SkinVideo! Payoneer Payouts Available! Let's talk! icq 328.047.782 aim/yim/skype: lesbodojo or lesbodojo at skinvideo dot com

10-26-2005, 01:14 PM	#2
jawanda Confirmed User Join Date: Feb 2003 Posts: 6,040	Wow didn't see that one coming lol -P PS: I could watch this pretty much all day long:

10-26-2005, 01:28 PM	#4
Monique Niccole Confirmed User Industry Role: Join Date: Nov 2002 Location: San Francisco Posts: 5,653	Wow. Lesbians in the WNBA...who'da thunk it?

10-26-2005, 01:29 PM	#5
Sosa In Tushy Land Join Date: Oct 2002 Location: Nebraska Posts: 40,149	good for her to get it out.

10-26-2005, 02:05 PM	#11
Pornwolf Drunk and Unruly Join Date: Jan 2002 Location: Hollywood Posts: 22,712	Naah, there's no way! Hahaha I'd be more surprised to see confirmed straight women in the WNBA. __________________ I've trusted my sites to them for over a decade... Webair, bitches.