Brittney Griner Comes Out After Being Chosen as #1 WNBA Draft Pick:

College basketball superstar Brittney Griner came out in an interview with Sports Illustrated magazine shortly after she was picked as the #1 overall pick in the 2013 WNBA draft. Griner was being interviewed with other college basketballs stand-outs Skylar Diggins and Elena Delle Donne. When asked why women are more open about their sexuality than male players, Brittney Griner had this to say, "I really couldn't give an answer on why.


It’s just 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."

And just like that, Brittney Griner came out. Although from her comments, it sounds like she assumed she was already out.

Who is Brittney Griner?:

Brittney Griner is one of the best basketball players to very come out of the women's game. She played for Baylor and led them to a national championship in 2012. She's been an three-time All American, AP Player of the year and MVP at the Final Four, amongst other awards. She is one onf only seven women to dunk during a college basketball game.

Brittney Griner Was Harassed as a Player:

Have no doubt, Brittney Griner was a target when she was a player. As someone with exceptional skills and great height, she was often double or triple-teamed by opposing players and players were often very physical with her.

But that's all part of the game of basketball.

What is more disturbing is how Brittney Griner has been attacked both in social media and in person. It got so bad that Brittney's coach Kim Mulkey held a press conference to address it.

"I don’t want to see any of that garbage. I don’t want to hear about it, because it’s just not right. It’s not healthy,” Kim Mulkey said. “This is someone’s child. This is a human being. She didn’t wake up and say make me look like this, make me 6-foot-8 and have the ability to dunk. This child is as precious as they come. . . . The stuff she’s had to read about, the stuff she’s had to hear, the stuff people say about her, the stuff people write about her, it’s got to stop.”

Kim Mulkey says Brittney Griner has had to endure more than any player she's ever coached. And Brittney Griner admitted she was often a target. In an interview with the Associated Press she said, "It was hard. Just being picked on for being different. Just being bigger, my sexuality, everything. I overcame it and got over it. Definitely something that I am very passionate about. I want to work with kids and bring recognition to the problem, especially with the LGBT community."

It seems she is already an inspiration to her fellow players. Skylar Diggins, who played for college basketball at Notre Dame and was the number three WNBA pick said of Brittney Griner, "I don't think anyone has handled it better than Brittney. It's great to see how she handles herself in this situation. People are cruel. She handles every situation with such class and it's inspiring and she's taught me some things about when people say bad things. She's a poster child for how to handle criticism."

Was it Hard for Brittney Griner to Come Out?:

Brittney was asked in the interview whether it was difficult for her to come out since she is such a high profile player. Brittney answered, "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."

It's great that Brittney Griner sees her coming out as being beneficial to younger people who may be struggling. Although her coming out was treated as no big deal by the media, teen suicide and harassment and bullying of LGBT teens is still an epidemic in this country.

I have heard Brittney Griner interviewed on a number of occasions about different things, mostly her size (She's 6'8" tall) and her basketball skills. She has consistently given a positive message about self-acceptance and crediting her family for teaching her good self-esteem. In an interview on WNBA.com she said, "I'm a different person -- large feet, big hands. I don't have a soft voice. People say I have a deep voice, and yeah, I do. I'm just so comfortable with it and if I can just give that back to the younger generation and younger girls, and younger guys that are different as well. Anybody that's different, be who you are. You never want to change that."

It's No Big Deal-Britteny Griner Came Out:

The news media and general public seemed to not pay much attention to Brittney Griner's coming out as a lesbian. As a matter of fact, she seemed to get a lot more attention for her basketball skills and her ability to dunk the ball. This is how it should be, yes?

She's a smart young woman, an outstanding basketball player, a good role-model for young girls, and oh yeah, she's a lesbian.

But It is a Big Deal that Brittney Griner Came Out:

Even though Brittney Griner's coming out was not treated as big news in the media, it still is a big deal for young people struggling with their sexuality knowing that someone so famous and so important is not worried at all about the impact of her coming out on her career. As Brittney said in an interview with USA Today, "I can't help but cry when I talk about bullying, just thinking about the suicide rate. I know what those kids are going through."

Reactions to Brittney Griner Coming Out:

When I posted on my Facebook page that Brittney Griner's coming out was pretty much a non-story, Judy Dlugacz, president of Olivia Travel company, who sponsors many out lesbian athletes and others had this to say, "Not a non-story...but another important one. We still have a long way to go in many parts of the country and the world...so everyone coming out adds another voice to change. This continues to be an act of courage until it is commonplace..."