Out Spotlight XXIV

Today we'll focus on out WNBA athlete Sheryl Swoopes. Swoopes played 11 years for the WNBA's Houston Comets, who won 4 WNBA championships with her at forward. Two months ago, Swoopes signed to play with the Seattle Storm. Swoopes has won 3 Olympic gold medals and was a 3-time WNBA MVP. Swoopes' college team, the Texas Tech Lady Raiders, won the NCAA championship in 1993, when she was a senior.

Swoopes was the first player signed into the WNBA when it was created. She played the last third of that first season after giving birth to her son, Jordan, and lead her team to the first WNBA championship. Swoopes is known for great offense and defense, and has been called the female Michael Jordan. Swoopes was the first women's basketball player to have a Nike shoe named after her- the "Air Swoopes."

Swoopes married in 1995 and had her son. The couple divorced in 1999, with joint child custody. In 2005, Swoopes came out publicly as a lesbian. Her partner is former basketball player and Houston Comets assistant coach, Alisa Scott. Swoopes and Scott are raising Swoopes' son together.

Swoopes told ESPN-

"It doesn't change who I am. I can't help who I fall in love with. No one can. .. Discovering I'm gay just sort of happened much later in life. Being intimate with [Alisa] or any other woman never entered my mind. At the same time, I'm a firm believer that when you fall in love with somebody, you can't control that."

"But I'm tired of being miserable. Not being free to be who I am, not being OK with other people knowing who I am -- it has been miserable. And it hurts. I'm a very affectionate person. Going out to the movies or dinner, seeing so-called normal couples show affection in public and knowing that I can't, that hurts. It's frustrating to keep everything inside and not be who I want to be. I'm sure life is not going to be easier for me just because I'm coming out. But at least I'll be free."

The ESPN story

What's interesting is that the WNBA has a reputation for having many lesbian fans and players. I had season tickets to the Washington Mystics for several years and I can attest to the game's popularity among lesbians. Also, many of us would talk at the games about who was or was not gay in the league. Swoopes was one of the names that was often mentioned as a probable lesbian.

The WNBA has had difficulty in dealing with its gay players and fans. Active players have been discouraged from coming out. There was a controversy in Washington a few years ago over a feature at games that involved showing kissing couples on the Jumbotron. They would never show two women, despite the fact that there were numerous lesbian couples kissing in the stands trying to get pictured. They never did show lesbian couple that I know of and they ended the feature after the complaints from the gay community. I say kudos to Swoopes for having the guts to come out while still playing.












Sheryl Swoopes in 2001.












Sheryl and Alisa.

Swoopes talks more about coming out