Can One Gay Athlete May A Difference?

This week has created buzz around the possibility of Jason Collins, one of the modern day LGBT sports pioneers, being signed to a contract by the New York Knicks. This would mark Collins' first active player status while being an out gay man, as he proclaimed to the world this past summer. Many have talked, commented and speculated what it would mean to have a knowingly gay man step onto the NBA court for arguably the first time ... but would it actually make a difference for LGBT athletes?

Well, to get a hint at the answer let's look at a previous example. Robbie Rogers is proclaimed to be the first out gay male in a major sport to actually play. He has been well received, welcomed and embraced by Major League Soccer's limited fan base and players, coaches and owners. Has anything really changed in MLS? One can argue it is too soon to tell, but the results have been positive. There is chatter about how well teammates and others have celebrated Rogers' coming out and ability to be his true self. Could this be a model to replicate with Collins?

I'd venture to say absolutely, yes. The sooner we get openly gay players onto the court, the quicker we can start fully breaking down the equality barrier that has separated the haves from the have nots for so many years. After all, the intriguing attribute about Collins coming out was that he had the potential to actually be an active player. Numerous NFL and other major sport athletes have come out, but only after their careers had ended. What Collins and Rogers did was different.

Although not all issues may not be eradicated by the Knicks potentially signing Collins, it will certainly make a significant inroads towards acceptance. Remember, progress isn't the movement from one extreme to the other, but rather ensuring the equality ticker is constantly moving in the right direction.