I’d like to think that President Barack Obama spoke for the rest of us yesterday, when he said, “America should be proud that this is just one more step in this ongoing recognition that we treat everybody fairly, and everybody’s part of a family…and I’m very proud of him.”  We are all so incredibly proud of you, Jason.

To say yesterday was emotional would be a disservice to the word.  Yesterday was beautiful.  For the first time in A CENTURY of professional sports, a man felt comfortable enough with his own sexuality to not only let his teammates know, but the entire nation.  The report, released in a Sports Illustrated column yesterday, garnered national exposure, and rightfully so.  I’d be lying if I said that I didn’t hold my breath for the first hour upon hearing the news, not because of disagreement, but rather because of fear, that our country would retaliate in a negative and ignorant fashion.  I couldn’t have been more wrong.

Dozens of NBA players sent Collins text messages, many through social media, and even President Barack Obama shared some words with Collins over the telephone.  Collins responded, “I feel incredibly supported, I think the country is ready to support an openly gay athlete.”

Of course, there will always be backlash.  Miami Dolphins Wide Reciever Mike Wallace tweeted this in the wake of the news:

All these beautiful women in the world and guys wanna mess with other guys SMH...

This is where the magic happened.  Wallace received so many critical responses outlining his ignorance that he removed the tweet completely.  I’d like all of us to take a moment and congratulate ourselves on how far our society has come, how far the public opinion has changed in the right direction, and the potential that all of us can find in a country that is accepting of everyone.

“I hope that every player makes a decision that leads to their own happiness, whatever happiness that is in life,” Collins stated. “I know that I, right now, am the happiest that I’ve ever been in my life.”

Jason Collins was traded this past season from the Boston Celtics to the Washington Wizards, and is now officially a free agent.  It’ll be interesting to see whether or not Jason Collins’ career continues, as his minutes and services have steadily decreased since he was drafted into the league in 2001 by the New Jersey Nets.  But the 34-year-old can play, he’s 7 ft. tall and his defensive abilities make him a marketable player for a variety of teams, including the Boston Celtics (who did everything in their power to try and keep him out of the trade), and the Houston Rockets.

Perhaps now is not the time to debate over his future.  Perhaps now is the time to sit in this moment, to cherish how incredible yesterday was, and to look to the future when other male athletes will inevitably take Collins’ lead and come out.  For anyone, coming out can be a difficult and often solitary event.  As someone who has tried to comfort his sister when she felt she had absolutely no one to talk to about her sexuality, I’ve seen a fair amount of how difficult the process can be.  To those who are attempting to face this alone, know that us allies are here for you.  It’s interesting to not that it took men 32 years longer than women to find ourselves in this moment.  Professional tennis player, Martina Navratilova defied the WTA’s wishes and announced her homosexuality to the world in 1981, becoming the first female athlete to come out.  I think Martina’s smile is as bright as anyones on a day like today.