You Know What’s Even COOLER About Jason Collins Becoming the First Openly Gay Professional Athlete?

Tonight at the Staples center, newly-signed Brooklyn Nets center Jason Collins checked into the game, becoming the first openly gay professional athlete to play in the four major sports leagues. Collins taking the floor in Los Angeles is a momentous, historic occasion, knocking down a massive taboo about sexuality in the world of professional sports. Here’s the moment it happened, with the crowd’s reaction, for posterity sake:

You know what I think is even cooler about this, though? The fact that after tonight’s game, Collins is going to do something that’s symbolically huge for the LGBT community:

 

If you’re not familiar, Matthew Shepard was a gay University of Wyoming student who was tied to a fence, pistol-whipped, and left to die in a vicious hate murder in October, 1998. In the decade after, the crime lead to hate crime legislation for those targeted on the basis of  sexual orientation at the federal level.

Honoring Matthew Shepard’s memory is the very core definition of a Bro move by Collins. Hopefully it provides a reminder of just how destructive and devastating hate can be.

Brandon Wenerd is BroBible's publisher, writing on this site since 2009. He writes about sports, music, men's fashion, outdoor gear, traveling, skiing, and epic adventures. Based in Los Angeles, he also enjoys interviewing athletes and entertainers. Proud Penn State alum, former New Yorker. Email: brandon@brobible.com