NEW YORK (AP) - Houston Comets forward Sheryl Swoopes is opening up about being a lesbian, telling a magazine that she's "tired of having to hide my feelings about the person I care about."

Swoopes, honored last month as the WNBA's Most Valuable Player, told ESPN The Magazine for a story on newsstands Wednesday that she didn't always know she was gay and fears that coming out could jeopardize her status as a role model.
"Do I think I was born this way? No," Swoopes said. "And that's probably confusing to some, because I know a lot of people believe that you are."


Three-time WNBA MVP Sheryl Swoopes opened up about her sexuality in a recent magazine interview. (Steve Yeater / Associated Press)

Swoopes, who was married and has an 8-year-old son, said her 1999 divorce "wasn't because I'm gay."

She said her reason for coming out now is merely because she wants to be honest.

"It's not something that I want to throw in people's faces. I'm just at a point in my life where I'm tired of having to pretend to be somebody I'm not," the 34-year-old Swoopes said. "I'm tired of having to hide my feelings about the person I care about. About the person I love."

A release from ESPN The Magazine about the story did not disclose the identity of Swoopes' partner.

A five-time All-Star and three-time Olympic gold medalist, Swoopes is the WNBA's only three-time MVP. She played for the Comets during their run of four championships from 1997-2000, but missed the 2001 season with a knee injury.

She said her biggest worry about her revelation is that people will be afraid to look up to her.

"I don't want that to happen," she said. "Being gay has nothing to do with the three gold medals or the three MVPs or the four championships I've won. I'm still the same person. I'm Sheryl."

Swoopes led the WNBA in scoring last year, averaging 18.6 points. She also averaged 4.3 assists and 2.65 steals while making 85 percent of her free throws and playing a league-high 37.1 minutes a game.

She said it "irritates" her that no one talks about gays playing in men's sports, but that it's become an issue in the WNBA.

"Sexuality and gender don't change anyone's performance on the court," she said. "Women play just as hard as guys do. We're just as competitive."


http://msn.foxsports.com/other/story/5025926

cause u arent born gay

@ Bone, Yeah. It Is a choice you make yourself. Although I do see some lil dudes, I mean like 5-6 yrs. old with feminiem ways, shit Is crazy and I know Im not the only one who has, so maybe some people are born this way.

no offense, but aren't there alot of lesbians in the WNBA? i can't think of any girls i see who play basketball and who aren't or maybe gay.

lesbian is gay lol. you mean bi?

gay, bi whatever. lol

why would she come out about it?..no one cares.

Was this a surprise to anyone?, not me. Half them chicks are Hard Body!

All the homosexuals I know say they were born that way. A lot of em even say they messed with females but they didn't like it and thats how they knew. Anyway I could give a fuck about Swoopes being a lesbian SHE STILL IS RAW ON THE COURT. And I really dont mind gay men as long as they dont try that gay shit on me.

VERSE

Yo, I worked @ this company that had like two or three gay dudes. After work they used to go to this spot for happy hour. One day one of the gay dudes was like (In a gay voice) "we goin to happy hour after work, you should come". I was like get your happy ass the fuck outta here faggot. Nah, HAHAHAAHHA, I was just like Im good man. But that shit was crazy uncomfortable every time I saw dude.

maybe he thought you were..."the one" Just kidding homie. Could not resist.

I know one or 2 gay dudes and its funny, i talk to them the same way i would a regular dude (for the most part) and they do likewise. If a gay dude ever came at me like that I would be shocked. I think I would laugh as long as nobody else heard it, but if somebody did I would unfortunately be forced to mule kick that nigga in the stomach against my will. (Rule 22 on page 613 of the Peer Pressure handbook.)

HAHAHAHA, you funny. But, I aint "the one" he thought I was.

i dont think you are born gay but i dont necessarilly think you make the choice eitha cuz in society today it can be dangerous to be a homo. who would want tobe an outcast to society?

GOOD FOR HER....


I'M HAPPY FOR HER AND "SCOTTY"



MAY THEY LIVE HAPPILY FOREVER !!!!


ALL LESBIANS NEED TO COME OUT AND BE REAL
WIT IT.. WHEN I TOLD MY PARENTS I WAS IN LOVE WITH A WOMAN LAST YEAR.. MY MOM WAS DELIGHTED.. MY DAD DIDNT SPEAK TO ME FOR A LONG TIME..
I'M NO LONGER IN LOVE WITH HER.. DUE TO SITUATIONS I HAD TO MOVE ON, BUT SHE IS STILL AN IMPORTANT PART OF MY LIFE.. I'M HER CHILD'S GOD MOTHER.. I COULDN'T ASK FOR THINGS TO BE ANY OTHER WAY...

yeah but isn't half or all of the WNBA gay as hell......lmao

Man. I never thought Sheryl Swoopes was gay though with her being married and all. But it seems like she's still confused about her sexuality becuase that homo activity starts in childhood. Man I was wondering if my little cousin is. When he was five that nigga grabbed on my thing. I thought he was just being curious but his mom whipped the shit out his ass. I guess she was tryin to beat the sissy out of him but I don't think thats possible. I felt bad for him because he was only being himself and he may have just been curious. And you wonder why its hard for some people to come out of the closet. Especially in black society. I think its just completely wrong to physically punish a child so that he won't be gay. That's totally backward.

lostgyrl i didnt know u were gay but anywho




i think like the environment that your around can influence you.... like they say your more likely to be lezbian if you have an older brother and not a sister.... i have an older brother.. and i guess im kind of 'tom-boyish' in some ways... and i have a friend thats a guy and whose gay.. and he has no father figure he lives with him mom and his sister.... but im not saying thats always the case but that could have some influence on it...

and what do you guys feel about the bible kind of sayin that being gay is wrong?

who gives a fuck, dont watch wnba anywayz