Gay sport star Jason Collins speaks out against ‘license to discriminate’ bill
By Will Stroude
Retired NBA player Jason Collins has spoken out about Indiana’s controversial religious freedom bill, asking the US state’s governor whether as a gay man he will face discrimination when he visits for sports fixtures.
The Indiana House of Representatives passed the bill yesterday (March 23) by a vote of 63-31, in a move that would allow private businesses, individuals and organizations to discriminate against LGBT individuals on religious grounds. The states’s Republican governor Mike Pence has already said is “looking forward” to signing the bill into law.
The basketball star tweeted Governor Pence directly yesterday (March 23), asking whether it would be legal for people to discriminate against him when he visits the state later this year:
.@GovPenceIN, is it going to be legal for someone to discriminate against me & others when we come to the #FinalFour? http://t.co/uBlKbIf8YK
— Jason Collins (@jasoncollins98) March 23, 2015
Collins made history as the first openly gay active player in the four major US sports leagues last year, after originally coming out as gay in April 2013. He played for 13 seasons in the NBA for multiple teams, including the New Jersey Nets.
The 36-year-old – who is currently in a relationship with film producer Brunson Green – is set to visit in Indiana as a Yahoo Sports analyst covering the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) Final Four later this year.
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