(The Root) — In an upcoming issue of Sports Illustrated, Washington Wizards center Jason Collins announces that he is gay, making him the first openly gay man to actively play as a professional in an American team sport. In the article, slated to run May 6, 2013, Collins said that when he was younger, he dated women and even got engaged, trying to live the life he felt he was supposed to live. "I kept telling myself the sky was red," he said, "but I always knew it was blue."
Undoubtedly, fear of the world's reaction is a motivator for people to stay in the closet, especially for those living in the public eye. Once the news broke, Twitter wasted no time responding with tweets ranging from supportive and encouraging to acerbic. Everyone had something to say, even celebs like Spike Lee, who spent the morning swatting away homophobic tweets. Here is a smattering of some of Twitter's positive responses to the news.
Tracy Clayton is a writer, humorist and blogger from Louisville, Ky.