By The Associated Press
NEW YORK – 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 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."
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 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."
"Sheryl Swoopes is a real hero on and off the court. Being open and honest about your life is an act of bravery," said Human Rights Campaign President Joe Solmonese. "This MVP player and Olympic gold medalist is helping to start real conversations about openness, honesty and authenticity. We commend her for this brave step that will mean so much to her gay, lesbian, bisexual, transgender and straight supportive fans and peers."
"Some people might say my coming out after just winning the MVP award is heroic, and I understand that," Swoopes told ESPN The Magazine. "And I know there are going to be some negative things said, too. But it doesn't change who I am. I can't help who I fall in love with. No one can."
