QUESTION

Will coming out improve my play on the court?

Answer

Hey there,

This is one of those questions that sounds a little silly out loud, doesn't it? But it also falls into a certain kind of question that can riddle queer folks with guilt and anxiety — am I being the best version of me? And is not coming out preventing me from being my best?

Firstly: There's no correlation between improved play on the basketball court and being openly expressive with your identity (my bball career, which ended in my early 20s, is an example of that ha). Folks in my queer community *have* expressed feeling lighter and generally more at ease after coming out or transitioning, but I think they'd also say they're generally still working on being their best versions, just like everyone else.

If you can, be easier on yourself and the idea of your identity holding you back when it might not even be time to express it. Eventually it'll be a superpower, but you're on no one's clock but your own. In my experience, the anxiety can be worse than the actual issue, so for now I'd say just focus on you, your teammates and your love for the game.

Reed Jackson
he / him

is a writer at UNINTERRUPTED. He grew up a basketball player in a basketball-playing family, but was always secretly more of a sensitive art kid on the inside. He still cheers on his Blazers and Ducks, but has gotten increasingly more involved in LGBTQ+ rights and social justice as he's gotten more comfortable with his identity.