Brittney Griner is one of the most talked about athletes in the LGBTQ community. Griner has been a vocal advocate for those hiding from the fact of who they truly are. The 8x WNBA All-Star has never shied away from promoting or encouraging youth and elders alike to be true to themselves. Brittney has been a victim of verbal and mental abuse of not being accepted for her gender identity.
Despite all the struggles she faced concerning her sexual orientation or gender identity. She came out when she was in high school, and wasn’t accepted by both her parents. Her father, Raymond Griner, would not accept the news of her daughter coming out as gay. Even after being bullied in school for looking like a boy and having a deep voice. She inspires young people to not be afraid of coming out.
Griner talked about how it felt like after coming out. “It’s like a light came on me, on the inside, around me… I felt like I was Brittney Griner. I wasn’t hiding anymore,” Griner continued.
How did Sandra Griner react to her daughter, Brittney Griner coming out as gay?
In the book, ‘In My Skin: My Life On and Off the Basketball Court‘, Griner talked about opening up about her sexual identity. In many families, the topic of gender identity and sexual orientation quickly turns out into a debate. Many families don’t accept the decision their children make. It was the same case with Griner, where her father, Raymond, would not accept his daughter to be gay. With this in mind, she decided to open up to her mother.