NBA star Reggie Bullock calls for rainbow-coloured jerseys to ‘incorporate LGBTQ into sports’
ATLANTA, GA – FEBRUARY 11: Reggie Bullock #25 of the Detroit Pistons reacts during the game against the Atlanta Hawks at Philips Arena on February 11, 2018 in Atlanta, Georgia. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images)
NBA star Reggie Bullock is calling for more LGBT+ inclusion in sports and has come up with an idea to bring more colour to the basketball court.
The Detroit Pistons player took to Twitter on Sunday to share his idea of playing in a rainbow-coloured jersey.
“Just woke up out a dream and thought about playing in a [rainbow] colored jersey to incorporate #LGBTQ into sports,” he tweeted.
Bullock then tagged the National Basketball Association directly, urging the league to “make it happen in [his] lifetime.”
Detroit Pistons player Reggie Bullock has long been an advocate of LGBTQ rights (Kevin C. Cox/Getty)
Bullock is no stranger when it comes to publicly standing up for inclusion and LGBTQ rights.
He’s long been a supporter of the community, particularly since his transgender sister, Mia Henderson, was murdered in Baltimore back in 2014.
Since the tragic event, he has had “LGBTQ” and his late sibling’s name tattooed on his leg as well as hosted several events such as a Pride Night, alongside organisations like GLAAD and Athlete Ally.
In April 2013, Jason Collins became the first openly gay athlete competing in a major American team sport.
At the time, he played for the Washington Wizards but has since gone on to rejoin the Nets – now based in Brooklyn rather than New Jersey – and retire.
During many of his games, Collins wore a jersey with the number 98 on it. It was later revealed that he specifically selected that number in honour of American student Matthew Shepard, who was murdered in an anti-gay hate crime in 1998.
In early 2014, sales of Collins’ jersey soared and eventually became the bestseller on the NBA’s online store.
The NBA reportedly donated the proceeds from their sales, as well as proceeds from auctions of Collins’ worn jerseys, to two LGBT charities, the Matthew Shepard Foundation and the Gay, Lesbian & Straight Education Network (GLSEN).
In April 2013, Washington Wizards center Jason Collins came out as the first gay athlete competing in mainstream American sport (Getty)
In 2016, the NBA teamed up with GLSEN and retailer Fanatics to celebrate Pride Month.
The organisations funded the creation of, and then sold, T-shirts with rainbow-coloured NBA logos on them.
Similarly, in 2017, the league partnered with Washington-based advocacy group NGLCC, the National Gay & Lesbian Chamber of Commerce, to help create more opportunities for further LGBTQ-focused businesses to work within and in association with the sport.
In January 2018, the Toronto Raptors hosted a You Can Play night in support of their queer fans.
