It was a rare
sight to see — at least in NBA circles — when Reggie Bullock of the New York
Knicks emerged from the team locker room on Pride Night and walked on the court
at Madison Square Garden with Rainbow sneakers and Rainbow-dyed streaks in his
hair.
But it was by
no means a surprise.
The 6-foot-6,
205-pound 28-year-old has matched his towering presence on the basketball court
with dedicated activism for LGBTQ causes off the court in the years since his
transgender sister, Mia, was tragically murdered. Bullock made a mark in the
city’s queer community even before he joined the Knicks this past off-season,
having been part of the NBA’s contingent in New York’s LGBTQ Pride March in
years past as well as turning out for events hosted by organizations like
GLAAD. But since moving to New York, he has quickly established himself as a
reliable straight ally in the local community.
Most recently,
Bullock’s work has included visiting and speaking with students involved with the
Hetrick-Martin Institute, which serves LGBTQ youth, and he helped them
design Rainbow T-shirts that he and the kids wore on Pride Night January 15
when the Knicks faced the Phoenix Suns.
“The kids
designed the actual letters, and I told them my sister’s story,” Bullock told
Gay City News at the entrance of the Knicks’ locker room on Pride Night. “I
heard different stories of different kids and some kids who hadn’t come out yet
and don’t know how to tell their parents. All in all, it was a great time.
There is nothing better than to talk and interact with those kids.”
No kidding.
Bullock’s face lit up with a smile during pre-game warm-ups when he greeted
those same youth and exchanged pleasantries with Hudson Taylor, the founding
head of the LGBTQ sports advocacy group Athlete
Ally, before he stepped onto the court and swished shot after shot
alongside his Knicks teammates. “Pride Night” was emblazoned on the stadium
jumbotron and rainbows were perched on video boards in all directions.
The evening
held special significance for Bullock because he has endured a rough journey in
recent years: Five years after he lost Mia, tragedy struck yet again this past
October when his other sister, Keiosha, was fatally stabbed. He keeps his
siblings close to his heart on and off the court by channeling his grief into
positive change in society.
“Obviously
something tragic happened to me,” Bullock said. “I stand up for the whole LGBTQ
community. I want to continue using my platform to stand up for all those all
over the world who are fighting for equality on a daily basis. That’s what I’m
about and that’s what my sister believed in.”
Bullock’s work
with Hetrick-Martin and other organizations is apparently making a difference
in NBA locker rooms, which have lacked any out players since Jason Collins —
the first out gay NBA player — retired in November of 2014. Bullock said his
teammates have been supportive of his work on LGBTQ causes, which is refreshing
to hear for queer sports fans, who are left wondering when the hyper-masculine
sports world would ever welcome another out player in the NBA.
“I had some
teammates actually wear the T-shirts to the game today,” Bullock said. “Looking
back to several years ago, I never thought I would be doing this — and it’s going
great so far. I’ve been getting great feedback from players all over the
league.”
Bullock was
unable to play in the Pride game due to a neck injury and he has missed some
time this season, but he has averaged 9.9 points, 1.5 rebounds, and 1.5 assists
per game through his first eight games with the Knicks. He started last season
with the Detroit Pistons before he was traded to the Los Angeles Lakers, where
his teammates included superstar LeBron James.
Although
Bullock is still new to the Knicks, it wasn’t his first taste of Pride Night.
He notably played a major role in leading a Pride Night for the Detroit Pistons
during the 2017-2018 season. By that point, he already had a tattoo that read
“LGBTQ” in honor of his slain sister.
Now, in a new
environment, Bullock participated in Pride festivities with a different team in
a different city — and, to their credit, the Knicks put on a very
front-and-center show with a spotlight on the LGBTQ community throughout the
evening. Within the first half alone, the New York City Gay Men’s Chorus
performed the national anthem, facts about New York City LGBTQ history flashed
across stadium TVs during timeouts, and out gay State Assemblymember Daniel
O’Donnell presented a community leadership award to Destination
Tomorrow, a Bronx LGBTQ community center, and its executive director, Sean
Coleman. An out member of the military was also recognized.
At halftime,
the youth from Hetrick-Martin played in a basketball game on the court and
elicited loud cheers from the MSG faithful. The team, dubbed Soldiers of
Diversity as part of a sports program at Hetrick-Martin, consists of youth of
different sexual orientations, gender identities, races, and backgrounds. The
halftime game represented a warming moment on a special night of celebrating
New York’s boundless diversity.
Bullock,
meanwhile, is planning to continue pushing for queer rights well into the future.
And though he hopes to make an impact far beyond the professional sports world,
he is well aware that much work remains in his own workplace. He is at least
framing that thought in an optimistic mindset — perhaps because he’s confident
that he and others can help foster a more inclusive atmosphere.
“Obviously we
don’t have an out player in our league, but with players like me who continue
to stand up and use my platform, possibly one day somebody who is a part of the
community can be in this league,” he said.
Of course,
Bullock will carry the memory of his sisters along with him every step of the
way. They were and still are with him, even in remembrance, so much so that he
hopes fans in the future will look back at his tenure in the NBA and recall the
impact he made off the court as much as his time on the court.
“[Mia] was a
part of the community, she believed in everybody, she wanted everything to be
equal, she was a regular person, and that’s what she stood for,” Bullock said.
“I try to carry it over [with me]. It’s part of who I am and it’s a part of the
legacy I want to leave behind.”
SOURCE: GCN
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