An NBA referee has decided to come out as gay following an on-court incident involving a player repeatedly calling him a “faggot.”
Bill Kennedy began his career as a referee in the NBA in the 1995-96 season and has refrained from going public with being gay until now, but after a verbal spout with Rajon Rondo of the Sacramento Kings, felt it was his time to speak up.
In a statement to Yahoo Sports, Kennedy said:
“I am proud to be an NBA referee and I am proud to be a gay man. I am following in the footsteps of others who have self-identified in the hopes that will send a message to young men and women in sports that you must allow no one to make you feel ashamed of who you are.”
Kennedy ejected Rondo from a game on December 3rd for back-to-back technical fouls, but Rondo remained on the court, reportedly “stalking Kennedy.”
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Then, according to Yahoo Sports Rondo told Kennedy: “You’re a mother-fucking faggot. … You’re a fucking faggot, Billy.”
NBA Commissioner Adam Silver also provided a statement:
“I wholeheartedly support Bill’s decision to live his life proudly and openly. Throughout his 18-year career with the league, Bill has excelled as a referee because of his passion, dedication and courage. Those qualities will continue to serve him well both as a game official and as a positive influence for others. While our league has made great progress, our work continues to ensure that everyone is treated with respect and dignity.”
Rondo was suspended for one game by the NBA “for directing a derogatory and offensive term towards a game official and not leaving the court in a timely manner upon his ejection.”
He took to Twitter to offer a pseudo-apology:
My actions during the game were out of frustration and emotion, period!
— Rajon Rondo (@RajonRondo) December 14, 2015
They absolutely do not reflect my feelings toward the LGBT community. I did not mean to offend or disrespect anyone.
— Rajon Rondo (@RajonRondo) December 14, 2015
Christopher Hayward
When will the stupidity cease, why does this have to happen in the 21st century.
scotty
too bad rondo, youre a fucking disgrace to the NBA and humans in general. go fuck yourself you vile person.
Xzamilio
Damn… look at them pecs and those nipples. I mean, I’m happy for him… and those suckable pecs and those nipples. Now, let’s see a player of D-Wade or Lebron James caliber come out of the closet and really shut the homophobes up once and for all.
Douglas Schlitz
Bullshit, Blanche, the only reason the player apologized is because he was called on it.
Chris
If a player knew enough to call him that during a game, then the guy was at least out enough that some people knew. Congrats to him for being unafraid and coming out fully.
As regards the “excuse” that the terms was used in anger and should not be interpreted to offend or disrespect anyone, I guess I am now free to use the N-word as long as it is only used in anger and no offense/disrespect is intended. Of course, that’s not true; and regardless intent, word – even if used in anger – hurt, disrespect others, and are offensive.
So remember: when your kindergarten or grade-school teacher used to tell you to “use your words,” (s)he did not mean that it’s okay to use hurting words.
Tackle
Reverse this, and I bet had HE called someone a “Fu**ing Faggot” this thread would have five times the number of post…
tricky ricky
I tweeted the little bully boy back.
Blackceo
So Rondo is a Grade A asshole. He’s not sorry. He apologized because the heat was coming down.
Meanwhile, ref is a Zaddy!!!!!
Brian JC Kneeland
I’m glad for the referee – and sad that the player still does not understand what he did was wrong. He should have received more than a one game suspension!
n900mixalot
@Xzamilio: I know! The man is FOINE!!!!
Timothy Herbert
Rajon Rondo; your anger reveals your true opinion. You may regret having said what you said, but your opinion of ‘faggots’ is obvious.
CWM85
Rondo is a closet queen himself… smh…
Kieran
Homophobia is still not taken seriously in professional sports. If a white player had directed racial slurs at Mr. Kennedy he would be kicked out of the NBA on his arse.
John Malin
Perhaps the f#cking player ass wipe should be banned from the game.
Kevin J Desmond
He’s a fucken piece of trash and he should have been banned from the game for the whole season and fined $2 million dollars.
martinbakman
Rajon Rondo is just another in a long line of NBA players that call refs and even fans “f@ggot”.
I lost interest in the Lakers way back when Shaq left and but they really dropped in my esteem when Kobe called a ref an effing f@g a few years ago.
My heart goes out to gay refs and players that have to work around these angry morons.
And yeah, Kennedy does have a nice form doesn’t he. 🙂
BigG
Rondo is a piece of shit. This is not how I feel about all pieces of shit, it’s just my frustration and is in no way a reflection of the shit community. Just rondo is shit.
Sluggo2007
“You’re a mother-fucking faggot. … You’re a fucking faggot, Billy.” Gee. Rondo is one classy guy, isn’t he?
asa1973
I agree Rondo is a piece of shit, but I really thought there would be more people congratulating that fine ref for coming fully out. It is a great way to make what happened constructive and to stand up to people like Rondo. Are there only a few queerty readers who will take a moment to commend Kennedy? This story is not just about Rondo’s cowardice.
Kangol
Congrats to Bill Kennedy for coming out and not letting Rajan Rondo’s stupid hom0phobia dominate the story! Kennedy is clearly a beautiful man inside and out–PHO!NE!!!–and his bravery will inspire others.
Also props to the NBA for standing behind its ref and for not letting Rondo get away with his idiocy.
I am glad, though, that he apologized, and didn’t use weasel words about how it was all on Kennedy or LGBTIQ people, like so many pathetic hom0phobes do.
JerseyMike
All derogatory words hurt on some level.. we don’t want people saying them to use or about us.. We also need to think about the words that come out of our mouths out of anger, frustration or humor..
JerseyMike
OH!! I think he is HOT!!!
money718
@CWM85: Ain’t that the truth, but he is not alone.
CWM85
Rondo is a closet queen scared of his own homosexuality so he has to retort to make slurs. Rondo is lucky this ref showed better restraint by not kicking his ass in front of millions of people on t.v.
Gay Veteran
@Kieran: You have to accept gay isn’t the new black. White gays were not enslaved… this country was not built on the back of white gays. The reaction will never be the same. It’s like a Jewish person trying to compare their plight to the plight of the Natives of this land. Blacks will always get more sympathy.