In 2014, he became the first openly gay male athlete to play in U.S. – Jason Collins, a retired professional basketball player. Be proud and realize that tons of people love you exactly as you 🙂 1) “Openness may not completely disarm prejudice, but it’s a good place to start.” Even if you don’t feel accepted by loved ones, the LGBTQIA+ community will always be there for you. In honor of pride month, I’ve compiled 21 of my favorite quotes about being queer/the gay community. June is the best month of the year because it’s also the gayest.