Seattle Storm point guard Sue Bird has come out as gay and revealed she has been in a relationship with U.S. Women’s National Team’s player Megan Rapinoe since last fall.
“I’m gay. Megan’s my girlfriend. … These aren’t secrets to people who know me,” Bird told ESPN. “I don’t feel like I’ve not lived my life. I think people have this assumption that if you’re not talking about it, you must be hiding it, like it’s this secret. That was never the case for me.”
The pair grew close during the 2016 Rio Olympics when the Seattle Reign midfielder spent some down time watching other sporting events, including women’s basketball.
“We have a lot in common and just sort of clicked,” Rapinoe says. “I joke she is my No. 1 go-to-for-advice person. She’s just so level-headed.”
Bird considered coming out during the Olympics in a “25 things you don’t know about Olympians” survey. She says her 25th fact was “I’m gay” but ultimately she felt it wasn’t the right time. Now, the basketball player is ready to share that part of her life with the world.
“It’s happening when it’s happening because that’s what feels right,” Bird says. “So even though I understand there are people who think I should have done it sooner, it wasn’t right for me at the time. I have to be true to that. It’s my journey.”
