The first day of First Grade in elementary school is one that I remember vividly. Not because I was the new kid in school that spoke no English and I was wearing a hideous light blue kiddie leisure suit that my mom forced me to put on, but because I met an amazing individual who for many years after that was my official BFF. This person had a hard to pronounce Russian name, was wearing pants, a red polo shirt, and sported a perfectly shaved head (I suspect as a result of lice), so before being troubled by the thought of how the heck I was supposed to communicate with this group, or when was my mother going to buy me a uniform, I was challenged by the mystery of “Sasha”. Was this “Sasha” person a boy or a girl? I observed keenly; heedful of any signs that would give him or her away. This person doodled in her books like everybody else, ignored the teacher like everybody else, stuck gum under the desk like everybody else, and pulled on Pilar’s pony tail just like everybody else. There was no obvious tell. Frustrated at my lack of results, I just went ahead and asked. I got slapped. A boy would’ve punched me. Sasha was a girl and we became best friends.

My first reaction to the news that Jason Collins is gay was: Who’s Jason Collins? So of course, I asked Professor Google and immediately got the whole story. Even though I know this is probably “the moment” of his life, I want to believe most people will react to these 'moments' much like his Aunt Teri: &.