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Ex-Baylor star Brittney Griner has a message for all those young women who idolize her: “Just be who you are!”

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That’s why she chose to announce that yes, she is gay and she doesn’t worry about what others may think of her. The new member of the Phoenix Mercury, chosen No. 1 overall in Monday’s WNBA, publicly admitted her sexuality preference in an interview with Sports Illustrated after she was asked about why it seems like more female athletes come out as opposed to male athletes. 

“I really couldn’t give you an answer on why that’s so different,” she said. “Being one that’s out, it’s just being who you are. Again, like I said, just be who you are.”

“My parents didn’t know at the time,” she said. “I hadn’t come out completely. It was kind of like, YOU KNOW … I just hadn’t said it. My dad and my mom have always told me, ‘Be who you are.’ At the time, they probably weren’t sure what I was interpreting that as.”

She also gave some great advice to other gay athletes who are afraid to come out.

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“Don’t worry about what other people are going to say, because they’re always going to say something,” she said. “But, if you’re just true to yourself, let that shine through. Don’t hide who you really are…I wouldn’t say I was hiding or anything like that. I’ve always been open about who I am and my sexuality. So it wasn’t hard at all. If I can show that I’m out and I’m fine and everything’s OK, then hopefully the younger generation will definitely feel the same way.”

Kudos to her! Football players in the NFL, take note!

SOURCE: Complex