On ESPN.com today, Sheryl Swoopes discusses why she has chosen to come out of the closet. Ms. Swoopes is the three-time MVP of the WNBA and is widely considered to be the best women’s basketball player in the world. She is also now the highest profile athlete – male or female – to openly proclaim her homosexuality.

I wish I could say that it doesn’t matter anymore… that we, as a society, have gotten to the point where no one cares about who someone falls in love with. But we’re not there yet, not yet… not as a whole. So it still matters that Ms. Swoopes has chosen to make her sexuality public.

And here’s why this belongs on a blog about teaching… I’ve been the first adult that a student has come out to — the ‘test parent,’ if you will. I’ve seen kids run away from their parents because they were afraid of the ramifications of telling them. And I’ve seen kids move in with a sympathetic aunt or friend or grandparent because the parents did kick them out. And I’ve even seen the kids who had the most supportive parents in the world struggle with coming out because they struggled with what it meant to their own sense of self… or the fear of how every friend they had would react.

I’ve always tried to show the students that have come to me about this the respect and seriousness and care that I felt they needed. I wanted to make sure that the kids knew that I cared about them and loved them and that who they were attracted to… or who they fell in love with… didn’t change that. And I wanted them to know that I wanted them to be with someone who cared about them and treated them well… regardless of gender.

And this matters to our kids — to all of us — because these athletes are role models. Our kids need see all kinds of people, black, white, Hispanic, Asian… athletes and actors and politicians and writers and teachers and cops… living happy and fulfilling lives, living out of the closet and not ever for a moment being ashamed of who they are or feeling like they have to hide it.

And yet, there are still the folks out there who think we shouldn’t talk about this… that this issue doesn’t matter… or that "don’t ask, don’t tell" is a viable societal policy. I’ve said to kids when we’ve talked about this that I talk about Kat all the time… I’m proud of the fact that I can show kids that it’s possible to have a healthy, happy marriage in this day and age. I cannot imagine for one moment trying to hide my relationship with her from the people I come into contact with. She is too much a part of everything I do. That is what a society that makes it hard for people to come out does — it asks gays and lesbians to hide — or worse, deny — a fundamental part of who they are.

We can take it one step further, and I’ve done this with my advisories before. I tell the kids, "Close your eyes. Get a sensual image in your mind. Don’t tell anyone what it is [the laughter takes a moment to die down] but let yourself enjoy the image for a moment. Now, imagine that everyone around you told you that even having that thought was wrong. Imagine worrying if your friends or your family would still care about you if you told them about it. Now, think about how many times a day you have a sensual thought and imagine always trying to deny that part of yourself. That’s what having to struggle with coming out of the closet is for too many people in this country."

So if even one child is spared that process, thank you Ms. Swoopes. With luck, your willingness to talk about your private life publicly will take us one step closer to a more tolerant and accepting and caring world.