Brittney Griner, the Olympic gold medalist and WNBA superstar, is finally sharing the deeply personal struggles she faced during her college years at Baylor University, particularly the emotional toll of hiding her sexuality.
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The Silent Struggle at Baylor
Griner, known for her towering presence on the basketball court and her historic accomplishments—both in college and at the international level—has always been open about her sexuality in recent years. However, during her time at Baylor, she felt forced to conceal it. Griner revealed that Kim Mulkey, her coach at the time, sent a clear and painful message to her and her teammates: “Keep quiet. No talking about sexuality. Just play basketball.”
“For years, I couldn’t talk about being gay. I couldn’t talk about who I really was, and it was suffocating,” Griner explained. “I had to pretend to be something I wasn’t. There was this constant pressure to keep quiet about it, and that’s something that weighed on me every single day.”
Despite leading Baylor to an NCAA title in 2012 and earning numerous individual honors, Griner’s experience at Baylor was far from a fairytale. Her pain wasn’t just about the struggle to balance her athletic career with the secrecy around her sexuality—it was about the constant internal conflict she faced as a young woman who couldn’t live authentically.
“No Sympathy” from Mulkey
While Kim Mulkey is celebrated as one of the most successful coaches in women’s college basketball history, Griner’s accusations suggest that Mulkey’s leadership came at the expense of LGBTQ+ athletes. According to Griner, Mulkey’s directive to keep silent about sexuality was not just a lack of support, but an active attempt to maintain an image of conformity, one that didn’t leave room for personal truth.
“There was no sympathy, no understanding from Mulkey,” Griner said, her voice tinged with frustration. “She made it clear that players needed to conform. It was like she didn’t want to hear anything about your personal life if it didn’t fit the narrative she wanted. I just felt like I had to keep my true self hidden in the shadows.”
While Griner’s struggles were unique to her experience, her comments point to a broader issue in sports at the time—a culture of silence around LGBTQ+ athletes, particularly in college athletics, where conservative institutions like Baylor still held a strong influence. Baylor’s stance on LGBTQ+ issues has been controversial, with the university having limited protections for LGBTQ+ students and a conservative reputation on matters of sexuality and gender.
The Emotional Toll of Hiding
Griner explained that the emotional toll of hiding her sexuality was far greater than anyone outside of her inner circle realized. As an athlete, she was expected to be a role model, a fierce competitor, and a leader on the court. Off the court, however, she was forced to live a double life—one that kept her from fully embracing who she was.
“I was dealing with so much pain and stress,” Griner recalled. “It wasn’t just the pressure of being a college athlete. It was the pressure of keeping a huge part of myself locked away. I couldn’t talk to my teammates about it. I couldn’t be myself around them. I had to pretend, and that hurt more than anyone could know.”
For Griner, the pain of suppressing her true identity was compounded by the lack of support from those in power. As someone who was a star on the court—leading Baylor to the 2012 NCAA title and winning multiple national player of the year awards—Griner’s voice could have carried weight, but she wasn’t given the space to express her true self.
“Even when you’re a star athlete, you’re not always protected,” Griner said. “You can be seen as a ‘golden girl’ for your talent, but when it comes to who you are as a person, you’re just expected to conform and stay quiet. It was like I was just a basketball player to them, not a person with real feelings and struggles.”
Griner’s Path to Self-Acceptance
Griner’s journey to self-acceptance wasn’t easy. After years of suppressing her identity at Baylor, she made the courageous decision to come out publicly in 2013, after her college career had ended. Her announcement was groundbreaking, and it helped pave the way for other athletes to feel empowered to speak out about their sexuality.
Reflecting on her decision to come out, Griner acknowledged that she was in a better place emotionally, but the scars from her time at Baylor still linger. “It was like this weight had been lifted off me, but at the same time, it was so hard to look back and think about how much pain I’d suffered just to be me,” she said.
Since coming out, Griner has become a strong advocate for LGBTQ+ rights in sports, using her platform to speak out against discrimination and push for more inclusive environments for all athletes. She continues to be a vocal advocate for change within the WNBA and beyond, hoping to inspire younger athletes to live their truth without fear of judgment or repression.
The Legacy of Silence
Griner’s criticisms of Kim Mulkey and the culture at Baylor aren’t just personal—they reflect a larger issue in the sports world. LGBTQ+ athletes, particularly women, have often faced discrimination, silence, or even hostility from coaches, institutions, and fans. Griner’s experience serves as a reminder that no amount of success or accolades can erase the emotional damage that comes from being forced to hide one’s identity.
While Griner’s remarkable athletic achievements speak for themselves, her powerful testimony about the pain of hiding who she was off the court serves as an important call for change. The culture of silence that once existed at Baylor—and in many other programs—needs to be addressed head-on if we want to see a more inclusive and supportive environment for LGBTQ+ athletes.
Griner’s story is one of resilience, but it’s also a plea for understanding and acceptance. As she continues to break barriers in the WNBA, her journey serves as both a triumph and a testament to the importance of creating safe spaces for athletes to be themselves—both on and off the court.
Conclusion
Brittney Griner’s revelations about her time at Baylor and her relationship with Kim Mulkey highlight the painful reality that many LGBTQ+ athletes face in their careers. While her Olympic gold medals and WNBA championships are historic accomplishments, they do not erase the years of suffering Griner endured as she was forced to hide her true self. Her courage in speaking out about the pain she faced is a vital step in creating a future where all athletes, regardless of their sexual orientation, can be celebrated for who they are.
