Referee Bill Kennedy Reveals He's Gay After NBA Player Hurls Homophobic Slurs
NBA referee Bill Kennedy publicly revealed in a Monday report by Yahoo! that he is gay.
In the sports piece by Yahoo's Adrian Wojnarowski, Kennedy said that Sacramento Kings point guard Rajon Rondo hurled an anti-gay slur at him after being ejected from the team's December 3 game in Mexico City.
Speaking on his decision to come out publicly, he said, "I am proud to be an NBA referee, and I am proud to be a gay man. I am following in the footsteps of others who have self-identified in the hopes that will send a message to young men and women in sports that you must allow no one to make you feel ashamed of who you are."
Rondo paid the price for his actions as he was suspended one game not only for his offensive conduct but for also refusing to leave the court immediately after Kennedy pointed out consecutive technical fouls in his play. Other game officials also witnessed first-hand Rondo's disgusting actions.
Ben Taylor, a referee who worked the same game with Kennedy, mentioned part of what Rondo allegedly said to Kennedy: "You're a motherf*****g f****t... You're a f*****g f****t, Billy," he reportedly said.
When confronted by league officials, Rondo denied ever making the rousing remarks.
"The NBA referees stand by Bill Kennedy for the job he does and who he is," said Lee Seham, the National Basketball Referee's Association general counsel. "We stand against bigotry in all its forms."
Watch actress Zoe Saldana, Anthony Mackie and Audra McDonald speak on LGBT equality in the video, below:
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