MINNEAPOLIS — Seimone Augustus is an Olympic gold medalist and a WNBA champion who is gunning for her second straight title.

The Minnesota Lynx star is also a lesbian.

For years, Augustus kept her sexual preference, and even her relationship with girlfriend LaTaya Varner, out of the public eye. Now, with Minnesota considering a constitutional amendment that would ban gay marriage, the intensely private Augustus is speaking out.

View Comments

Augustus tells The Associated Press it's time for her to make her voice heard in hopes of helping others who are struggling to come out of the closet. She hopes her platform as a basketball star playing in the WNBA Finals on national television will help her influence voters in November.

Join the Conversation
Looking for comments?
Find comments in their new home! Click the buttons at the top or within the article to view them — or use the button below for quick access.