Brittney Griner was one of the first athletes to openly come out in 2013. Her brave decision was welcomed by the WNBA with open arms. When it came to her parents, she first came out to her mother back in the ninth grade. Simply announcing the news to her mother, she met with a moment of embrace and assurance. However, it took some time for her father to adjust to the news.

Griner’s father, Raymond Griner, a Vietnam war veteran wasn’t the most welcoming about his daughter’s sexual choices, Notably, he told Griner at the time that he wasn’t “raising no gay girl”. Raymond Griner even stopped his daughter from inviting friends over after she came out. The tension forced Brittney Griner to move out of her own house in the second year of her college.

In her book, ‘In My Skin: My Life On and Off The Basketball Court’, Griner detailed the strict nature of her father during her childhood days.

Brittney Griner opened up about growing up with a strict father

In her book, the Phoenix Mercury star revealed she always had a few friends. Likewise, as they grew out, their band started to hang out after school. However, Griner could never be a part of that circle. And the reason was her father’s distrust of people. After some point, Brittney Griner became tired and didn’t even bother going to her father for permission. In her friend’s eyes, she became an “at-school friend”.

Despite Mother’s Acceptance, Brittney Griner’s Father Said He Wasn’t “Raising Any Lesbian” in a Difficult Phase of the WNBA Star’s Life

Griner wrote: “At first I would ask my dad for permission to join them: “Can I go to my friend’s house?” And he would quickly say no, without even really considering it, his voice like a rock dropping. ‘I don’t know anything about that family’, he would tell me. ‘They could be killers.’ He actually said this, that’s how much he distrusted other people and wanted me to learn to do the same.”

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However, Brittney Griner went on to show her dad the power of trust. Being part of a team sport like basketball, without the element of trust, a team most likely falls apart. And the 31-year-old witnessed the perks of believing in others right in front of her eyes. The initial years might have been tough for Griner with a tough father. However, in a matter of years, it soon changed for the better.

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Raymond Griner soon accepted his daughter for her choices. He understood Brittney Griner and reconciled with his daughter. He would begin to invite her girlfriends over as well. Despite the tough upbringing, Griner was able to show her father how coming out only made her strong. She eventually went on to become the first openly gay athlete to be endorsed by Nike. Brittney Griner paved the way for others not to be afraid and soon became an anchor for the LGBTQ+ community.