Jason Collins calls Manny Pacquiao a bigot after anti-gay comments

Former NBA center Jason Collins, the first openly gay athlete in a major American sport, harshly criticized Manny Pacquiao after the boxer made homophobic remarks during an interview on a Filipino television station.

Former NBA center Jason Collins, the first openly gay athlete in a major American sport, harshly criticized Manny Pacquiao after the boxer made homophobic remarks during an interview on a Filipino television station.

Pacquiao, who is running for re-election to the Filipino senate, said that people in same-sex relationships were “worse than animals.”

“It’s just common sense,” Pacquiao continued. “Have you seen any animal having male-to-male or female-to-female relations?”

He later apologized.

.@mannypacquiao I lost all respect for you. Bigoted people like you (& yes you are one) should never hold an office in politics. #ByeFelicia

— Jason Collins (@jasoncollins98) February 16, 2016

Collins came out as gay in a May 2013 essay in Sports Illustrated. He played 22 games for the Nets in 2014 and announced his retirement in SI in November 2014.

Pacquiao has a history of making anti-gay comments. 

- Dan Gartland