-Brittany Hennis-

Cousins!

Former NBA all star Dennis Rodman spent the majority of his life between living as a star athlete to an unapologetic, free spirit, full of gender embracement and self-acceptance !

In a recent interview with GQ Dennis spoke out on intimate and personal areas in his life. From his time in the NBA going against their standardized regulations, family dynamic growing up, suicide attempt, and overall finding himself.

“I didn’t have no brothers. No father. I hung out with my sisters all the time, and they was just striving to make me grown up, so I was like the guinea pig of the family. When I was a kid, my sisters, they dressed me up in makeup, gowns, women’s dresses and things like this.”

He also discussed the story behind all his body piercings, “I was hoping to please people. I just preferred people today to like me. I assume I’m the initial man to at any time have piercings in the NBA. They were telling me back then, that I was dressing like Jim Morrison, Jimi Hendrix, Robert Page, all these guys back then. Because if you look at all their style, and my style then, we, like, the same. We looked the same with the bell bottoms, the hip huggers, the tight shirts. Well, what people said about me back then, it was always a good thing.”   

Dennis then went into discussing how much respect he has for gay community. 

“It was never a negative thing because I never disrespected anyone for dressing. The gay community loved me because I, you know, I love my gay parts. I love my gay family. I’m just so happy at the fact that I still have some type of reputation that people actually like today.”
As the interview continued, he became emotional when discussing the topic of mental health. Dennis revealed that he contemplated suicide at a time in his life and how a particular song helped him through his darkest hour.

“This song here, Black, hmmm, who don’t know that song Black by this guy and this band Pearl Jam? Who don’t like this band on the planet earth? Maybe the devil, I don’t know. But he’s not on planet earth. But he, ya know, always walks. Pearl Jam. I got hooked to these guys in 1991 and, uh. It was amazing. I had a bit of an issue in 1993. I wanted to commit that, oh that thing called suicide. I tried to commit suicide. And for some reason, the voice of love came in my life at that moment that night, and it was Pearl Jam, for doing that for me, not the sole reason, but it was a main reason,”

Dennis ended the interview by sharing so me exciting new that his son is joining the NBA next season.

“I try not to comment on the NBA delay. You know, NBA is made for the 22nd century. Um, a lot of NBA players that used to play back in the eighties and nineties and early 2000, they think it’s very soft, it’s very weak.

“To me, I don’t care. I- My son’s going to be the NBA next year, so, you know, wh-who am I to judge?”

Cousins, what are your thoughts on Dennis Rodman’s interview?