Seimone Augustus has always preferred to stay out of the public eye even as her basketball career has taken her to the heights of an Olympic gold medal and a WNBA championship.

With her adopted home state of Minnesota considering a constitutional amendment that would ban gay marriage, the Lynx star is now becoming a vocal proponent of equal rights for gays.

After all, she has her own wedding coming up, to longtime girlfriend LaTaya Varner.

"I felt like it was the perfect time for me, being on a platform where I can make a change with my voice and my situation," Augustus told The Associated Press. "Maybe inspire someone else to come out and be comfortable with themselves. Or maybe someone else's parents will see my parents saying that it's OK to be with your child and love your child unconditionally regardless of your sexual preference."

Augustus came out to supportive parents when she was still in high school and has never hidden the fact that she's a lesbian. But it wasn't until she proposed to Varner on Miami Beach that she started feeling comfortable with the idea of taking things public.

Down 1-0 to Indiana in the best-of-five WNBA Finals, the Lynx are looking to become the league's first repeat champions in 10 years. Augustus also is fresh off a gold medal at the London Olympics, so she's hoping to take advantage of her increased national profile to help influence the vote.

Augustus and Varner plan to be married in May, and they have dreamed of a celebration at the Walker Art Center in Minneapolis. Varner is doing most of the planning, aside from the dessert on the menu and the shoes on Augustus' feet.

"That's the only thing I want," Augustus said. "Red velvet cake and Chuck Taylors."

- Associated Press