Int. Rugby player comes out

[Daisy]

hey all

 

I learnt about this watching lazy sunday morning tv, The Big Questions programme .

 

Though watching that programme (note to Mark especially) made me fairly annoyed, it was quite hard for one guy not to punch the guy next to him I think, they certainly were winding each other up . It was full of c of e priests. One of them openly gay though to balance it . Makes progress in this country not look as good as it does when I don't have to hear various arguments.

 

Anyway, here is the article that he's done it by.

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/femail/article-1237035/British-Lions-rugby-legend-Gareth-Thomas-Its-ended-marriage-nearly-driven-suicide-Now-time-tell-world-truth--Im-gay.html

 

So, he's the first rugby player to do so. First international rugby player as well. Well known player I'm assured.

 

 

Celia

[tomon]

I read this a few weeks ago on http://www.outsports.com/

Edited January 10, 2010 by tomon

[Red_A]

hey all

 

I learnt about this watching lazy sunday morning tv, The Big Questions programme .

 

Though watching that programme (note to Mark especially) made me fairly annoyed, it was quite hard for one guy not to punch the guy next to him I think, they certainly were winding each other up . It was full of c of e priests. One of them openly gay though to balance it . Makes progress in this country not look as good as it does when I don't have to hear various arguments.

 

Anyway, here is the article that he's done it by.

http://www.dailymail...th--Im-gay.html

 

So, he's the first rugby player to do so. First international rugby player as well. Well known player I'm assured.

 

 

Celia

 

Nigel Owens paved the way!

 

link

 

and more recent the guardian

 

AND, he is still a very well respected refferee.

 

Red

[Drewbie]

Good to hear, I really hope it helps the younger Rugby and other sports players in the uk and elsewhere

 

My Facorite comment is one of the first ones that's coming up at the moment, his comment name is - Eryl, Conwy Valley N.Wales, now London., .

Edited January 10, 2010 by Drewbie

[Toast]

It was a moving article. That is the hope. But his story is being relived every day by others. That is the sadness.

[Mark Arbour]

I think that one of the key messages here is about his teammates. It's easy to lump all jocks into a category as gay bashers, guys who will beat up a gay guy just to get off. Yet we see this happen and see this guy's teammates rally around him. That makes me wonder....

 

Think of the typical story, the big jock who picks on a gay guy, especially in front of friends. Is this guy picking on the gay guy because he's gay, or because he's wimpy? Is it a form of aggression directed at the victim's social group (like he's in a lower caste or something) or because he's gay? If it's the latter, then guys like our rugby hero wouldn't gain acceptance from his mates. If it's the former, they wouldn't care if he was gay, they'd circle the wagons to protect their own.

 

I don't know the answer, but it makes me curious.

[Graeme]

So, he's the first rugby player to do so. First international rugby player as well. Well known player I'm assured.

Umm... what about Ian Roberts? Or the fact that he was an Australian rugby league player who came out doesn't count?

 

He came out in 1995 and didn't retire as a player until 1998.

[Daisy]

I'm clueless at sports . I was just parroting what I heard, oops .

 

(and those veins look a bit freaky)

Edited January 11, 2010 by Smarties

[Mark Arbour]

Umm... what about Ian Roberts? Or the fact that he was an Australian rugby league player who came out doesn't count?

 

He came out in 1995 and didn't retire as a player until 1998.

 

Sorry. Anything that happens in the Southern Hemisphere is irrelevant. You all have ozone poisoning or something like that.

[Toast]

It was interesting to read the link about Ian Roberts. No doubt there are more.