Not sure if anybody saw this programme, but if you're struggling with coming out I suggest that you watch it. It looks at the trouble people have with coming, homophobia and dealing with your sexuality. For those that don't know (probably people from the US) Gareth Thomas is a Welsh rugby player that is gay and came out near the end of his career. Obviously being a sportsman it was a lot harder for him as rugby is considered a 'manly' sport. He was married at the time of his coming out, so it would also be good to watch this if you are in that predicament. There are a few gay teens that take part in the documentary and they tell their stories about coming out, getting bullied and how it has affected them. Here's the link to the documentary: Gareth Thomas - Coming Out | My Secret Past | Channel 5 Not sure if this works in other countries, if it doesn't it will probably be on YouTube. :icon_wink
Oh man, I loved it when Gareth Thomas came out. I saw the interview he did on Ellen Degeneres but I haven't seen this programme, will definitely get onto that later. As far as I know there are no other openly gay rugby players besides Gareth Thomas, playing or retired, so it was huge for me when he came out because I always felt a bit out of place in the sport. The reaction from everyone in rugby meant a lot too, most people really didn't care at all and at my rugby club people were either saying fair play to him for coming out or were just basically apathetic about it, like they didn't really care. Was reassuring to me considering nobody at my rugby club knows yet, made me feel a lot less scared of eventually telling them. Thanks for posting
No problem. I agree, him coming out really helped me see that being gay doesn't make me different. I always assumed gay people didn't play sports and that they did the stereotypical feminine activities. I mean, I don't play any sports, but that's not because I'm gay, it's because I simply don't enjoy it. I just wish more sportsmen and woman would come out. I think that's the only way that stereotype can become something of the past.
Yeah definitely, I always used to believe the stereotype of gay guys all being really effeminate and it made it hard for me to accept being gay, I felt like it just wasn't me. Guys like Gareth Thomas coming out, also Kele from Bloc Party, made me realise that gay guys don't all have to fit the stereotype. Sounds obvious I know but I didn't realise this when I was younger. It would be great if more rugby players and sports players in general came out I agree.
Watched that last night - ended up taking about two hours as I couldn't watch it straight through - so many of the experiences and thoughts (from all involved in the programme) mirror(ed) my own; The really hard one for me was Gareth feeling that he'd been lying to his parents for years about his sexuality - something that has been occupying my thoughts a lot ; there reaction (that he'd just been "hiding " and not lying, and they'd never thought of it as lying) was such a revelation to me - it's strange how you can get such a blinkered view of what other people might be feeling where as in reality they could easily think something else entirety (or not give it a second thought). (Channel 5 - really? Wouldn't have expected that from the quality of the programme - mmmm, using a media centre doesn't half highlight that you forget what channel stuff is on!)
