Ian Thorpe is gay

[dsc]

http://www.buzzfeed.com/tasneemnashrulla/australian-olympic-champion-ian-thorpe-comes-out-as-gay-in-t

Australian Olympic champion Ian Thorpe revealed he is gay during a yet-to-air TV interview after years of public denials and a long battle with depression.

After years of dismissing speculation about his sexuality, Ian Thorpe has revealed he is gay.

Thorpe made the admission in a tell-all interview with Sir Michael Parkinson, News Corp reports

The interview, which will air on Sunday night on Channel Ten, has been described by Sir Michael as one he had wanted to do for a long time.
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“Ian Thorpe has always been near the top of my list to interview. The reasons are obvious. Not many athletes can claim to be the best of all time. Ian can."

Before he retired for the first time at the age of 24, Thorpe broke 22 world records and won five gold and three silver medals and one bronze medal at the Olympic Games.

But despite his success in the pool, Thorpe's career has been plagued with persistent rumours about his sexuality.

Read more: http://www.smh.com.au/lifestyle/celebrity/ian-thorpe-reveals-he-is-gay-20140712-zt5r9.html#ixzz37Hdgp76M


Sounds like he had a rough time of it just have to hope he is happy now.

[Smarmie Doofus]

1. Ouch. Whiplash:

>>>In his 2012 autobiography, This Is Me, Thorpe wrote: “For the record, I am not gay and all my sexual experiences have been straight. I’m attracted to women, I love children and aspire to have a family one day … I know what it’s like to grow up and be told what your sexuality is, then realising that it’s not the full reality. I was accused of being gay before I knew who I was.”>>>>

That he found himself in a situation where he felt to had to write the above is a measure of how far we have yet to go *socially*.

"A lonely place to be"... in the words of the old Whitney Houston tune.

Yes... legal barriers are falling left and right ; but that's not the same thing as "acceptance".

[Fred Sanders]

2. Well said. The widespread hate that compels people to hide basic personal truths is immoral.

Ian Thorpe is a swimmer, it does not say so in the OP.

[awoke_in_2003]

3. K&R

I hope he finds some peace now.

[xfundy]

4. "Will someone PLEASE think of the children!"

They might grow up being tolerant of those who are the same with one little difference!

Ian Thorpe is a record-breaking world-class athlete who's also a beautiful specimen. Haters gonna hate, of course, and will continue to do so even as they are dying out.

[carolinayellowdog]

5. Australia isn't as far ahead of the US as I imagined

if this young man has gone through the hell he obviously has.

[dsc]

6. In fairness he was 15 when he became famous

and likely didn't know if he was or wasn't gay, or more precisely was in denial. Then he likely fell into the trap of I lied and lied and lied and now what do I do. That said, the athletic world at least the male athletic world, has been the last world to change.

[xchrom]

7. Ian Thorpe: 'I AM GAY' | Ian Thorpe Comes Out As Gay in Parkinson interview | Ian Thorpe Gay

[Fearless]

8. His is a sad story with a happy ending

There were always rumors he was gay. He denied them because he wasn't ready to come out. And then when he might have been ready, he realized that he was already so deep into denying who he was, it detrimented him.

Sadly common story for a lot of people. I hope that he has been able to find peace with the issue now that he's found the courage to accept who he is publicly.

Also... umm... yes please!!