TOPIC:

double post

mikeh wrote: Has anybody sat back and asked the question. “Why has it taken so long for a seemingly successful athlete such as Thorpe to come out about his sexual orientation”? Even his dad was quoted as saying that he had no idea? Is there still a fear factor in this sort of disclosure particularly for a young person?

The answer according to many recent pieces of research is a resounding yes and tends to debunk the theory that nobody really cares whether you’re straight, gay or bisexual. The reality is that gay young people are self harming and suiciding at least twice the average rate because they are often abused, bullied and isolated from others particularly at school and receive no support from teachers and principals because of ignorance, religious convictions or outdated ideas of homosexuality.

Thorpe appears to have had mental health issues such as depression and I wouldn’t be surprised that much of this has stemmed from his feeling he had no choice but to deny who he really was, which was then exacerbated by media fanned rumours.

For an feted athlete like Thorpe to come out and make a statement that he too was anxious and fearful about disclosing his sexuality as a teen is an important message for those who are currently in the same situation and if it saves one teenage life then it is well worth the money he was paid .

Homo phobia is well and truly alive, even in our so called “enlightened society” and is certainly entrenched in grassroots sport as demonstrated by a study just released (see below link)
www.theguardian.com/sport/2014/jul/16/ho...use-still-widespread

Bang on mate. Well said.
Hopefully Thorpey coming out gives others the confidence to do so too.
Now all we need is our unlawful politicians to step up to the plate.

i think there's a fair element of truth in what you're saying mike from a broader perspective but imo for Thorpe to go on national/international TV to declare his sexual leanings suggests to me he misses the spotlight after years of being front and centre. i said earlier on this thread that it smacks of relevance deprivation syndrome and i still stand by that observation. the fact he made an unsuccessful comeback a couple of years ago, writes a book then appears on Parky all points to the fact that he is no longer a human headline unless he puts himself out there. a bit sad really when you compare other sporting stars like Pat Rafter, Casey Stoner, Luc Longley who have drifted into retirement gracefully.

I got the same vibe BC. If it helps him then good for him but why we continually have to hear about the sexual preferences of anyone with even 15mins of fame let alone sporting icons is mystifying. Would it even be necessary to 'come out' to a national audience if not for pathetic media focussing on it in the first place. Would it really matter to any of us that don't know Ian personally if we didn't know his personal sexual preferences. I for one don't give a damn.

I asked this before and will ask it again.
So you dont think Thorpe coming out was a good thing?

Do you not think that with Thorpe coming out on national TV that it might give others in hiding the confidence to stand up and say they are gay?

Do you not think, with Thorpe being a national icon, that it might be a step in the right direction and it might help others see that discrimination against someone for their sexual preferences is wrong? (Something that our politicians do every day)

Dont get me wrong, I 100% agree with you that it is none of our business and I am also of the opinion that why should we care as his sexual orientation has no effect on us whatsoever, nor should it effect anyone.

So who is going to be the first to "come out" on Oz Footy?

I reckon Anchorman and Bazza will announce they are actually a couple, thats why they bicker so much.

yolo swaggins wrote: I reckon Anchorman and Bazza will announce they are actually a couple, thats why they bicker so much.

yolo swaggins wrote: I asked this before and will ask it again.
So you dont think Thorpe coming out was a good thing?

Do you not think that with Thorpe coming out on national TV that it might give others in hiding the confidence to stand up and say they are gay?

Do you not think, with Thorpe being a national icon, that it might be a step in the right direction and it might help others see that discrimination against someone for their sexual preferences is wrong? (Something that our politicians do every day)

Dont get me wrong, I 100% agree with you that it is none of our business and I am also of the opinion that why should we care as his sexual orientation has no effect on us whatsoever, nor should it effect anyone.

Sorry Yolo, missed ur question previously. You are most likely right regarding the confidence of others to stand up and declare their sexuality but my feelings are as I stated, why should it matter to anyone else other than immediate family and friends of the person involved. Why society is so engaged by the personal lives let alone sexual preferences of any one with even a hint of fame is what befuddles me. Yes, come out and tell the world, do a media release but the week lead up in sensationalist advertising to this interview is what disturbs me more.

As for my personal stance on marriage itself, well that's another thing altogether which I could waffle on about all day and has nothing to do with if you are homosexual and/or heterosexual and which I'd deem irrelevant for this topic...my religious beliefs or lack of them I will keep to myself as should everyone.

DW, I couldnt agree more with you. It baffles me that someones sexuality is front page news.

And it seems that we probably have the same stance on marriage and religion