Ian Thorpe: I’m gay

31 is hardly late.

Who's has the Thorpedo?

Good for him. Is he in a relationship?

"Brave"?? It's 2014, for Christ's sake.

[quote]"Brave"?? It's 2014, for Christ's sake.

The rigidity over the right way and when and how to come out always amazes me. I think I need to tell you to fuck yourself, R4. It isn't all black and white for everybody.

R5, I think R4 was referring to the way the media is referring to Thorpe as "brave," not to Thorpe's actions themselves.

Good for him.

I'd fuck him. Always thought he was hot.

Finally.. proud of you Ian. I hope he gets well soon with the depression and other issues.

Good for him.

The shame of being gay has created too much depression, alcoholism and addiction.

Next, Ryan Lochte?

Good for him, but I feel so sorry for him. His life post-swimming has been nothing but sadness and disappointment.

hot

[quote]His life post-swimming has been nothing but sadness and disappointment.

How do you know this?

Maybe this is the first stop towards it getting better.

Brave? He's been denying it for years and years when everyone knew he was gay. That's not brave.

But yes - better late than never.

R11, or Nathan Adrian perhaps?

R14, uh, he wrote a book about it.

Very happy for him.

Mmmmm, R17.

Do we think he ever had homosex in the Olympic Village?

Someone had to say it.

Perhaps it would save some time if they just announce if there are any straight Olympic swimmers.

He's a swimmer r20

Or divers, r21.

What is it with gay men and water sports? Wait, let me rephrase that...

[quote]Next, Ryan Lochte?

The straights and retards can keep him. Jeah.

Maybe Tom Daley can stop by Australia on his way back to England and congratulate him in person.

Oh, Michael Phelps has to be 110% straight. Lol. You can tell that he loooves women.

It's about time, he has fiercely denied being gay over and over even though everyone knew he was lying.

Thread needs more pics

Where did all the guilt and shame come from? Where his parents religious nutjobs?

Why now, and why did he deny it for so long? He brought more attention to his sexuality by denying it. It's quite obvious he's gay and surprises "noone".

R29 Australia is a very macho culture, like Texas.

I know it's still early in Australia, but it surprises me that this hasn't percolated over into the blogosphere. There's nothing on Twitter or Facebook, and the only blog it's popped up on is OutSports.

I don't doubt the story, because it's on the Sydney Morning Herald, but he was a pretty big name even in this hemisphere.

Nathan Adrian is gay gay gay. And so hot.

I hope he comes out next!

He's very hot.

What is it about swimmers/divers and homosexuality? It seems more of them are gay than in any other sport.

I think it's because:

1) it's an individual sport and gay men seem to thrive more in individual sports than they do in the more macho-driven team sports.

2) they also get to show off their bodies, that they've put a lot of work into perfecting.

"Perhaps it would save some time if they just announce if there are any straight Olympic swimmers."

Actually very few swimmers have come out (which doesn't mean there aren't any who are gay, of course, but....)

Didn't Tom Cruise call and congratulate him when he won gold in 2000?

I swim. I swallow swimmers. I look swimming in Prada. This all makes my head swim.

I'm sure this is going to help him stay clean, I'm faintly disappointed that he won't end up drunk out of his mind and whipping out the Thorpedo in public,

Ian: call me, need some advice.

[quote]I'm faintly disappointed that he won't end up drunk out of his mind

I am too. I like when downward spirals hit bottom. I'm hoping this for Bieber.

Well, Bieber deserves it. Ian's only real crime has been lying about his orientation.

Thorpe wrote in his 2012 memoir "This Is Me": '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.'

Brave?

What's the point in coming out? Just start dating Michelle Rodriguez and people will get the picture

I think it is pretty brave to have told a total lie to protect yourself (assuming no harm to another from that self protection) and then admit it. He can't have imagined he'd be backlash free.

In situations like these, when someone who's really done no harm acknowledges a lie, I try to say to myself: It depends what the meaning of 'is' is.

On the scale of 0 to Ken Mehlman, no, he probably didn't do a lot of overt harm. But there was also plenty of good that he could have done, especially for any gay Aussie kids who could have used a role model.

I'm never not going to knock somebody for being honest, and none of us is born out, and we come to be in our own time. But you look at him, and you look at Tom Daley, and it's night and day, especially since Tom had some pretty heavy stuff happen to him too.

[quote]I'm never not going to knock somebody for being honest

Hello, double negative.

I'm never going to knock...

I'm never going to not knock when knocking at a Tesco to open its doors.

Now that he's a suicidal fat fuck he has the "courage" to come out. Screw him.

You keep on not knocking but you can't not come in.

Thorpe always maintained his straightness in the face of all the gay rumors, and I applaud him for that. What is so unusual and surprising is that he actually turned out to be gay, so he's the exception, not the rule.

"...fat fuck..."

I'm loving the "fat fuck" at R51. Actually, I've never seen him look better. His face and haircut is even more attractive there. His massive chest does help overcome the stigma of fat fuck, I find.

Good for him.

No-one can complain that his coming out has been kept too quiet.

I can get past the lying and saying you are straight thing in general, but to actual publish an AUTOBIOGRAPHY, a history of yourself that you want to be passed down and and so blatantly lie about being gay is pathetic.

He must have seriously thought he was never going to come out.

I wonder what pushed him to come clean?

I mean, I assume that we're going to get some answers in the interview.

It's 5:30 Sunday morning in Sydney. What time does it air?

[quote]I wonder what pushed him to come clean?

I smell a sex tape scandal coming soon!

Why would anyone want to come out if it means being welcomed with the same sort of narcissistic self-righteousness on display in this thread?

[quote]Why would anyone want to come out if it means being welcomed with the same sort of narcissistic self-righteousness on display in this thread?

No one should come out for other people, they should come out so they aren't living a lie.

The poor guy has been absolutely tortured about all this. What I hope the interview includes is the reasons WHY he was tortured about being gay, because at 31, he's from a generation that is pretty nonjudgmental about things like sexuality.

I think people have a reason to be bitchy when Ian went out of his way to state he was not gay. He wrote a fucking autobiography that declared he was straight, straight, straight and now he comes out as a gay man.

I don't understand why athletes like swimmers, track runners etc don't come out more often. Their sports are objective while gymnasts, divers, skaters etc are subjective where sexuality could come into play.

I'm glad he came out for no other reason so he can have a better chance of being happy.

Yeah, it's kind of like a guy who marries a woman, divorces her, and then comes out. I did that.

I think he was shamed by 20 year old Tom Daley - who's at the height if his fane and popularity in England - coming out, and doing so with such enthusiasm. Tom had an "I'm gay, I'm in love, isn't this great?" attitude about the whole think that must have been like a slap in the face to Ian.

I detest the asswholes who judge this man.

I holeheartedly agree, R64.

Do you think Ian might be convinced to present his whole?

We're finally seeing the whole man…

…apart from the manhole.

No really Ian. We would have never guessed.

I'm with R64 and 65. So much for the ever-lovin' community...

So we're not allowed to judge him after he published an autobiography where he states he isn't gay - and then a few years later it's "I guess I am"? We're just supposed to applaud and call him "brave."

And if we judge him, we're, according to previous posters, "assholes" or "narcissistic" or "self-righteous."

Giving interviews like his, he puts himself in a position to be judged.

Glad he's out and I'm sure he's relieved after years of lying. He is brave but not gold medal brave.

VOTN, whole or hole?

I agree with you r70.

He has some explaining to do.

He is not brave or a hero. He's just a pressured and depressive concession to forces that will make him personally relieved.

[quote]And if we judge him, we're, according to previous posters, "assholes" or "narcissistic" or "self-righteous."

That's correct.

Another question: why do you feel so empty when someone calls into question your need to shit all over someone else?

I applaud him for coming out -- anytime anybody does that it should be celebrated.

However....

That doesn't change the fact that he lied about it for over a decade. I understand that he had psychological issues, what with depression and alcoholism, and I'm sympathetic to that. I hope the interview touches on this issue.

Thorpe's brave for coming out as gay in repudiation of his earlier (confused?) denial.

That took guts, R70, because he must have known he would be ridiculed by judgemental sods like you on both sides of the sexual/political divide.

Tell me, how many places on earth will you go, brave soul that you are, where everyone will have intimate knowledge of your sexuality. In the mall, in the street, at a concert - Ian Thorpe's is a walking billboard and target for your scorn.

Your own "out-ness" is probably the equivalent of a private friends-only Facebook post.

How about just curious r74? You seem to be afraid of discussing the coming out process.

Calm down drama queen at R74. No one is shitting over anyone. (Except perhaps you because it gets you hard.) No one is "feeling empty." He's come out, good for him. He's come out after lying about it for profit. This is hardly bravery of the first order.

[quote]That doesn't change the fact that he lied about it for over a decade. I understand that he had psychological issues, what with depression and alcoholism, and I'm sympathetic to that.

So which is it? Perhaps one was the result of the other?

I guess what amuses is so many gay people want it both ways... we're sooooo hard done by in society and yet when someone buckles under the weight of it (particularly when they come from a position seen as privileged) there's a contingent happy to feast on them for it. There can be so little mercy or empathy or understanding. It's so black and white, for a crowd supposed to be grouped under a rainbow.

R20, a journo friend who was working in Sydney during the 2000 Olympics said the sports desk was abuzz during that time with the gossip that Thorpe had been getting hot and heavy in the Village with Dutch swimmer Peter van den Hoogenband.

The journos did not think it was odd that two young hot athletes in peak physical condition couldn't keep their hands off one another, of course (the Olympic village is a hotbed of hook-ups), but what WAS unusual was two great rivals going at it right in the middle of the fiercest part of their rivalry - Hoogenband had just upstaged Thorpe in his pet event, the 200 metres freestyle, to deny Thorpe the chance to win two individual golds and become the top male swimmer of the games. Not that Thorpe seemed to mind - he was seen making out openly with Hoogenband at a closing ceremony party.

Anderson Cooper...Jim Parsons...Neil Patrick Harris...none of them went out of their way to date women or loudly proclaim their heterosexuality. Ian Thorpe has spent the past 15 years publicly acting like being gay is the worst thing in the world.

A picture of the happy couple described at R80.

Although it's likely bullshit as Van Den Hoogenband has been married to two women and has two kids.

R82, my journo friend is legit and not prone to making shit up.

Ever heard of bisexuality?

Ian has a weird body. Moobs and a saggy stomach even when he was at his peak. Never hot.

"Anderson Cooper...Jim Parsons...Neil Patrick Harris...none of them went out of their way to date women or loudly proclaim their heterosexuality."

And none of them had lucrative endorsement contracts with companies that market to heterosexual teenagers/adults.

That's not a justification for his lies, but it may indicate that he and his management team had an economic reason to maintain his charade.

"Moobs and a saggy stomach even when he was at his peak. Never hot."

That's not true at all. He always had a hot body.

Didn't Clay Aiken also claim to be straight in his autobiography?

From what I understand he didn't mention anything about his sexuality in his book. I could be wrong.

It's funny, Liberace still claimed he was straight in his autobiography. It is funny how little things have changed in the decades.

Clay denied being gay in [italic]Rolling Stone[/italic] in 2003.

[quote]One thing I've found of people in the public eye, either you're a womanizer or you've got to be gay. Since I'm neither one of those, people are completely concerned about me. They're like, 'What are you, then?' I'm sure it has to do with being raised by women. I wouldn't want somebody gawking at my mom and grabbing her butt and catcalling at her, trying to hook up with her at a bar. I'm not saying I'm not going to look. Hello! But you know what I mean?

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I wonder if he'll come out as a top or a bottom?

Wasn't he dating some hot Brazilian some years ago?

He's no Lenny Krayzelburg, that's for sure. Lenny was one of the hottest swimmers ever.

R89 "Hello!"? That didn't confirm it?

Some people are out and happy out the womb.

For others, it's a massive thing to wrestle with, especially when you're young.

I wanted a regular-guy life, girlfriend, wife, family. Had her, a girl I liked and loved.

But had no desire for her. And I hated that I had no control over that. That the smell of my guy friend's soap sent a tingle through my body. That I woke up dreaming he was next to me.

I never used anyone. So I was a singleton. It took me a very long time to be at peace with my facts of life. To mourn the loss of the life I expected, wanted, but would never had.

So people guess and gossip, and snicker.

It was anguishing. Going thru that while being a sports hero in a macho culture like Australia?

Give the man a break. He lived thru depression, which is hell. He came to terms with a hard, hard reality for some of us to be at peace with, in his own time.

Don't judge him, as you weren't a young man, under a spotlight, your life scrutinized, while dealing, seemingly alone, with a fundamental aspect of who he was.

Hope he's happier now.

This thread has just reminded me of the nightly flirting between Mark Foster and Ian at the 2012 Olympics while the wonderfully out and proud Claire Balding sat between the two. Best commentary team ever.

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R96 Unless he lied to you personally, you have no standing to judge him.

This isn't like John Edwards lying, denying a mistress and daughter.

You might not get it, but there can be an obstinacy in refusing to accept that somethings can't be changed.

If I could have willed myself straight, I would be straight now. I wasn't having sex or dating men. Someone saying "You're gay, you're not fooling anyone" would only have made me more stubborn, more disinclined to be defined by others, with no say of my own in the matter.

I'm gonna guess that Thorpe followed a similar pattern.

You can lie to yourself for a long time.

I don't think he has any amends to make, except perhaps to the people he's had relationshios with.

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You don't know his reasons r97. If anything it was more about the $$$ than any personal demons he might have had. Don't project your issues onto him.

R99 You have no keener insight into his reason, and your determination that it was a financial decision is just as speculative as mine.

It feels familiar, and I empathize with him.

R83 that's weird then that your journo friend who has apparently there thought that Thorpe missed out on being the top male swimmer of the games, when Thorpe was not only the top male swimmer but the top Olympian of the games. According to wikipedia:

"He has won five Olympic gold medals, the most won by any Australian, and with three gold and two silver medals, was the most successful athlete at the 2000 Summer Olympics."

[quote]Ian Thorpe has spent the past 15 years publicly acting like being gay is the worst thing in the world.

This quote from R81 sums it up for me. While it's great that he finally came out - he has vehemently denied it for 15 years. He wasn't confused - he was flaming! So there's that. He also got paid $400 grand for the Parkinson interview. So there's that too.

Three things:

1. Australia isn't that macho to the posters who say it is. We value sporting talent far more than sexuality in this day and age and Thorpe would have had his place in history and a lot more respect had he had come out. He could have even been a pioneer and a shining light for gays in Australia.

2. VOTN - The Australian media isn't making a huge furore about him coming out today because the whole country have all known he was gay for more than the last decade so this news isn't exactly big news to us. We've just smiled wanly to ourselves every time he denied it and eventually it became a little embarrassing.

3. Staying in the closet was about endorsements and money. End.of.story.

R102

2. They're not? I've been seeing the opposite.

Ian seems to be intelligent, cultured and a nice person.

BUT he has gone OUT OF HIS WAY, over and over, to say that he is not gay. For example, there was an in-depth Australian ABC radio interview (probably close to 10 years ago) where he said that he wasn't gay. I kept a tape of the interview for years because he was so clear about his sexuality.

Being a public figure is difficult. And being a public figure who chases publicity and/or is instantly recognisable makes privacy harder.

When you repeatedly deny that you are gay (like Ian Thorpe and Hugh Jackman), however, probably the most appropriste response to a later announcement is 'ho-hum' (rather than making the person a hero).

If Ian does announce tonight that he is gay, and if he was paid for the interview, then he should donate the entire payment to an Australian organisaton like Twenty10, which supports gay youth at risk of homelessness.

Yes, R101, he won the most medals at the 2000 Olympics but only one gold in an individual event (the 400m freestyle). His other two golds were for relay events (the Aussie men's team was unbeatable that year).

Thorpe's 2000 Olympic campaign was widely considered a disappointment by the Australian press, which had hyped him to win multiple individual golds. Van den Hoogenband was actually the most successful male swimmer at an individual level in Sydney, with two individual golds (the 100m and 200m freestyle) and one bronze (the 50m freestyle). Thorpe was upstaged by van den Hoogenband that year, that's why the journos found it intriguing that they got together.

What if he doesn't announce that he's gay. I'm actually nervous that he's not going to. The interview is in under two hours.

I feel like if all the reporting (which I heard comes from one original source?) was wrong, somebody involved would have come out by now to put a stop to it it's been trending all day on twitter, there have been multiple articles written. They would have put a stop to it. If they don't it's just because they want ratings and that is fucking evil.

In essence, I'm nervous.

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R102 is right. It is trending on twitter here in Australia VOTN, however it's hardly shocking information. I come to Australia often and the perception that it's incredibly conservative by some Americans is wrong. The whole country knew he was gay and most were mystified by his denials. Australia is a pretty secular country and those who are religious tend not to lean to the fundie side. As r102 said, he sporting prowess is by far more important than his sexuality in a country that worships sport.

He may have kept it secret in order to secure endorsements etc, but I don't think being gay would have impacted that too much. Dawn Fraser, a famous female swimmer from decades ago does commercials for everything from vitamins to foot massagers and she's gay. My theory on why he kept it a secret is because he was hoping to make it in Hollywood.

That Ian Thorpe is gay and has admitted it is a given. As you say it's not only trending on twitter but numerous articles as well so there's no way that it's not going to happen, r106. "They" already know what's going to happen in that interview.

I think you've got to look at the whole of the Australian men's swimming team from that era. About half of them seem to have developed some serious substance abuse and mental health problems.

Maybe coming out about his sexuality is just part of Thorpe coming clean?

While his peers might be all 'don't label me, whatever' - the sporting world, the sponsors etc are not 30 something hipsters. If coming out is as easy as it seems it would mean the human race had grown up and had created an inclusive compassionate society. Yeah, we're still working on that - in the meantime...

Instead of berating people for not coming out in a timely fashion (and which genius gets to decide that date?), ask yourself what you can do to help make a world where people don't fear being themselves. And gay, straight or bi we all contribute to a society that makes us fearful of being an individual.

Courage is doing what you fear - congrats, Ian.

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He's being paid money to come out on a show? Is that true?

[quote] Instead of berating people for not coming out in a timely fashion (and which genius gets to decide that date?), ask yourself what you can do to help make a world where people don't fear being themselves. And gay, straight or bi we all contribute to a society that makes us fearful of being an individual.

You don't do that by rewarding those who delayed it more than those who were brave enough to come out younger. If he's going to get attention for this lets allow for his human foibles. He waited longer than necessary and he flat out lied. For young gay males struggling with coming out there are better examples of how to handle it.

Many of his most lucrative endorsements were in conservative Asian markets (esp. Japan), where he was a big heartthrob for teenage girls.

I think his Asian endorsements were the main reason he stayed in the closet so long.

R113 he wasn't paid to come out. He was paid for the interview, as most people are. He has had a very controversial year. Speculation that he has problems with drugs and alcohol, hospitalisation, depression, he was found disorientated sitting in a strangers car a few months back. There is a lot to talk about. His sexuality is just one of the things discussed I imagine.

What time does the interview start?

Interesting thought R110. Wasn't there a coach a few years ago who was kicked out for interfering with the young female swimmers. I wouldn't be surprised if there was some kind of abuse cover up especially with the swim team doing so well 10-15 years ago. Or is it just the psychological wreckage of achieving so much at a young age and never being able to live up to it in adult life.

So far all he's said is that he's not straight and his sexual experiences have been with women.

OK, he has now said "I am a gay man". Poor guy, he sounds deeply fucked up.

Oh thank fucking god he did say he was gay?

And he's claiming he's never been with a man?

He's no Jim McGreevey.

He lied, and lied, and lied, and lied, and lied, and lied.

Then he lied some more.

I think it's plausible that he's never been with a man. He's only come out recently to friends and family. He says he was terrified of being found out if he hooked up with a guy. I don't know that he'd lie about that fact, now he's admitting to being gay.

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He's lying come on. Of course he is. Would he really be admitting to being gay if he'd never even been with another guy?

This is pathetic.

You guys are ridiculous. Focusing on sexual behavior rather than sexual identity is exactly the sort of rhetoric Republicans try to use against us. A gay man is still a gay man whether or not he's had gay sex.

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R127 the thing is though is that he's most likely lying. STILL lying, even after coming out.

Has video been posted anywhere yet?

Whatevs. I hope he tags some ass.

This whole thing is sad as fuck. Like he is the epitome of a sad, pathetic closet case.

Just watched the whole thing on Channel Ten.

Wow. What an absolute creep he is.

He lied all the way through the interview. So disingenuous. If you watch his face, eyes and expressions it was very obvious he was lying about so many things. At least he has finally been honest about being gay but I'm wondering if he was made to come out.

Bottom line is that I just can't respect someone who was so vehement about not being gay for so long. Then has obviously lied about relationships with women (he had none) and relationships with men. He could have come out years ago and been respected for it. Now he's embarrassed himself and will forever be remembered for all the denying and lies.

He had a shameless plug at a future career in sports commentating at the end which was nauseating.

And yes he was paid 400 thousand Australian dollars to do the interview as part of a deal to commentate the Commonwealth games on Channel Ten. This is why I wonder if he was partly forced to come out. You want this gig? Come out then so you have some credibility.

Anyway - what a creepy guy.

I wish him the very best. Seems he has had problems with denying who he really is.

Thorpie's queer. What a bloody fuckin' surprise.

Didn't he have a BF called Daniel Mendes? Good grief. He's just a compulsive liar. r124 - Do you really believe that his friends didn't know? I don't know anything about his family, and families can be clueless, but the entire rest of the world considered him gay. It's possible it was just a DADT kind of thing with his friends, but if so, those are some shit friends.

R10

But it's been really good for us at the Scientology Celebrity Center in Hollywood.

There was quite a lot of rehearsed and polished and albeit shallow skimming over things. There was nothing really coming from the heart so to speak. It was all just...scripted like words.

So, he's probably Not doing it to get ahead of an explicit tape or scandal (likely wouldn't deny being with a man if that were about to surface).

If, more than a decade ago, you were struggling with self acceptance, had no best bud for love, and your trusted agents were casually mentioning that it would be a shame if an Olympic winner had his hard earned potential damaged because people suspected he wasn't straight - mightn't that lead to dissembling and depression?

Ian - it gets better.

Everyone here has known for years

Fucking pathetic. And his defenders here are worse. DL at its most grotesque.

It was obvious throughout the interview that he was EXTREMELY uncomfortable, and may well have been lying through his teeth for most of it, but he did say he was ashamed of hiding the truth for so long. I think coming out will do wonders for his career.

Obviously he has been struggling with his sexuality

In 2014, it was confirmed that Thorpe had been admitted to a rehabilitation clinic after neighbours found him dazed near his parents' Panania home. Thorpe was taken to Bankstown Hospital by police before being admitted to a rehabilitation clinic. In his 2012 autobiography This is me, Thorpe admitted that he had at times considered suicide and confessed to drinking huge quantities of alcohol to deal with his crippling depression.

I'm willing to give him a break on this. Accepting himself as gay is the first step.

This is someone who has lied for years and years. You don't just end that pattern especially when substance abuse and depression is involved. But at least this is a step. I won't judge as I am not in his shoes (or flip flops). Even now though for younger youth he is another gay athlete and that is progress. I truly hope he finds peace and happiness within himself whatever the truth.

I thought he was pretty hot.

Didn't Thorpe spend a lot of time with noted heterosexualist Tom Cruise and his then-beard, Nicole Kidman, at someplace in Australia around 2001-02?

As Carl Jung once so wisely remarked:' Only what is really oneself has the power to heal', I wish Mr Thorpe the best. Hopefully this marks the true beginning of his healing process.

Lots of closetd men are in the closet for $$$$ reasons.

Now we only need Colin Jackson and Kelly Holmes to come out and all the obvious ones will be out!

Okay maybe not, but you get the point.

He's like Columbus, he discovered something millions of people already knew about.

The closet is so fucking destructive, it has done a number of Ian Thorpe and I agree he still looked ridiculous uncomfortable and fake in that interview. It does make me a little said how much damage he has done to himself because he couldn't bring himself to be honest with who he was.

Well, a boy has got to eat.

[quote]Instead of berating people for not coming out in a timely fashion (and which genius gets to decide that date?), ask yourself what you can do to help make a world where people don't fear being themselves.

I agree. Part of it is not beating up on people who do come out for when and how they do it. Unless the guy is a total sociopath, something made him tell and adamantly stick to that lie. There's a lesson for straight people in that, too.

Don't be silly r150, closets are fabulous. It's where I keep all my wigs and gowns, and shame.

He's only 31? Really!?

R152, he said in the interview that one thing that contributed to his staying in the closet was his early fame and being asked about his sexuality from a young age (16) by reporters.

He said this 'trapped [him] in a lie' early on, as he didn't feel comfortable admitting his sexuality to himself at that stage, let alone the media. Then he felt obliged to keep maintaining the lie.

He actually said in the interview that if the media hadn't been so intrusive when he was a teen superstar he probably wouldn't have developed the hang-ups he did and would have come out earlier.

I dunno, part of me thinks that sounds like a handy excuse, and part of me sympathises.

I was bullied about being gay when I was a little younger than that and the truth is it made me very resistant to coming up. Cost me a lot of years because I associated gay with something people would take advantage of and use against me, often painfully. But whether you're hit from time to time or just mocked most of it, if happened earlier enough that I withdrew in rather than looked outward. So I can see how the intrusion caught him. It was hard enough at young age for most of us to tell our parents. Imagine it being national news, too.

Competitive swimmers find it very difficult to develop emotional maturity growing up. They get up before dawn most days to train for hours before school, do the same afterwards and between that and their fastidious diets they simply have no life to speak of, other than pounding that black line at the bottom of the pool.

Usually their parents have to sacrifice a lot of their lives as well to get them to and from training and accompany them to swimming competitions (as well as all the money that costs the family). It's a recipe for dysfunction and intense feelings of guilt about not wanting to let them down easily develop.

A lot of swimmers also struggle after that regimen of a lifetime is suddenly over when they retire. A classic case of the carpet being pulled out from under them.

Having a hot body doesn't really help them - but it's no hindrance either (sorry, I couldn't help myself)..

He's a big sloppy mess.

In my experience professional athletes, like ballet dancers and others who get up early to do rote movements for 9 hours a day, are usually not the brightest bunnies in the room. Someone like Nureyev is an exception.

Like Tammy, we couldn't even be bothered pressing the BITCH, PLEASE button because it's too pathetic. But at least he managed to spill his guts once again for a big fat cheque.

I'm reminded a little of Jodie Foster's Golden Globe coming out. She seemed to blame the difficulty of it when you grow up as a child in the media and seemed angry about being able to come out in her own way. I have no idea what it would have been like to come out when your quotes became public and thrown back at you.

Did he actually say he was gay but had never had sex with a man?

Yes - just like most of the hysterical queens who post here.

Many gay stars who are now out denied being gay before eventually telling the truth about themselves. Including Tom Daley.

Good for him.

I feel a little embarrassed for him (if even I knew he was gay, a lesbian who doesn't really look for that, everybody knew) since he outright denied it. But it takes guts to come out when you're a public figure, regardless.

R160 I'm a man whose emotional and physical attraction is to men. I've never had sex with a man, tho, and don't intend to. Does that make me non-homosexual? Of course not.

I don't find Thorpe's situation unbelievable. If he was globally famous at 16, what privacy woukd he have had to fumble his way into relationships.

Think about the fascination now over "Did he do it yet?"

It actually is his private business, as quaint as that might seem nowadays.

Too little too late.

What R4 said.

How is a beautiful, accomplished, world renowned athlete, who has the love of millions, somehow "brave" simply because he publicly admitted his own truth?

Good for him, but this hardly rates bravery. It's more deserving of a congratulations for his ceasing hiding.

It's 2014, nobody cares enough anymore. It isn't like he ran/runs the risk of persecution for coming out of his plush, gilded closet.

I don't think it's about that, R166, it's more the fat that he's been lying and denying his sexuality for the past decade. He's not brave for coming out now. He looks like a hypocrite for not coming out sooner.

I wish him a speedo recovery.

r164 - Have you ever lived with a hot Brazilian swimmer? The dude has had at least one boyfriend. It's bizarre why he's still (probably) telling tales, but perhaps it's his version of edging out of the closet. I think even Tom Daley waffled about still fancying girls when he came out.

And given how scripted it seemed, it might be that some ever-helpful PR type planned out the strategy of the virgin homosexual as a way to explain his vehement denials etc. I wonder if he had to kick any of his interview $$ over to his ex-pieces for staying quiet?

Oh well. I still like the guy and hope this helps him, no matter how he's going about it.

"It's 2014, nobody cares enough anymore."

Yes, they do, which is why many people are still lying and hiding. Not that I would know anything about that, mind you. I'm straight and madly in love with Olivia Munn.

Give it a rest. If Obama said he wasn't part white, all of you would be raising a storm. Apparently it's only OK to deny you're gay not anything else.

I completely believe him when he says he has lived with severe depression for years. He used to be the hugest sporting star in Australia and had constant pressure placed on him to do well. All this from the age of 15. I sympathise with him.

Yes, it was pathetic to deny his sexuality in an autobiography. To say that an American swimmer had been his girlfriend which she then denied. And he isn't a hero for coming out now.

However, give the guy a break. He has obviously had a myriad of issues. Good on him for finally coming out.

I didn't watch the interview since I'm not in Australia but it's weird how he would even mention that he's never been with guys. Like why would he mention that, even if it were true?

Situation is sad.

Commentators always talked about his very large hands and feet. He made two half hearted attempts to comeback for the Olympics in 2008 and 2012. Those failed. He says he wants to compete in 2016. He is nowhere near the condition he needs to be in. I don't think that will happen. So his competitive career will have ended when he was 22. Just like child actors he is struggling to move on. Add to that being gay and all the everyday hostility gay people face and it is no wonder he has depression.

I hope his anus is okay

R173, he was pointing out that when he said he'd been sexually active with only women that bit was actually true.

He must have had lots of offers so it's a big hard to believe that he hasn't taken advantage of some of the gay ones. Then again, I think he's always been basically a nice guy so I want to believe him now.

I haven't read the whole article. Can anyone say why this is news here or in Oz? I get that he's a retired athlete.

It's news because people find it interesting, R177. Is it possible that you clicked on this link because you thought it could be interesting?

R177 he was like Australia's Michael Phelps. He won more Olympic medals then any other Australian ever.

R176 ahh so he was probably trying to avoid looking like an idiot for lying so obviously in his autobiography. I guess there's a chance he's telling the truth but I don't buy it at all.

I believe he never had sex with guys.Ian is very fucked up and no one here knows him personally.Hope he find a nice guy to take care of him now.

His father told a reporter that Ian just came out to the family about 4 weeks ago. (His mother was supposedly surprised by the news.)

The father said that the weeks following Ian's disclosure to them were about the happiest weeks they've spent with him.

Maybe things will get better for him. Here's hoping.

[quote]Add to that being gay and all the everyday hostility gay people face and it is no wonder he has depression.

EXCUSE ME?! He deserve to be called out. He lied about his sexuality for a decade. Even now he won't admit to ever having a boyfriend. He's not exactly a hero.

He's ugly inside and out.

R181 oh that's sweet. While his lying annoys me, I also hope things get better for him, he's such an obviously tortured individual.

He just tweeted the following message

"To Everyone who has sent a message of support I sincerely Thank you!"

Well he was in denial and struggling

cut him a break

Just once I'd like to see a gay reporter ask a straight celebrity if they've ever tried butt sex.

[quote]The father said that the weeks following Ian's disclosure to them were about the happiest weeks they've spent with him.

I hope this bodes well for him.

He needs to have his nipples suckled and chewed. That would make anyone feel better.

Dutch swimming champion Pieter van den Hoogenband responded to Ian's coming out. "You've always been a great champion, now even more! I'm proud of you @IanThorpe"

[quote]Many gay stars who are now out denied being gay before eventually telling the truth about themselves.

This applies to most gays & lesbians, period. Denial - for however long it lasts - seems to be a significant part of the self-acceptance process for most, and many never move beyond that. (And no, none of this is a defense of Thorpe.)

Former teammate Michael Klim responds: "A fine day for Ian Thorpe and for all who have the right to be who they are and lead healthy and happy…"

Homosexuals are, on the by and by, chock full of shame. How do they live with themselves on a day to day basis, being so ashamed of themselves and all?

Then why is he STILL denying ever having a boyfriend, R186? He's still deeply ashamed over his sexuality.

[quote]Even now he won't admit to ever having a boyfriend.

What makes you so sure that he has had a boyfriend?

He says he wants a partner and start a family.

Hope he finds that.

Pieter van den Hoogenband on video last year, hot to death.

Why can't he be the one coming out?

Ian looks like shit now. Needs a girdle.

He probably never had a boyfriend. That dude was closeted on Defcon 5.

Ian held the world record in 400 metres freestyle, his best event, from August 22, 1999 to July 26, 2009. His best time was 3:40.08. Paul Biedermann currently has the record at 3:40.07.

When I came out, I suddenly felt free to post all sort of horribly judgmental posts about other gay men on the internet! It was liberating beyond belief!

Of course, I don't use my name!

Johnny Weir said this on twitter: "Very pleased for and proud of @IanThorpe! Incredible champion and beautiful man! #Thorpedo"

When he gets married it will be a media feeding frenzy the likes of which Australia has never seen before.

Is Johnny Weir married this week or working on a divorce?

van den Hoogenband's tweet is great. A nice guy.

Judging him for coming out "late" is pretty low-rent.

I mean, they started probing him on his sexuality literally at age 15. It's hard to know what the hell you are at that age, and if you start getting defensive, you can just get buried in the closet.

You have to welcome people out of the closet -- not judge them. Else people won't come out.

Does Deborra-Lee Furniss have a sister?

If his mom was surprised by the news, she may have been a major source of the pressure. The look on her facing while young Ian accepts a medal is disturbing.

His parents are big fundies.

So he was getting it from all sides, so to speak.

R206, that is such a lousy excuse. Tom Daley came out at 19.

Tom Daley has a big fan base in homophobic China because diving is a very popular sport there (and let's be real divers need all the endorsement money they can get because there's hardly any in general) and he still managed to come out at 19 and risked losing money.

Matthew Mitcham won Olympic gold medal in Beijing and couldn't get any endorsement deals because he came out as gay.

Ian made so much money from 15 to 25 because of how popular he was world-wide and because swimming stars have big exposure and can become big stars when they do well in the Olympics and yet he kept denying his sexuality long after retiring from competitive swimming.

On top of it he acted like being (assumed) gay is the worst thing that can happen to a person and it's something shameful. Not very helpful to closeted kids out there if you ask me.

Congratulations to him for coming out i wish him all happiness and i don't have a problem with him coming out later in life but calling him brave? There's nothing brave about what he did so let's just congratulate him and leave it at that.

I don't think he sees himself as brave:

From the interview:

Speaking on whether he regretted his decision to wait to come out, Thorpe added: “I’m a little bit ashamed that I didn’t come out earlier, that I didn’t have the strength to do it, I didn’t have the courage to do it, to break that lie.”

Well this morning the Australian media is attacking the gay community on breakfast television for "judging" Thorpe! Saying no-one has the right to judge him and that we should put ourselves in his place - as if his place was completely different than ours. Incredible.

They are also reporting that the gay community is saying he should have come out at 15 - ridiculous.

What a very interesting turn of events. They seem to be claiming him as one of their own and trying to protect him from the gay communities opinion on him coming out.

It's not surprising that he hasn't had a boyfriend. I'm in my twenties, and it frequently comes up on dates that guys haven't had any long term boyfriends. Lots of gay guys are still only "good" at sex, they still struggle with romantic relationships.

And before someone jumps on me, I don't mean "all" or "the majority" when I wrote "lots".

[quote]And before someone jumps on me,

Don't be so uptight. You may enjoy having somone jump on you.

Good for Thorpe. Wish him well.

Coming out of the closet: Damned if you do, damned if you don't.

Tom Daley came out at 19, but he was dating a 39 year old professional homosexual who literally wrote the script to the movie "Milk."

If you don't think that played a role, you're an idiot.

[all posts by childish idiot removed]

R209 I've never heard that his parents are religious at all. And even if they're Catholic/baptist/Jewish it doesn't mean they're fundies. His mother sounds incredibly naive, but now that she officially knows he's gay she's supporting him along with his dad who seems to gave known that his son was in denial. They seem to just be happy that he's not pretending any more, about anything- his sexuality, his depression all of it.

R213 the reason the mainstream media is attacking the gay community for not being supportive enough is because the gay media outlets have reported the same thing! The headline for the Gay News is that the backlash is coming from within. If datalounge is anything to go by then it's true.

[all posts by tedious troll removed.]

R221, yes, I agree and in the same picture, the way Ian holds the medal is 110% gay! How can anyone be surprised?

Have anyone of you actually watched the snippets published about the interview? He says that all of his sexual and romantic experiences so far have been with women, but then goes out to point that he "is not straight". That hardly means that he is gay.

He could be bisexual, you know?

[quote]That hardly means that he is gay.

No, I guess we're all reading the wrong thing into the comment "I'm comfortable saying I'm a gay man."

Thank God you were here to correct us.

[all posts by childish idiot removed]

R223 he is gay.

He is still struggling and had trouble saying the 'gay' part.

But he has accepted himself as gay

[quote] He says that all of his sexual and romantic experiences so far have been with women, but then goes out to point that he "is not straight". That hardly means that he is gay.

Actually Michael Parkinson was reading a quote from his book. Thorpe shot himself in the foot a few years ago, when he said he was in a long term relationship with Amanda Beard who had to come out and say that it wasn't true and that they were just friends.

Well, at least he didn't say he was "bisexual"

Yet.

[quote]Ian made so much money from 15 to 25 because of how popular he was world-wide and because swimming stars have big exposure and can become big stars when they do well in the Olympics and yet he kept denying his sexuality long after retiring from competitive swimming.

He also has lost a great deal of his fortune in the last couple of years. His comeback bid failed, and his book was a way of him to try and generate money. He's had to sell most of his homes. Most Olympians make their money for one, maybe two cycles, and it's maybe a handful that actually make any kind of real money.

R223 you are stupid. He said "I am a gay man" how is that not good enough for you.

"Thorpe shot himself in the foot a few years ago, when he said he was in a long term relationship with Amanda Beard who had to come out and say that it wasn't true and that they were just friends."

Sounds like Troy Aikman's "romance" with Sandra Bullock or Aaron Rodgers' "love affair" with Jessica Szohr

[quote]The father said that the weeks following Ian's disclosure to them were about the happiest weeks they've spent with him.

That's kind of heartwarming.

[quote]Tom Daley came out at 19.

Tom Daley came out at 19 in 2014; Thorpe was 19 in 2002. I doubt Tom would have come out at 19 if he were the same age as Thorpe. 12 years may not seem like a long time, but in terms of outs sportsmen it's an eternity.

You're right R233. There has been a HUGE change in the public's view of everything about gay people in the past 12 years. It's much easier for people to come out today than it was in 2002.

[quote]when he said he was in a long term relationship with Amanda Beard who had to come out and say that it wasn't true and that they were just friends.

Why on earth didn't he choose a girl with a different last name?

[all posts by tedious troll removed.]

The Pressure on Athletes to Stay in the Closet:

(Barry Taylor from the Gay and Lesbian International Sports Association) says in our society being homosexual is still viewed as being detrimental to an athlete's sporting career.

Mark Tewksbury, a Canadian Olympic swimmer, lost millions in contracts when he revealed he was gay, Barry points out.

And he believes Tewksbury counselled Ian Thorpe not to come out.

Barry says it's a tragedy that some sponsors and advertisers see a gay or lesbian athlete as an undesirable person to promote their product, regardless of their achievements in their sport.

And he says the pressure for gay sports stars to stay silent is primarily coming from their managers.

"We've seen it in rock stars, in a range of people that somehow if you declare your sexuality, if you're true to yourself it's going to have a negative impact," he says.

Elite athletes rely heavily on sponsorship, Barry says, and many rely on it as their retirement fund.

"So I think it's a big issue," he says....

Yes r236, right next to the posts signed by Meryl Streep.

It's all about the money.

If he was honest he would have simply said: I didn't want to fuck my endorsement cash. Now I have the big Fuck You house I can unshackle the big nelly within and invite all the trade over.

His next autobiography will be called: "Splashy Me: Caftans & Cocktails At The Shallow End"

Austrlaians can be virulently homophobic, and no more so in the sporting arena. On the same day Thorpe came out, a sports broadcaster called a football player a 'big poofter' on air. Most people are upsate that the caller was censured and are blaming 'political correctness' gone mad. This is the same country where an aboriginal football player was called a gorilla last year by a 13 year old girl, and people similarly couldn't see the big deal.

Is it any wonder Thorpe hid his sexuality until he couldn't stand the lies anymore?

How he holds the medal here too:

Quite the fashion plate:

The guy designed and wore pearl jewellry for goodness sake. I understand there's a degree of self-denial going on here, but a straight man would never, ever, ever, ever dress like this.

The Oz tabloids have taken the subtle approach to this story:

R240, please don't exaggerate. Some people any have said that ridiculous line about 'political correctness' but there were major negative stories about the commentator's homophobic comment (and also last year about the racial slur yelled at Adam Goodes). The major news shows deliberately juxtaposed the Thorpe and 'poofter' slur stories as a way of demonstrating the impact of homophobia in sport.

What has the twitter reaction been like?

Years of "innuendo journalism" can now end.

[quote]Austrlaians can be virulently homophobic, and no more so in the sporting arena. On the same day Thorpe came out, a sports broadcaster called a football player a 'big poofter' on air. Most people are upsate that the caller was censured and are blaming 'political correctness' gone mad. This is the same country where an aboriginal football player was called a gorilla last year by a 13 year old girl, and people similarly couldn't see the big deal.

[quote]Is it any wonder Thorpe hid his sexuality until he couldn't stand the lies anymore?

Ian Roberts, the Australian rugby player, came out nearly 20 years ago at the top of his game -- he was the Michael Sam of his time. Swimming hardly compares to rugby as far as homophobia.

Seriously, what was up between him and Tom cruise?

Here's more details on his attempt to come out in 2000:

Ian Thorpe contemplated coming out as gay prior to the 2000 Sydney Olympics, but the swimming superstar decided against it because of the detrimental financial consequences suffered by a Canadian swimming star.

'I'm ashamed I didn't come out earlier because I didn't have the courage to do it,' Thorpe told British interviewer Michael Parkinson on Sunday night. 'I wanted to make my nation proud of me. I didn't know if Australia wanted its champion to be gay. I am telling the world I am,' he said.

In mid-2000 the late Terry Gathercole, the head of Swimming Australia, organised for Thorpe to talk to the high-profile, openly gay solicitor John Marsden.

Marsden told Fairfax Media at the time that he had organised a conference call with Canadian swimmer Mark Tewksbury, who had come out six years after he won the gold medal and broke the world record for the 100-metre backstroke at the 1992 Olympics.

Tewksbury said yesterday that he recalled speaking to Marsden but that Thorpe's identity was not disclosed. 'I always questioned his sexuality but his name was never revealed to me,' Tewksbury said.

Speaking from Canada, Tewksbury said that he had come out in 1998 because mere rumours that he was gay caused him to lose a 'six-figure speaking contract".

'I knew when I did it, there was a chance I could lose everything … that was the reality,'he said of the negative attitude of sponsors towards gay athletes at the time.

Tewksbury said he shared how 'tough' his decision was, but added it was also liberating. 'It was all worth it,' Tewksbury said. 'It's much more important than anything else.'

The day after the conversation with Tewksbury, Marsden told the Herald that the Canadian swimmer did not try to dissuade Thorpe from coming out but made sure he was aware of the financial consequences.

Marsden said Thorpe weighed up the advice and decided to postpone the announcement until later in his swimming career.

Thorpe's management has not responded to a request for comment.

So has Thorpe had sex with women or not? he seems to have said so earlier, but what about now?

I'm glad to know Tewksbury didn't tell him to be closeted, that would be horrible

[quote]So has Thorpe had sex with women or not? he seems to have said so earlier, but what about now?

No.

When Richard Chamberlain came out the headline on People magazine said "Richard Chamberlain: I'm Gay" and someone here posted "The Sky: I'm Blue!"

The same joke would work for this thread title!

Tewksbury was so harmed he became a virtual poster boy for the IOC.

Ricky Martin and Ian Thorpe, a new couple?

^ They'd make a hot couple

So, Tom Daley gets Lance Black, and Ian gets Ricky?

I don't know, should Ian's first out relationship be with a man with kids?

LOL the very first (and so far only) comment at r256’s article is requesting that the author correct a minor (and somewhat disputable from what I can see – unless something else was corrected already) grammar mistake on the article’s title.

¡Los nazis de gramática en todas partes!

If he'd come out earlier, he and Matthew Mitcham could have been the world's most glamorous gay couple.

Well if he is dated Ricky Martin, I wonder if Ricky will give him the golden showers he claimed he loved giving his partners.

I read Ricky's book, he had some story about a woman whose toes he liked to nibble on. Could you imagine what he would do Ian Thorpe's size 17 feet.

Ian wants a family. I could see Ricky being a family man having some appeal for the two of them.

[post redacted because linking to dailymail.co.uk clearly indicates that the poster is either a troll or an idiot (probably both, honestly.) Our advice is that you just ignore this poster but whatever you do, don't click on any link to this putrid rag.]

So do we care about Ian anymore? He's over, right?

Well I don't know if I care that much but I wish him happiness. The question is will he be in the spotlight on global scale in the future. If we never hear about him it's pretty easy to forget about him.

When Ian Thorpe quit swimming to briefly study psychology at university (he now regrets not sticking to swimming and garnering more medals) he attended the university I used to work at and was followed by a gaggle of teen girls. He was still heavily closeted.

r266 just casually googling Ian Thorpe and bumping five year old DL threads on Christmas Day, as one does...

cute...though he's not aging well.