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Ex-British & Irish Lion Thomas comes out

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    #2
    Peadar06
    Registered Users Posts: 619 ✭✭✭Peadar06


    Well done for him, one of the greatest rugby players ever.

    Peter


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    #3
    Aard
    Registered Users Posts: 4,905 ✭✭✭Aard


    Fair play to him. This trend of pro-sportsmen coming out is one that has my seal of approval :D Long may it last!


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    #4
    Tricity Bendix
    Closed Accounts Posts: 2,510 ✭✭✭Tricity Bendix


    Could it not have been one of the good-looking ones?


    Seriously, though, fair play that man.


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    #5
    auerillo
    Closed Accounts Posts: 341 ✭✭auerillo


    Coming out in sport seems, now, to be something like coming out as an alcoholic in the 1990's. It ended up that to come out as an alcoholic was de rigueur for many actors and "personalities" and was a great way for them to attract publicity for an often flagging career.

    I actually don't care if Donal Og or Gareth Thomas is gay, or serial solitary masturbators, or straight, or anything else for that matter. It's great for all of us to be whatever it is we are, and lets hope we don't sensationalise what is a normal thing.

    Perhaps that's why I find it distasteful. If he was straight there is no story for the press. That he is gay turns it into a story. When it's no longer a story, then we know it will be accepted by everyone as normal to be gay.


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    #6
    jamijary
    Closed Accounts Posts: 47 ✭jamijary


    Fair play to him!

    It is important in my opinion that the press make a big deal about it. As his and other people 'coming out' is positive for those who are struggling especially young people, It's a tough world out there and seeing the likes of Thomas taking that step gives others hope.


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    #7
    Goodshape
    Registered Users Posts: 8,488 ✭✭✭Goodshape


    auerillo wrote: »
    Coming out in sport seems, now, to be something like coming out as an alcoholic in the 1990's. It ended up that to come out as an alcoholic was de rigueur for many actors and "personalities" and was a great way for them to attract publicity for an often flagging career.

    I actually don't care if Donal Og or Gareth Thomas is gay, or serial solitary masturbators, or straight, or anything else for that matter. It's great for all of us to be whatever it is we are, and lets hope we don't sensationalise what is a normal thing.

    ...being gay is similar to being an alcoholic or a "serial solitary masturbatory".. how, exactly?


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    #8
    Boston
    Closed Accounts Posts: 17,163 ✭✭✭✭Boston


    auerillo wrote: »
    Coming out in sport seems, now, to be something like coming out as an alcoholic in the 1990's. It ended up that to come out as an alcoholic was de rigueur for many actors and "personalities" and was a great way for them to attract publicity for an often flagging career.

    I actually don't care if Donal Og or Gareth Thomas is gay, or serial solitary masturbators, or straight, or anything else for that matter. It's great for all of us to be whatever it is we are, and lets hope we don't sensationalise what is a normal thing.

    Perhaps that's why I find it distasteful. If he was straight there is no story for the press. That he is gay turns it into a story. When it's no longer a story, then we know it will be accepted by everyone as normal to be gay.

    How incredible cynical. Did you even read the article? He recounts how his marriage collapsed and he felt suicidal. I don't think this was for publicity (which is often the cry from the uninformed) he had no book deal in the offing, he wont be getting any more advertising contracts on the back of this revelation. The man should be thanked not derided for talking so openingly about suicide and his issues with his sexuality. Given the shear number of fans he has, the welsh team has, and rugby in general has, I'm sure it will help allot of people come to terms with their own personal demons.


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    #9
    LegacyUser
    Registered Users Posts: 166,026 ✭✭✭✭LegacyUser


    It's not really the same as Donal Og though is it? I can't help but think of his poor wife, he knew when he was a teenager and he sill got married.


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    #10
    brandodub
    Registered Users Posts: 123 ✭✭brandodub


    Well done Gareth I hope all are supportive of your decision. A high profile sportsman can only be good for all still unable to open the closet door


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    #11
    Dwn Wth Vwls
    Registered Users Posts: 401 ✭✭Dwn Wth Vwls


    It's easy to say "oh but this shouldn't be news, who cares" but that's really missing the point. It IS news, and it's great news. We can't just skip ahead to the time where it's completely normal and nobody blinks an eyelid. This is the beginning (including Donal Óg) of sports people coming out and we should celebrate it. Rolling our eyes and saying "are we not there yet?" is not going to bring acceptance any faster. An entire society changing will always be slow.


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    #12
    Cabbage Brained
    Closed Accounts Posts: 66 ✭✭Cabbage Brained


    Tricity Bendix wrote: »
    Could it not have been one of the good-looking ones?


    Seriously, though, fair play that man.

    Funny to contrast the responses to this comment with the responses to the comments about Diane Savino's image in that other thread.

    I think your comments are perfectly fine btw TB.


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    #13
    gavkm27
    Registered Users Posts: 512 ✭✭✭gavkm27


    Cabbage Brained wrote: »
    Funny to contrast the responses to this comment with the responses to the comments about Diane Savino's image in that other thread.

    I think your comments are perfectly fine btw TB.

    Yeah noticed that too ;)

    Here is short interview with Gareth Thomas on BBC sport page:

    http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/rugby_union/default.stm


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    #14
    jamijary
    Closed Accounts Posts: 47 ✭jamijary


    I think beauty is in the eye of the beholder!

    I thinks he is hunky and thank God it was one of the talented one's who came out. In fact interesting that he and Donal Og both are top of their game!

    So much for gays being crap at sport!!


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    #15
    Boston
    Closed Accounts Posts: 17,163 ✭✭✭✭Boston


    I think you need to look at the users history to determine if a comment was lighted hearted or if it was a derogative comment which fitted a trend demonstrated in the past. I doubt anyone thinks Tricity Bendix comment was an attempt to undermine the thread's message, the same cannot be said for what happened on the Diane Savino thread.


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    #16
    shay_562
    Registered Users Posts: 1,764 ✭✭✭shay_562


    Boston wrote:
    I doubt anyone thinks Tricity Bendix comment was an attempt to undermine the thread's message, the same cannot be said for what happened on the Diane Savino thread.

    Actually, I think he's a shallow, superficial bitch and love him for it. I was thanking him for finally saying what we were all thinking. When Jake Gyllenhaal comes out, then I'll be interested. Until then it's, like, tote whatevs, ya know?


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    #17
    jamijary
    Closed Accounts Posts: 47 ✭jamijary


    victory3 wrote: »
    It's not really the same as Donal Og though is it? I can't help but think of his poor wife, he knew when he was a teenager and he sill got married.

    Yea I know that he did decieve her, but having read his account of how much he loved her and how he went to chuch every week asking God to change him it makes his story all the more real. So much for those who say gays can be changed here is a guy whose sport/life could not have been more straight he had met a woman he really loved and still he couldn't change who he was!


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    #18
    Cabbage Brained
    Closed Accounts Posts: 66 ✭✭Cabbage Brained


    Boston wrote: »
    I think you need to look at the users history to determine if a comment was lighted hearted or if it was a derogative comment which fitted a trend demonstrated in the past. I doubt anyone thinks Tricity Bendix comment was an attempt to undermine the thread's message, the same cannot be said for what happened on the Diane Savino thread.

    Yeah you might be right.


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