g*y Rugby Player Gareth Thomas
Gareth Thomas is something of a hero; he is the only g*y rugby player in the world who has openly declared his sexual orientation. According to Thomas, coming out into the open for him was the hardest thing the player has ever done in his entire life. Thomas is a very good rugby player and has been an incredible force for the Welsh national team over the years. But what is interesting about his story is the fact that he was actually married to his college sweetheart and when he came out with his liking for men, the couple amicably split. Gareth Thomas has continued his rugby career after coming out and all the negative reactions he thought he was going to receive never materialised, people just accepted him for who he was.
Thomas started his international career with Wales during the 1995 World Cup and managed to score a hat-trick of tries and cemented his place in Welsh rugby history. From then on, he became a permanent fixture in the side and one of the most dominant players on the Wales team. He moved positions from the wing to the centre and finally ended up in his preferred position of full back. He was a heavy tackler and his pace made him really stand out from other international players. He surpassed Welsh international Ieuan Evans' try scoring record during the 2004 World Cup by scoring his 34th try for his country. The record was quickly followed on by the captaincy of Wales. He is one of the best and most well respected rugby players not only in Wales but also around the world.
For someone of Gareth’s stature and fame to come out and reveal that he is g*y was incredible, but what was even more incredible was the fact that it took place in one of the most macho and masculine of sports around. Rugby is a brutal sport and rugby players are known to be tough men who fear nothing. People wrongly assume that all g*y men are effeminate and cannot have masculine tendencies. When a rugby player comes out and says that he is g*y then that turns the whole stereotype on its head. Even though being g*y ended his marriage and it may have turned some of his more conservative fans away from him, Gareth does not regret his decision at all. It was the most uplifting and freeing experience of his entire life while also being the hardest.
Thomas thought that when he did come out, he expected all his fans, his friends and his family would all reject him and he would be jobless and alone. But nothing like that took place; people just accepted him and his decision and moved on, it was as if everything was fine. Being the only openly declaring g*y male athlete in Britain today is difficult but he thought it would be a lot harder than it actually was. It seems people respected him so much that in their eyes, he was simply one of the best Welsh rugby players and his sexuality did not matter, which is exactly how it should be. He recently moved from Rugby Union to Rugby League and thought that it would be a big problem in the new setting but after a talk to his team mates everything was sorted and the air was cleared.
Thomas is using his fame and recognisability to help young boys who might be struggling with acceptance and the decision to come out as he was. He volunteers at a helpline centre taking calls and giving advice to young boys about their lives and being g*y in today’s world. He was inspired by the NSPCC and ChildLine and decided to use his fame to help others. His story is so inspirational that he was approached by Mickey Rourke recently who wanted to make a film about the rugby player’s life. At first Thomas thought it was a joke but it turned out to be genuine and he actually met the actor and talked about a potential movie. It was all a bit surprising for the Welsh star but he felt honoured that his life was interesting enough to be made into a film.
It is not easy being g*y and an athlete in today’s world. There is still a stigma attached to it and those that are g*y in the world of sports keep the fact well hidden. Only some have the courage to come forward to reveal the fact to the. Gareth Thomas should be applauded for his actions and helping to pave the way for other male and female athletes to come out and reveal their true selves. They just might be pleasantly surprised by the reaction they get.
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