Gareth Thomas: 'I'm Gay' -- Welsh Rugby Player COMES OUT

Gareth Thomas, a highly accomplished Welsh rugby player, publicly announced yesterday that he is gay. The Daily Mail interviewed Thomas, who spoke about the challenge of hiding his secret. "You don't want anyone to see your face, because you think that if people look at you, they will know," he told the paper. He says that "keeping this secret was driving me crazy."

Thomas felt so conflicted that his thoughts became suicidal at times. "Sometimes I'd think: 'I don't want to be like this. I want to kill myself.'" His marriage to a high school sweetheart ended in 2006.

According to the Times of London, "the news was regarded as a trifling" and the team's director of rugby downplayed the admission: "I am surprised that in 2009 there are people who think this is a big deal. To us it is no deal."

Among the small number of openly gay professional athletes in the US is John Amaechi, who in 2007 became the first NBA player to come out when he published his book, Man in the Middle. Two former MLB players, Glenn Burke and Billy Bean, came out in the 1990s. David Kopay, Roy Simmons and Esera Tuaolo are three NFL players who have acknowledged that they are gay. All of these players came out after their professional careers ended, however, which makes Thomas particularly unusual.

Comments

[savvysearch]

03:42 AM on 01/24/2010

That's what happens when your country does not allow gay marriage. I hope it give the British Isles something to think about.

[inthedesert]

02:32 PM on 12/23/2009

The real tragedy is when a man who is attracted to men marries a woman thinking that will solve the issue. IT DOES NOT! The phrase a shrink would use is "the return of the repressed"­. What we try to ignore because it bothers us returns again and again and each time the thought or feeling is that much stronger. I have met many men over the years that had a devoted wifey at home who knew nothing about her husband's "activitie­s" with me. Many times these men become frequenter­s of men's restrooms for sex or truck stops. Latino men have a particular­ly difficult time coming to terms with liking men due to the Catholic/m­acho man thing that they grew up with. A very funny movie about coming to terms with one's sexuality before you screw up your life and your wife to be is "In And Out" with Kevin Kline. Although it pokes fun at a variety of topics(sup­er models, Hollywood stars, Barbra Streisand, gays)it also has a serious message: KNOW THYSELF AND LOVE THYSELF!

[inthedesert]

02:18 PM on 12/23/2009

Actually the real tragedy is when a gay man tries to be straight and marries a woman thinking that will solve the issue. IT DOES NOT! I think the proper phrase a shrink would use is "the return of the repressed"­. What we try to repress because we can't handle it simply returns again and again and each time the thought/fe­eling is that much stronger. I've met many men over the years who had a wifey at home who knew nothing about their husband's "activitie­s" some for many, many years. The best movie I ever saw about this was "In And Out" with Kevin Kline. Although it poked fun at a lot of different subjects(g­ays, Barbra Streisand, super models)it really had a serious lesson to teach. Don't try to be straight if you're gay.....it will only cause big big problems for you.

[inthedesert]

02:06 PM on 12/23/2009

This guy is a total hottie....­and yeah, I second the idea of a visit to Palm Springs!!! I'll host him. In reality though, this is kind of "non-news" in 2009. With David Kopay it was a shocker but today this is nothing shocking. I commend him for having the guts to "come out" though especially in the sport of rugby. I would love to see him without his shirt on...any pics out there of this??

[GO-BAMA]

01:54 PM on 12/22/2009

I see a lot of posts here commenting on this man's bravery. I wonder if his ex wife thinks he's brave.

[erichnorse]

09:16 PM on 12/22/2009

Actually she is.

She publicly made that very clear, they are very close and has commended his bravery for being himself. She is very supportive of him.

[IDIOTA]

10:56 PM on 12/21/2009

When athletes come out, they are crushing a stereotype­. Soldiers do the same when they come out.

[mag68]

10:55 PM on 12/21/2009

Yowsa! That Man is HOT!!!! Come to Palm Springs, Buddy.....

[IDIOTA]

10:45 PM on 12/21/2009

Homosexual­ity is not a choice. Choosing to be gay is like choosing to be punched everyday but worse. I know that I'll be long gone before homosexual­ity is not the issue that it is today. And congratula­tions in advance to the society that achieves sexuality equality.

[IDIOTA]

10:39 PM on 12/21/2009

I hope that people that see homosexual­ity as a choice understand that no one would choose it. This guy was suicidal because he did not want to be gay. That's horrible.

[JohnnyKay]

12:42 AM on 12/22/2009

Sorry, but he came out, out of fear of being exposed, not because he hates being gay.

[IDIOTA]

01:46 PM on 12/22/2009

He was suicidal out of fear of being exposed? I think that fear of the community because of his homosexual­ity is what made him suicidal.

[IDIOTA]

01:53 PM on 12/22/2009

I see the confusion. I didn't say that well. I meant that he feared being shunned and hated for his sexuality which he could not change and that made him suicidal. I am just guessing. Who would choose to be shunned and hated?

[IDIOTA]

10:32 PM on 12/21/2009

You're still a man.

[IDIOTA]

10:27 PM on 12/21/2009

Good for him. His straight, male teammates are probably fine with it. They'll joke because guys do that, but they won't be afraid of being turned gay because they're straight.

The closeted teammates, though, may have a problem.

[Randy Treibel]

09:02 PM on 12/21/2009

This may be no big deal in evolved circles, but let's remind ourselves he plays a very 'manly' sport that tends to lend towards heavy homophobia­. It's sad he's had to spend most of his life as a lie to try to please the ignorant masses.

[LeftLeanWing]

10:46 PM on 12/21/2009

you should see the Friday Night Leather Crowd.....­. HyperMascu­linity of the Highest Degree.
Make Mr. T look like a sissy.

[MarkInEugene]

08:51 PM on 12/21/2009

Gareth:

It's a challenge because there's a lot of ignorant people in the world, but you're doing the right thing....b­eing yourself..­.that's more important than anything! I have no idea what additional stress is caused by your celebrity, but you have just taken your power back by declaring who you really are. There is strength in being an honest, authentic, human being whatever your attributes are.

Remember too, you're one more successful athlete among many who are crushing the stereotype­s and making the haters look like nothing but angry fools. It's all good buddy, not to worry, your heterosexu­al friends will find it humorous and strange, but they'll still love you. It's the closeted ones insecure about their own sexuality who make trouble. Understand­ing the huge diversity of thought when it comes to sexual preference will become easier for you now that you've admit your own feelings to yourself.

Careful with the labels though, nobody's 100% anything, so don't go judging yourself too harshly, there are billions of people with all kinds of same sex desires most of which stay hidden. It's courageous people like yourself that forge a path to a better future for everyone.

[DannyEV]

08:44 PM on 12/21/2009

now this hot man has proven that he's a real man.

[PaticaDeGato]

01:54 PM on 12/21/2009

He's a rugby player, what else would you expect?

[MotorcycleBoy]

05:57 PM on 12/21/2009

I dare you to say that to his face! He'd fold you up like yesterday'­s newspaper!

[SvrWx]

07:13 PM on 12/21/2009

Actually, I'd expect wrestlers to be gay considerin­g that they like to roll around and be all sweaty. As for Rugby players, I've played football and Rugby in my life. Rugby, by far, is more trying physically­, emotionall­y, and cardio fitness wise. Football doesn't hold a candle to it. Especially if you play in the pack.

[peowlemeow]

08:41 PM on 12/21/2009

Okay,see you in the showers ,mr sweaty man.Not.

[IDIOTA]

10:31 PM on 12/21/2009

Rugby is TOUGH.