British Olympic diver Tom Daley gave hope to gay men everywhere this morning when he revealed to the world in a YouTube video that he is in a relationship with a man.
Stopping short of using either "gay" or "bisexual" as identifiers, Daly states in the video that "right now I’m dating a guy and I couldn’t be happier. It makes me feel safe and just really does feel right."
However, not everyone was quite so thrilled with the news. In a Twitter backlash that parallels one experienced by Raven-Symone after the star publicly came out, angry and homophobic users took to their social media to express their outrage over Daley's revelation.
We really couldn't me more thrilled with the news...but these individuals clearly feel otherwise.
You just lost a fan, go to hell!!! faggot @TomDaley1994
— ㅤ (@NoamiCampbell) December 2, 2013
Told you all Tom Daley was a dirty fag! 🚬
— Matthew Horne (@mashhorne) December 2, 2013
I can’t believe Tom Daley is gay I’m not a fan of his anymore! he’s going to hell it’s Adam and Eve not Adam and Steve.
— Castiel (@DrugFeud) December 2, 2013
Oh my God Tom Daley, put a sock up your ass, everyone loves juicy cocks we just don't say it because it's a slight against God you homo fuck
— Jahk Dilla (@dGahck) December 2, 2013
Tom Daley is gay I am now ashamed of my country ew we can't have a bloody fag representing us
— (@alItomyself) December 2, 2013
Did anyone actually think Tom Daley was straight? He's a fucking obvious arse bandit
— Maca (@macagalvin) December 2, 2013
Tom 'takes cock' Daley
— jared quinn (@jidddda) December 2, 2013
So Tom Daley came out, what a fag.
— Jordon McGowan (@M_C_Amberleaf) December 2, 2013
Tom Daley "It's always been at the back if my mind that something like this may happen" SO YOUVE ALWAYS BEEN GAY YOU FAG
— Luke Donaldson (@Lukedonaldson17) December 2, 2013
its like tom daley wants a fucking medal for being gay
— mammoth (@boomdaily) December 2, 2013
we all knew Tom Daley was a fag
— اللعنة (@DopeBieber) December 2, 2013
Tom Daley the faggot
— Ben Whitfield (@BWhitza) December 2, 2013
In complete shock Tom Daley is gay, would never have called it #faggot
— Will Foster (@WillFoster22) December 2, 2013
Jesus Christ let's be realistic anybody who thought that Tom Daley wasn't a fag, has been in more denial than the guy himself..
— Luke Turner (@LukeTurner_5) December 2, 2013
everybody is shocked about tom daley being gay haha he's a proper faggot wasn't it a bit obvious
— ЯIᄂΣY JЦПIӨЯ (@RileyJr_) December 2, 2013
Lmao ahahaha tom daley was a fag before he came out of Narnia, he's a bigger fag now
— Solid Snake (@Skobisco) December 2, 2013
However, Tom certainly isn't letting the homophobic bigots get him down:
While we've made a huge amount of progress as a community and LGBT individuals, it's important to also remember that not everyone is quite so ecstatic about our political and social gains. These tweets serve as reminder that this is no time to be complacent with our victories and that there is still a huge amount of work left to do.
(h/t Towleroad)