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| Ian Thorpe: I'm finally comfortable saying I'm a gay man | Ian Thorpe: I'm finally comfortable saying I'm a gay man |
| (about 1 hour later) | |
| Ian Thorpe was just 15 when he was first asked about his sexuality by the media. As he grew into a man and conquered the swimming world – winning five Olympic gold medals for Australia – the questioning never stopped. | |
| The answer was always the same: I am not gay. | The answer was always the same: I am not gay. |
| When the press stalked him on vacation in Brazil and wrongly labelled his housemate his "lover" he was appalled that his friends had been dragged into the mire and he dug his heels in even further. | When the press stalked him on vacation in Brazil and wrongly labelled his housemate his "lover" he was appalled that his friends had been dragged into the mire and he dug his heels in even further. |
| On Sunday night on Australian television Thorpe faced Sir Michael Parkinson to overturn what he said had become the "big lie" in his life. | On Sunday night on Australian television Thorpe faced Sir Michael Parkinson to overturn what he said had become the "big lie" in his life. |
| "What happened was, I felt that the lie had become so big that I didn't want people to question my integrity and a little bit of ego comes into this," Thorpe said in a 90-minute interview on the Ten network. "I didn't want people to think that I had lied about everything." | "What happened was, I felt that the lie had become so big that I didn't want people to question my integrity and a little bit of ego comes into this," Thorpe said in a 90-minute interview on the Ten network. "I didn't want people to think that I had lied about everything." |
| Now 31, the swimmer said the words he had been avoiding: "I'm not straight and this is only something that very recently – we're talking in the past two weeks – I've been comfortable telling the closest people around me." | Now 31, the swimmer said the words he had been avoiding: "I'm not straight and this is only something that very recently – we're talking in the past two weeks – I've been comfortable telling the closest people around me." |
| His mother was shocked; his friends less so. But everyone had embraced him and he was relieved. When the interview goes to air in Australia, he said, I can finally "breathe out". | His mother was shocked; his friends less so. But everyone had embraced him and he was relieved. When the interview goes to air in Australia, he said, I can finally "breathe out". |
| "I'm comfortable saying I'm a gay man," Thorpe said. "And I don't want people to feel the same way I did. You can grow up, you can be comfortable and you can be gay." | "I'm comfortable saying I'm a gay man," Thorpe said. "And I don't want people to feel the same way I did. You can grow up, you can be comfortable and you can be gay." |
| As Thorpe spoke – and his name trended on Twitter – the comments from the Australian public were overwhelmingly supportive. The gay community and the sporting world welcomed his decision and said it would help young gay people and gay athletes to feel supported. | |
| "I was concerned about the reaction from my family, my friends," Thorpe said. "I'm pleased to say that in telling them, and especially my parents, they told me that they love me and they support me. And for young people out there, know that that's usually what the answer is." | "I was concerned about the reaction from my family, my friends," Thorpe said. "I'm pleased to say that in telling them, and especially my parents, they told me that they love me and they support me. And for young people out there, know that that's usually what the answer is." |
| Thorpe, who has signed up to Ten as a commentator for the Commonwealth Games, revealed he was painfully aware of the homophobia in society and at his all-boys high school. He had even been verbally abused in public by strangers who yelled out "faggot" and "poofter" at him. | Thorpe, who has signed up to Ten as a commentator for the Commonwealth Games, revealed he was painfully aware of the homophobia in society and at his all-boys high school. He had even been verbally abused in public by strangers who yelled out "faggot" and "poofter" at him. |
| "A part of me didn't know if Australia wanted its champion to be gay. I am telling not only Australia, I'm telling the world that I am and I hope this makes it easier for others now." | "A part of me didn't know if Australia wanted its champion to be gay. I am telling not only Australia, I'm telling the world that I am and I hope this makes it easier for others now." |
| "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. | "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. |
| "But everyone goes on their own path to do this." | "But everyone goes on their own path to do this." |
| Thorpe agreed with Parkinson that the secret he had been holding from even his psychiatrist had contributed to the crippling depression he had had for most of his life. He said he had been treated for depression since he was 18 and had later self-medicated with alcohol. | Thorpe agreed with Parkinson that the secret he had been holding from even his psychiatrist had contributed to the crippling depression he had had for most of his life. He said he had been treated for depression since he was 18 and had later self-medicated with alcohol. |
| A very private person, he didn't tell anyone he was depressed. He said he did not want to spoil the delight other people were taking in his incredible success in the pool. | A very private person, he didn't tell anyone he was depressed. He said he did not want to spoil the delight other people were taking in his incredible success in the pool. |
| "I didn't want anyone else to know, to share my problems with people, that I'm unhappy because I'm living what is, you know, a dream life for an Australian," he said. | "I didn't want anyone else to know, to share my problems with people, that I'm unhappy because I'm living what is, you know, a dream life for an Australian," he said. |
| At his worst he thought about suicide, but never got close because of the pain it would cause friends and family, he said. | At his worst he thought about suicide, but never got close because of the pain it would cause friends and family, he said. |
| "You can't get out of bed. You don't want to get out of bed. You know, the only reason you will get out of bed is to use the bathroom." | "You can't get out of bed. You don't want to get out of bed. You know, the only reason you will get out of bed is to use the bathroom." |
| With the coming out saga behind him, Thorpe said he was looking forward to finding a partner and to having children: "I'd like my own family." | With the coming out saga behind him, Thorpe said he was looking forward to finding a partner and to having children: "I'd like my own family." |