Tom Daley's In Love ...

[Beef Oven!]

BO thinks there was nothing wrong with REggie Goodall's views either as I recall . He is a troll and best ignored .

I don't know what 'Reggie's views' are, and I've not condoned them, so you shouldn't make accusations like that. Not sure why you've attacked me personally like this. I'm not a troll, my contribution to this forum is altogether positive, but I am perfectly happy for a wanker like you to ignore me.

[amateur51]

Australian olympic swimming multi-medallist Ian Thorpe has come out as gay in an interview for Australian television with Sir Michael Parkinson.

http://www.theguardian.com/sport/2014/jul/13/ian-thorpe-comfortable-saying-im-a-gay-man-parkinson

Thorpe revealed that it is onlty in the past two weeks that he has felt able to say this in public, aftyer receiving trweayment for long-term depression and drug & alcohol problems.

I hope that his example, and the response of the Australian public, will give courage to others struggling with these issues.

Quite a difference to the way in which Tom Daley made his announcement about being gay, but then Tom was in love whereas Ian is just coming to terms with being honest with himself and others.

[P. G. Tipps]

Australian olympic swimming multi-medallist Ian Thorpe has come out as gay in an interview for Australian television with Sir Michael Parkinson.

http://www.theguardian.com/sport/2014/jul/13/ian-thorpe-comfortable-saying-im-a-gay-man-parkinson

Thorpe revealed that it is onlty in the past two weeks that he has felt able to say this in public, aftyer receiving trweayment for long-term depression and drug & alcohol problems.

I hope that his example, and the response of the Australian public, will give courage to others struggling with these issues.

Quite a difference to the way in which Tom Daley made his announcement about being gay, but then Tom was in love whereas Ian is just coming to terms with being honest with himself and others.

I suppose he was being as equally 'honest' when he insisted in a previous interview that he was 'straight' ?

The lad is obviously deeply troubled or an attention-seeker.

Take your pick.

[Ferretfancy]

I suppose he was being as equally 'honest' when he insisted in a previous interview that he was 'straight' ?

The lad is obviously deeply troubled or an attention-seeker.

Take your pick.

He's certainly not an attention seeker, since there's abundant evidence that fame has not meant much to him. Deeply troubled ? Well possibly. If you are striving to be the best in the world in a sport which lives within a macho culture, you might well be troubled if your sexuality is seen to be at odds with that culture. The fact is that some of us have taken longer to come out than others. I cannot know, of course, but if Ian Thorpe found it necessary to conceal his real person in order to conform to pressures from his peers, I can only hope that a burden has been lifted from his shoulders.

We should all wish him well.

[P. G. Tipps]

He's certainly not an attention seeker ...

Well only he really knows, but, if not, he certainly has had an uncanny knack of inadvertently grabbing the headlines and accidentally giving media interviews in recent times?

We should all wish him well.

Of course we should, if he is, in fact, 'deeply troubled'.

Maybe a little time out of the limelight to try and sort himself out in private might do him a power of good?

I suspect the overwhelming majority of people are nor in the slightest interested in Mr Thorpe's sexuality, it is entirely a matter for the man himself.

He was (is) a damn good swimmer, though!

[amateur51]

He's certainly not an attention seeker, since there's abundant evidence that fame has not meant much to him. Deeply troubled ? Well possibly. If you are striving to be the best in the world in a sport which lives within a macho culture, you might well be troubled if your sexuality is seen to be at odds with that culture. The fact is that some of us have taken longer to come out than others. I cannot know, of course, but if Ian Thorpe found it necessary to conceal his real person in order to conform to pressures from his peers, I can only hope that a burden has been lifted from his shoulders.

We should all wish him well.

The basic thesis of the book The Velvet Rage is that some gay men strive to be the best at everything to compensate for the feeling of loss & inadequacy that they feel because of others' attitudes to their sexuality. I'd say that Thorpe fits that bill quite nicely, poor man. I hope he finds peace of mind and some genuine happiness.

[P. G. Tipps]

A picture can sometimes speak so much louder than mere words ...

http://ichef.bbci.co.uk/news/736/media/images/76254000/jpg/_76254219_parky.jpg

[amateur51]

A picture can sometimes speak so much louder than mere words ...


http://ichef.bbci.co.uk/news/736/med...4219_parky.jpg

Parky did George Michael's revelatory interview after he was entrapped by a pretty policeman - good career move for both of them :smileythingamejig:

[Ferretfancy]

I've new respect for Parky, I thought he just appeared in ads on the Yesterday Channel.

[P. G. Tipps]

I've new respect for Parky, I thought he just appeared in ads on the Yesterday Channel.

Oh come on, be fair ... he also promises you a free Parker Pen ...

[Flosshilde]

Australian olympic swimming multi-medallist Ian Thorpe has come out as gay in an interview for Australian television with Sir Michael Parkinson.

He was one of the carriers/bearers of the Commonwealth Games flag at the opening ceremony last night. Probably selected before he came out, but a nice touch & a riposte to the many Commonwealth countries with anti-gay laws (as was John Barrowman kissing a male dancer).

[P. G. Tipps]

He was one of the carriers/bearers of the Commonwealth Games flag at the opening ceremony last night. Probably selected before he came out, but a nice touch & a riposte to the many Commonwealth countries with anti-gay laws (as was John Barrowman kissing a male dancer).

It is much more likely Thorpe was selected by the BBC because he 'came out'.

The first hour of the ceremony was truly awful and must have embarassed many Scots.

John Barrowman (whoever he is) kissing a male dancer might seem like a nice touch to you but what about the many guests from abroad who were invited to the party?

A bit like inviting some Germans to tea and deliberately hanging a picture of Bomber Harris on the wall.

Excruciating.

[MrGongGong]

The first hour of the ceremony was truly awful and must have embarassed many Scots.
John Barrowman (whoever he is) kissing a male dancer might seem like a nice touch to you but what about the many guests from abroad who were invited to the party?
.

You haven't noticed that there gay people "abroad" as well ?

[Ferretfancy]

It is much more likely Thorpe was selected by the BBC because he 'came out'.

The first hour of the ceremony was truly awful and must have embarassed many Scots.

John Barrowman (whoever he is) kissing a male dancer might seem like a nice touch to you but what about the many guests from abroad who were invited to the party?

A bit like inviting some Germans to tea and deliberately hanging a picture of Bomber Harris on the wall.

Excruciating.

The BBC doesn't decide who appears in the the Commonwealth Games opening ceremony.

In more than half the countries in the Commonwealth, homosexuality is still illegal, and in some cases punishable by death. There really isn't any need to make a simplistic point. John Barrowman's gesture, ( and incidentally he's a talented entertainer and actor )was completely to the point. There's been a lot of debate recently about what constitutes British values. It's high time that we started standing up for them. The mealy mouthed attitudes of our politicians in the face of what's happening in Israel and Gaza are far more excruciating than the sight of two men kissing.

[MrGongGong]

The BBC doesn't decide who appears in the the Commonwealth Games opening ceremony.

In more than half the countries in the Commonwealth, homosexuality is still illegal, and in some cases punishable by death. There really isn't any need to make a simplistic point. John Barrowman's gesture, ( and incidentally he's a talented entertainer and actor )was completely to the point. There's been a lot of debate recently about what constitutes British values. It's high time that we started standing up for them. The mealy mouthed attitudes of our politicians in the face of what's happening in Israel and Gaza are far more excruciating than the sight of two men kissing.

Absolutely :Thumbsupthingy: