Australian Olympic Swimmer Ian Thorpe (Finally) Says He Is Gay

There have been rumors swirling around Australian swimming phenom Ian Thorpe for years that he was a closeted gay man but his 2012 autobiography This Is Me included the sentences

"For the record, I am not gay and all of my sexual experiences have been straight. I'm attracted to women, I love children, and aspire to have a family one day." 

Thorpe represented Australia in multiple Olympics and by the time is he was 24 he had broken 22 world records  and won 9 Olympic medals (5 Gold, 3 Silver, 1 Bronze).

I guess I could make that previous excerpt today's Queer Quote, but I would rather blog about what the multiple Oylmpic medalist said yesterday:

"I'm comfortable saying I'm a gay man," he said. "And I don't want young people to feel the same way that I did. You can grow up, you can be comfortable and you can be gay."

Part of his reluctance to come out, he said, was fear of letting his family and his fans down.

"I wanted to make my family proud. I wanted to make my nation proud of me. And part of me didn't know if Australia wanted its champion to be gay," he said. "But I'm telling not only Australia, but I'm telling the world, that I am."

Thorpe added that he is looking forward to living his life openly, without the burden of carrying a secret. He wants to find a partner, he said, and start a family.

Thorpe retired from swimming in 2012 after winning five Olympic gold medals, three silvers, and one bronze, and setting 22 world records.

Hopefully, the now 31-year-old former athlete will be able to get on with his life and that the world of sports will become a little more knowledgeable about the sexual orientation of past and future sports stars. There are gay people everywhere! Anyone who thinks that  it is impossible to be gay and be whatever is just blinded by ignorance.

As for the Thorpedo, "good on ya, mate!"