Gareth Thomas "comes out"

[Danny-Boy]

Have you heard about the Welsh rugby player Gareth Thomas? Just as well he left it until now:

"And the ball comes out of the scrum, Jones passes to Williams, Williams passes to Gareth Thomas, and Gareth..err..makes a pass at Gavin Henson - oh dear.":safeway2:

 

[Danny-Boy]

No responses so far, I guess the Brighton Gay-pevine knew all about Gareth's tendencies a long time ago. Is he playing for your gay rugby team then?

 

[hart's shirt]

'Just because you are gay, doesn't mean you fancy every man who walks the planet,' he says.

'I don't want to be known as a gay rugby player. I am a rugby player first and foremost. I am a man.'

'I just happen to be gay. It's irrelevant."


It seems like you're the only one here making an issue of it. I wonder why?

 

[Scampi]

Well done Gareth Thomas. I reckon it takes a lot of courage to be the first to come out in any sport, but especially one like rugby.

Shame the thread starter sees fit to resort to tired cliches.

 

[Stumpy Tim]

Well done Gareth Thomas. I reckon it takes a lot of courage to be the first to come out in any sport, but especially one like rugby.

Shame the thread starter sees fit to resort to tired cliches.

Agreed. Odd way to start such a thread

 

[Uncle C]

It was known long ago that he would not give up the soap-on-a-rope in the showers.

 

[pishhead]

 

[mejonaNO12 aka riskit]

As he says, he statistically can't be the only international rugby player to be gay.

Good on him.

 

[Uncle C]

Good on him.

How do you know that?

 

[Barrel of Fun]

Cracking player. Thankfully rugby fans tend to be a different breed to football fans and he won't be getting hate mail and terrace abuse.

 

[Lady Whistledown]

Have you heard about the Welsh rugby player Gareth Thomas? Just as well he left it until now:

"And the ball comes out of the scrum, Jones passes to Williams, Williams passes to Gareth Thomas, and Gareth..err..makes a pass at Gavin Henson - oh dear.":safeway2:

Not even a good joke, as you pass to, not at, team mates (or the opposition, in the Albion's case).

But doubtless it passes for cutting edge humour in your world. Good luck to the bloke, even though it sounds like his team mates & family already knew, it still takes balls to come out as a public figure.

 

[The Wizard]

Good on him, It just shows absolutely anyone can be gay and why it should be universally accepted.

 

[glasfryn]

Cracking player. Thankfully rugby fans tend to be a different breed to football fans and he won't be getting hate mail and terrace abuse.

being a Welshman and not getting hate mail from his countrymen ............you are joking ....now I know I come from what everybody outside Brighton calls "the gay capital of Europe" and having lived in Wales long enough to know they are probably one of the most homophobic nations there can be, it will be quiet I grant you but he will know just how people feel and I'm sure his mailbox will be full .and not of Christmas cards.
My Mrs has never liked him and we do see plenty of him here always says the man has a "chip on his shoulder" and as she said this morning she now knows why.
Some of our gay friends in Brighton will no doubt be having a quiet laugh right now tinged with a little sympathy and I must admit I see the guy in a very different light and whatever anyone says it takes a man to "come out" as he has

 

[Gully]

Most homophobic country in the World is Iran...anyone who is found to be gay is executed, though apparently they have a choice of which method, hanging, stoning, bullet or being thrown off a cliff.

The comments here show that we have come a long way in this country towards a point where sexuality is completely irrelevant, but we still haven't come far enough, as the stupid remarks by the person who started the thread so amply display.

I agree with glasfryn, it takes a brave man to come out so openly, he will forever be judged as the gay rugby player...not just as one of the greatest to pull on a red jersey and play with distinction for his country. There are undoubtedly many gay sportsmen, few are open about this and why should they be, let us judge them on their ability to play their chosen game and not their private life.

 

[Cheeky Monkey]

Have you heard about the Welsh rugby player Gareth Thomas? Just as well he left it until now:

"And the ball comes out of the scrum, Jones passes to Williams, Williams passes to Gareth Thomas, and Gareth..err..makes a pass at Gavin Henson - oh dear.":safeway2:

Which stone did you crawl out from under? Imbecile

 

[Lady Whistledown]

Most homophobic country in the World is Iran...anyone who is found to be gay is executed, though apparently they have a choice of which method, hanging, stoning, bullet or being thrown off a cliff.

The comments here show that we have come a long way in this country towards a point where sexuality is completely irrelevant, but we still haven't come far enough, as the stupid remarks by the person who started the thread so amply display.
.

Lots of African countries are just as bad as Iran, it would seem. Read something last week whereby Uganda is currently pushing through legislation criminalising homosexuality, and making certain acts capital offences. Imagine being executed for falling in love with another adult? Their president, who is by no means the only African leader to hold such views, has stated that homosexuality is a mental disorder introduced by the white man to hold back African development.

It's also a criminal offence to be gay in much of the Caribbean.

Did strike me as a little odd that Gareth Thomas chose the Daily Mail to come out in, however. Perhaps they're trying to improve their image a tad following the furore over Jan Moir's article on the Boyzone bloke.

 

[Goldstone Rapper]

Lots of African countries are just as bad as Iran, it would seem. Read something last week whereby Uganda is currently pushing through legislation criminalising homosexuality, and making certain acts capital offences. Imagine being executed for falling in love with another adult? Their president, who is by no means the only African leader to hold such views, has stated that homosexuality is a mental disorder introduced by the white man to hold back African development.

It's also a criminal offence to be gay in much of the Caribbean.

Did strike me as a little odd that Gareth Thomas chose the Daily Mail to come out in, however. Perhaps they're trying to improve their image a tad following the furore over Jan Moir's article on the Boyzone bloke.

I don't think it's that odd. Having the Daily Mail break the story is also a good way of protecting the player from the usual underhand slights and innuendo that the paper is well-known for.

 

[Gully]

Lots of African countries are just as bad as Iran, it would seem.

It isn't just Iran, the same situation exists in Saudi Arabia, Yemen and Somalia...it was also that way in Iraq and Afghanistan until fairly recently. What really gets me about Iran, and those other countries, is that Women are stoned to death for being victims of rape...unless apparently they can find four independant male witnesses willing to testify against the perpetrator of the crime. At times the legal system in this country gets it wrong, but at least we don't punish people in the way that many other countries do.

Click on this link if you want to see what the situation really is like for gay men in Iran, be warned that it contains graphic images that may offend some:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2HvEcnwHuXo&feature=fvsr

 

[Nibble]

All Rugby players are 'mos. I thought that was a given?

 

[bhaexpress]

All Rugby players are 'mos. I thought that was a given?

Tend to agree with that, a bunch of blokes who want to spend their Saturdays rolling around in mud with their arms wrapped around other men ?