Did we really need to know

[Anonymous]

that Ian Thorpe is gay?

It was front page news on one paper I saw at the shop this morning.

why do we need to know? what did it matter? we don't have headlines saying people are het?

Poor guy has been hounded for years over his soxuality, I hope he finds some peace and happiness now.

[Anonymous]

It is noones place to say within what time frame Thorpy should have come out Martini.

Its his life, and his sexuality- not yours.

[i-need-a-martini]

Like I said, it makes no difference to ME.

However, I have a lot of gay friends and when I hear the anguish they went through reconciling their sexuality or the numbers of times they attempted suicide, it breaks my heart. They would have got through it if they had someone to look up to. Role models who are open about their own sexuality are important to teenagers.

And whilst I can appreciate that Thorpe would have had the same angst as a teen, it was only 2 years ago that he wrote in his book that he was not gay and that all of his sexual experiences were straight. By this stage he was well and truly and adult and would have known he was lying.

[i-need-a-martini]

And I will also suggest that anyone in the public eye has responsibilities to the public that are different to us ordinary folk.

What a difference it makes when these people open up about previously whispered subjects.

[*pepe]

it is not his responsibility to pave the way for teenagers struggling with their sexuaity, even though he is an adult he was obviously still struggling with his own sexuality.

It is extremely arrogant of anyone to demand he be a role model for anything other than what he was - a swimmer, and he was a role model for any aspiring athlete - a **dam n** good one at that.

[Anonymous]

did you ever consider he was lying to himself?

- just because Thorpy didnt attempt suicide (that I know of ) doesnt mean he didnt go through anguish reconciling his sexuality. it sounds like he did.

and saying your friends would have gotten through it if they had a 'proper' rold model isn't fair- its certainly not Thorpys fault because he didnt come out quick enough.

hi ho.

[i-need-a-martini]

We are quick to go to town on people in the public eye that fail our kids. The recent example of Carney is a good one. Lots of shouting about "sporting heros doing our kids a disservice by being bad role models". What HE did had nothing to do with his SPORT yet he was fired from his team and we all went nuts over his actions.

But now we are saying it is NOT Thorpes responsibility to be a role model cause he should only role model his sport - ie. swimming?

[*pepe]

i did not go to town on any sports people, i have never believed it is their responsibility to teach my kids what is right or wrong, that was MY job to do that - and I was awesome at it if I do say so myself.

Ian thorpe was a swimmer representing Australia - his ONLY responsibility to anyone else was to be the best he could be at his chosen sport, his sexuality is irrelevant to how hard he trained and how he performed as an athlete.

[i-need-a-martini]

BTW my responses were in answer to your simple question: Did we Really need to know?

My answer is yes. 

Not because I am a sticky beak or because my opinion needs to be vindicated or because I even care less.

But because the only way to stop homophobia is through acceptance.

[*pepe]

is hounding a person to 'own up' to being a homosexual really acceptance?

I don't think it is - a person's sexual preferences should only matter to them and their potential partner/s.

Only when homosexuals are no longer expected to 'come out of the closet' and declare themselves can they say they are accepted - and who is the arrogant entity that decided they needed to be accepted anyway, they are human beings just as much as heterosexuals who are never expected to make any declarations!

[lightningdance]

Its as he said in his interview, "it's inappropriate to ask that type of question"  especially when he was so young.

Well done Thorpe, you have my admiration, you are a legend in your sport and an exemplary young man. Your parents have a lot to be proud of.