Ian Thorpe comes out!

[jawjateck]

Lawd Lawd Lawd.....what a mess of a thread......<sigh>

[Guest]

The only thing I want to comment on is that Ian Thorpe was encouraged by his mentors in Swimming Australia to stay in the closet.

 

It is important to understand that a young sports person is dependent on the political leaders in their chosen sport, for support and guidance. The politics of sport as such that if he came out as gay, when he was certainly not accepting of who he was, Ian Thorpe would have missed out of swimming opportunities and as sad and maybe as wrong as this is, sponsorship opportunities. Ian Thorpe has made a lot of money out of sport and his brand.

 

Matthew Mitcham, has traveled a different journey, different head space, a few years younger, and while he is certainly rewarded, he does not have the sponsorship that straight athletes have, as many companies do not want to piss off the haters out there for financial reasons.

 

Who told you Ian Thorpe was encouraged by his mentors to stay in the closet? Mr. Thorpe or his mentors? (Not that I don't doubt that the statement could very well be accurate) The money loss from coming out is probably true, but my thoughts on that are: (1) As I mentioned previously, I would have respected him more if he had simply said "I will not discuss my sexual life" like Anderson Cooper did, instead of repeatedly lying about it, both verbally and in his writings. (2) He got most of his sponsorship money many years ago. Many millions of A$, in fact. He could have come out after he had made his millions, long ago. (3) Matthew Mitcham may be poorer as a result of having come out, but I admire him all the more for it. If I were a super-handsome 28 or 29 year-old guy (half way between Mitcham's 26 and Thorpe's 31), and I could have my pick of either, I would take the poorer, more honest Mitcham over the rich Thorpe any day. And that would be the case even if Thorpe were more handsome than Mitcham (which he most definitely is not). Of course, Mitcham wasn't left totally out in the cold...

http://www.theaustralian.com.au/sport/corporate-world-embracing-olympic-gold-medal-winner-matthew-mitcham/story-e6frg7mf-1225847178548?nk=7a7749625a4cc6cdcc1bfba0171a7af9

When I was a junior in high school, I earned I earned a scholarship from the American Legion. Upon announcing that, the man went to me and said that they would give it to me only if I declared that I believed in God. I didn't hesitate in refusing the money. (A bit ironic that I was discriminated for being an atheist rather than gay, but that's how it turned out). Hey, maybe that's why I didn't get into Harvard (just kidding). I've never regretted being honest at that time. Had I lied, I would have felt the shame my whole life.

Of course, I recognize that each person has the right to make his own decisions, and that the decision to come out can be a very difficult one. When people lie, they always have a good reason, some better than others. No question, but if I had to live in Uganda I would lie about my sexual orientation as a matter of literally staying alive. Lying for dollars can be quite tempting, too, for many. All I can say is that I admire Matthew Mitcham so much more than Thorpe, they're not in the same category. I admire Mitcham as a person, not just a sportsman. Thorpe I can admire for his athletic accomplishments, but not for being a mensch, as they say.

[Frankly Rich]

You're a Congressritter. You reserve the right to revise and extend your harsh remarks.

 

I have never been called a Congressritter before. I have to hand it to you.

[Bargara Leatherboy]

Who told you Ian Thorpe was encouraged by his mentors to stay in the closet? Mr. Thorpe or his mentors? (Not that I don't doubt that the statement could very well be accurate) The money loss from coming out is probably true, but my thoughts on that are: (1) As I mentioned previously, I would have respected him more if he had simply said "I will not discuss my sexual life" like Anderson Cooper did, instead of repeatedly lying about it, both verbally and in his writings. (2) He got most of his sponsorship money many years ago. Many millions of A$, in fact. He could have come out after he had made his millions, long ago. (3) Matthew Mitcham may be poorer as a result of having come out, but I admire him all the more for it. If I were a super-handsome 28 or 29 year-old guy (half way between Mitcham's 26 and Thorpe's 31), and I could have my pick of either, I would take the poorer, more honest Mitcham over the rich Thorpe any day. And that would be the case even if Thorpe were more handsome than Mitcham (which he most definitely is not). Of course, Mitcham wasn't left totally out in the cold...

http://www.theaustralian.com.au/sport/corporate-world-embracing-olympic-gold-medal-winner-matthew-mitcham/story-e6frg7mf-1225847178548?nk=7a7749625a4cc6cdcc1bfba0171a7af9

When I was a junior in high school, I earned I earned a scholarship from the American Legion. Upon announcing that, the man went to me and said that they would give it to me only if I declared that I believed in God. I didn't hesitate in refusing the money. (A bit ironic that I was discriminated for being an atheist rather than gay, but that's how it turned out). Hey, maybe that's why I didn't get into Harvard (just kidding). I've never regretted being honest at that time. Had I lied, I would have felt the shame my whole life.

Of course, I recognize that each person has the right to make his own decisions, and that the decision to come out can be a very difficult one. When people lie, they always have a good reason, some better than others. No question, but if I had to live in Uganda I would lie about my sexual orientation as a matter of literally staying alive. Lying for dollars can be quite tempting, too, for many. All I can say is that I admire Matthew Mitcham so much more than Thorpe, they're not in the same category. I admire Mitcham as a person, not just a sportsman. Thorpe I can admire for his athletic accomplishments, but not for being a mensch, as they say.

 

It was reported in the Sydney Morning Herald, by a sports/ social commentator, (Peter Fitzsimon) who has a highly regarded reputation. It also confirmed what I knew from living in Sydney during this period. Not going to disclose my sources.

[imrthr]

Each of our coming out Journeys is different. One is neither right or wrong. Some are in fact, more difficult to accomplish than others. I really am quite sick of people cursing and screaming when someone's story varies from whatever they believe is the "right" way to do it. Kicking anyone down because he "lied about his sexuality" minimizes pain and suffering we know nothing about. How dare we! This shit is difficult. It affects us emotionally, financially, and personally. And we have to weigh the pain we will be causing other people. So let's give Ian, and others out there who still struggle with "if and when" to come out, a big hug. He doesn't need a kick in the pants.

 

 

Well said!

 

"No good deed goes unpunished" as evidenced by some of the hostile and hateful comments made about the decision to make his sexuality known.-