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AUSTRALIA

Thorpe comes out but homophobia is alive and well

  • 15 July 2014

One of the most astounding outcomes of Ian Thorpe’s interview with Michael Parkinson on Sunday night was the self silencing that Thorpe thought was needed to protect his integrity, his sporting career, his relationship with friends, family and fans and his economic future.

Today we imagine discrimination on the grounds of sexual orientation in Australia is only in the past. Why would anyone need to hide their sexual orientation? The first Mardi Gras Parade in Sydney was in 1978, four years before Thorpe was born.

But Sunday’s interview demonstrated that homophobia is far from over in Australia. Thorpe stated 'I don’t want people to feel the same way I did. You can grow up, you can be comfortable and you can be gay.’ He added: 'I am telling the world that I am gay … and I hope this makes it easier for others now, and even if you’ve held it in for years, it feels easier to get it out.’

Only after years of painful denial, for a myriad of reasons to do with what others would think of him, or how they would ridicule him, was he able to reveal to Parkinson: 'I’m comfortable saying I’m a gay man.’ And, as I saw it, I suspect that there was a little discomfort in saying that.

I have the privilege of supporting young men and women coming out through a ministry to LGBTIQ Catholics and their families and friends at Newtown Catholic church in Sydney. It did not surprise me to hear Thorpe’s story.  I still hear it from 18 and 19 year olds. They are afraid to tell their parents. Some parents still blame their children for 'insisting on being gay’.  Some priests still seem to be advising young people coming out to seek medical and psychological help for their ‘problem’.

For many young men and women, it is a struggle to be comfortable with their sexual orientation, and there are still many reasons why they need to plan the timing of their coming out as gay. Family, social, career, religious and financial considerations are all very reasonable concerns, even in post Mardi Gras Australia.

Thorpe recalls the taunts of the school yard and the fears around being different.  He was a sporting icon at 15 years of age and had plenty on his plate dealing in the school yard with all that entails. He was certainly different. It is much better in schools
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