A world class gay sportsman! Is that an oxymoron? Do such creatures actually exist? And if they do, why are they so reluctant to put up their hand and admit to their nature?
Much of the ‘The Journey Away’ concerns itself with this topic – Lewis Macleod is the only openly gay man in professional tennis, and the negative reaction this inspires in the establishment of the game. I don’t know of anyone who has actually made the claim in tennis. It’s very rare in any sport. In Britain we had Justin Fashanu who came out as a footballer (that’s soccer for American readers). He later committed suicide, so not a great role model for any others considering coming out.
More recently Gareth Thomas, Welsh rugby captain in his day, came out and has been generally well received from what I can gleam. Well done sir! A great leap forward. It must have taken massive courage. It would have taken even more courage to have announced this at the start, rather than at the end, of a glorious career. But there’s the rub – would he have enjoyed such a great career, or been heckled from the pitch, shunned by the sport’s establishment and ostracised by his teammates, ridiculed in the locker room assuming they didn’t ban him? It will take another brave soul to put that one to the test.
In Naked Hero, a work of fiction, I try to imagine what it would be like for a top class sportsman to do exactly that – come out at the beginning. Of course Lewis doesn’t put his hand up right at the outset –he wins Wimbledon and then declares himself, knowing the media will suss him out anyway. But he’s only twenty-one, his career still ahead. I have it that he struggles, but eventually comes through. I hope that soon a major sports star will do the same for real, and show the world that not only can gay men compete with the best as Gareth Thomas has done, but do so openly throughout their career.
Here’s what Lewis had to say on the subject...
“Good evening!!!” said Lewis, too loudly into the microphone, causing the speakers to crackle with
distortion.
He tried to calm down and control the familiar nerves, but it wasn’t so easy without a racket in his hand to do the talking for him. Instead he had an envelope, which could have made life easier... and Lee Porter in the room, which made it a darn sight harder but helped to make up his mind. Lewis
held the envelope up and showed it to his audience as he found a level voice.
“I have some words here,” he began in Chamberlain fashion waving his farcical treaty. Then thankfully he showed some Bulldog spirit more akin to the appeaser’s successor. “But they’re not my own,” Lewis continued. “I’m sure they’re very good words. More eloquent sentences than I can string together… But they’re not mine. So if you really want to hear me say something, then I think
it would be best I use my own words, no matter how badly they might come out...
“Sometimes… things like words... they do come out badly. Sometimes… people come out badly, and I’ve met my fair share of them. But at least they come out… and that’s the important thing...
“I think it’s safe to presume that most people here tonight are gay or lesbian, and in some way involved in sport. So you’ll know that there can be difficulties... being gay... in sport. But you’ll also know that there can be difficulties in anything we undertake. Our sexuality should not be a barrier in any of these undertakings… including sport...
“But sport… and especially men’s sport… is proving to be one of the more impregnable areas where acceptance still seems to be a long way off. Gay men and lesbians have had to fight for the level of acceptance that most of us now take for granted. Their success… and our heritage… were not gained by hiding away, but by standing up and demanding our rights. And one of those rights is surely for us to participate in our sport of choice, at whatever level our capabilities allow… without prejudice… or shame...
“There are people out there who will try to impose their prejudices on us. There are people out there… straight and gay… who will try to bring us shame. It is their prejudices they bring… not ours: their shame… not ours...
“I know a bit about shame you see. I know it’s a shame I don’t get to spend more time in this wonderful city of yours, that’s for sure. And it’s a shame I haven’t played better this week… and for that I apologise… especially to any tennis fans who attended the Sydney Open. I made a
misjudgement… and for that I’m sorry... but not ashamed...
“Thank you for inviting me.”
Much of the ‘The Journey Away’ concerns itself with this topic – Lewis Macleod is the only openly gay man in professional tennis, and the negative reaction this inspires in the establishment of the game. I don’t know of anyone who has actually made the claim in tennis. It’s very rare in any sport. In Britain we had Justin Fashanu who came out as a footballer (that’s soccer for American readers). He later committed suicide, so not a great role model for any others considering coming out.
More recently Gareth Thomas, Welsh rugby captain in his day, came out and has been generally well received from what I can gleam. Well done sir! A great leap forward. It must have taken massive courage. It would have taken even more courage to have announced this at the start, rather than at the end, of a glorious career. But there’s the rub – would he have enjoyed such a great career, or been heckled from the pitch, shunned by the sport’s establishment and ostracised by his teammates, ridiculed in the locker room assuming they didn’t ban him? It will take another brave soul to put that one to the test.
In Naked Hero, a work of fiction, I try to imagine what it would be like for a top class sportsman to do exactly that – come out at the beginning. Of course Lewis doesn’t put his hand up right at the outset –he wins Wimbledon and then declares himself, knowing the media will suss him out anyway. But he’s only twenty-one, his career still ahead. I have it that he struggles, but eventually comes through. I hope that soon a major sports star will do the same for real, and show the world that not only can gay men compete with the best as Gareth Thomas has done, but do so openly throughout their career.
Here’s what Lewis had to say on the subject...
“Good evening!!!” said Lewis, too loudly into the microphone, causing the speakers to crackle with
distortion.
He tried to calm down and control the familiar nerves, but it wasn’t so easy without a racket in his hand to do the talking for him. Instead he had an envelope, which could have made life easier... and Lee Porter in the room, which made it a darn sight harder but helped to make up his mind. Lewis
held the envelope up and showed it to his audience as he found a level voice.
“I have some words here,” he began in Chamberlain fashion waving his farcical treaty. Then thankfully he showed some Bulldog spirit more akin to the appeaser’s successor. “But they’re not my own,” Lewis continued. “I’m sure they’re very good words. More eloquent sentences than I can string together… But they’re not mine. So if you really want to hear me say something, then I think
it would be best I use my own words, no matter how badly they might come out...
“Sometimes… things like words... they do come out badly. Sometimes… people come out badly, and I’ve met my fair share of them. But at least they come out… and that’s the important thing...
“I think it’s safe to presume that most people here tonight are gay or lesbian, and in some way involved in sport. So you’ll know that there can be difficulties... being gay... in sport. But you’ll also know that there can be difficulties in anything we undertake. Our sexuality should not be a barrier in any of these undertakings… including sport...
“But sport… and especially men’s sport… is proving to be one of the more impregnable areas where acceptance still seems to be a long way off. Gay men and lesbians have had to fight for the level of acceptance that most of us now take for granted. Their success… and our heritage… were not gained by hiding away, but by standing up and demanding our rights. And one of those rights is surely for us to participate in our sport of choice, at whatever level our capabilities allow… without prejudice… or shame...
“There are people out there who will try to impose their prejudices on us. There are people out there… straight and gay… who will try to bring us shame. It is their prejudices they bring… not ours: their shame… not ours...
“I know a bit about shame you see. I know it’s a shame I don’t get to spend more time in this wonderful city of yours, that’s for sure. And it’s a shame I haven’t played better this week… and for that I apologise… especially to any tennis fans who attended the Sydney Open. I made a
misjudgement… and for that I’m sorry... but not ashamed...
“Thank you for inviting me.”