Ian Thorpe

I discussed this over the weekend with some friends. We belive Ian's self outing is the beginning of a healing process for himself. I'm sure he was about to be outed by someone and did this instead. Usually the way these things work. I'd expect a story in an upcoming issue of Out or The Advocate.

Nbut his comments and treatment of the GLBT community in the past were simply horrible. d. I have read tons of articles on Thorpe over the years in the Australian papers. In those articles, he has had nothing but praise for the glbt community. What has he done that was so horrible?

I discussed this over the weekend with some friends. We believe Ian's self outing is the beginning of a healing process for himself. I really hope so. The guy has had a rough road the last few years. On a lighter note, Thorpe coming out reminded me of an Onion article. I don't think this is the one I was thinking of, but same idea: www.theonion.com/.../ :)

Thanks for filling me in on this, because I find it appalling that he would treat the GLBT community poorly- ESPECIALLY because he is part of that community! It is one thing to deny your sexuality, but quite another to make negative comments and mistreat people in the process. When has he done this? Anyone have a reference? I know he's denied being gay in the past, but when has he treated the gay community poorly?

When has he done this? Anyone have a reference? I know he's denied being gay in the past, but when has he treated the gay community poorly? I have no idea! I was responding to AZTIMM who said he had. I trusted he posted accurate information, so he will have to be the one to provide the reference. I should have said, "...I would find it appalling if he treated the GLBT community poorly..." Sorry I didn't make myself clear. :blush:

+1! And, how about evangelical preachers who preach what a "sin" it is to be gay but end up being gay themselves? :shakeshead: Yep, and there are a lot of them. But lawmakers have the power to impose their hypocrisy on a wider audience, so they top my list.

I'm sure he was about to be outed by someone and did this instead. Usually the way these things work. I'd expect a story in an upcoming issue of Out or The Advocate. Oh, I thought that he was outed several years ago.

Good for him for finally summoning the courage. However, even though I am a swimmer myself, swimming has never been seen as an ultra "macho" sport, so I don't think a swimmer coming out while still active in competition would not be greeted with the same degree of shock as say, Michael Sam (football) or Jason Williams (basketball) coming out. It's really a huge non-story, not to mention no big surprise (I heard things).

PS...while he denied who he was, at least he didn't make anti-gay statements.

I ask this same question of Tim but he either didn't see the post or ignored it because he didn't have actual results. I have read tons of interviews with Thorpe. In all of those interviews, he was nothing but gracious toward the lgbt community. Sorry, I read it as if you were agreeing with aztimm. Well, then, I take back everything I said until Tim can substantiate what he said with references.