Atralia's first openly gay NRL player on what got him through his darkt moment | SBS The Feed

Contents:

• DISMANTLG STEREOTYP: 10 INSPIRG GAY RUGBY PLAYERS AND PERSONALI
• ATRALIA'S FIRST OPENLY GAY NRL PLAYER ON WHAT GOT HIM THROUGH HIS DARKT MOMENTIAN ROBERTS HAS AN ACPLISHED SPORTG REER BUT HE’S ALSO FAMO FOR BEG ATRALIA’S FIRST OPENLY GAY NRL PLAYER. HE OPENS UP ABOUT HIS MENTAL HEALTH BATTL AFTER RETIREMENT AND WHY ’S OKAY “NOT TO BE OKAY”.IAN ROBERTS IS THE FIRST OPENLY GAY NRL PLAYER ATRALIA. SOURCE: SUPPLIEDIN 1995, IAN ROBERTS BEME ATRALIA’S FIRST OPENLY GAY NRL PLAYER, BUT LOOKG BACK, HE REGRETS NOT “G OUT SOONER”.DPE GROWG UP THE 70S A “HOMOPHOBIC AND MISOGYNIST ATMOSPHERE”, ROBERTS TOLD THE FEED HE’S ALWAYS BEEN AT EASE WH HIS SEXUALY AND OPEN ABOUT PRIVATELY.FOR YEARS, HE WANTED TO E OUT PUBLICLY BUT HE H A DRAWBACK WHEN HE SAW WHAT HAPPENED WHEN ENGLISH SOCCER PLAYER JT FASHANU ME OUT 1990. FASHANU ONCE SAID OF HIS G OUT, "FOOTBALLERS ARE VERY NARROW-MD PEOPLE. WHEN YOU PUT YOURSELF THE FIRG LE, YOU ARE OPEN TO ATTACK. I KNOW I'M THERE TO BE SHOT DOWN FLAM."FASHANU TOOK HIS LIFE 1998 AT THE AGE OF 37.WHEN ROBERTS EVENTUALLY ME OUT 95’ HE NONTED SOME “HORRIBLE” HOMOPHOBIA BUT SAID, “THE BENEFS FAR OUTWEIGHED THE NEGATIV.”AT THE TIME, ROBERTS SAID THERE WAS A STIGMA ABOUT GAY PEOPLE BEG “WEAK” AND BAD AT SPORTS.NRL PLAYER IAN ROBERTS SAID HE WENT THROUGH A "DARK TIME" AFTER RETIRG OM THE SPORT 1998. SOURCE: AAP“I REALISED AFTER I ME OUT HOW POWERFUL WAS, HOW MUCH CHANGED PEOPLE'S LIV AND PEOPLE'S PERSPECTIV,” ROBERTS TOLD THE FEED.“IT GAVE SOME OF THE KIDS THE SUBURBS WHO’D BEEN STGGLG A B OF A VOICE.”AFTER AN IMPRSIVE REER, PLAYG FOR NSW STATE OF ORIG AND THE RABBOHS, SEA EAGL AND COWBOYS, ROBERTS HUNG UP HIS FOOTY BOOTS ‘98. IT WAS THEN THAT THGS BEGAN TO UNRAVEL HIS PERSONAL LIFE.“I RETIRED OM FOOTBALL, SO I WAS A REAL VOID OF NOT KNOWG WHAT TO DO,” ROBERTS SAID.“I HAD AN ADDICTN ISSUE. IT'S REALLY HARD TO SPEAK ABOUT THIS TIME.”IT WAS DURG THIS “DARK TIME” THAT ROBERTS NTACTED SUICI PREVENTN ANISATN LIFELE FOR HELP.“I WAS GOG THROUGH THIS HAZE OF NFN AND PA AND JT FEELG WORTHLS,” ROBERTS SAID.“THE PHONE LL WH THIS PERSON ON THE OTHER END, JT THE POWER OF THAT NVERSATN, VALIDATED WHAT I WAS FEELG. NOW I UNRSTAND, ’S OKAY TO FEEL THAT WAY AND THIS FEELG WILL PASS.” ACRDG TO LIFELE, NE LIV ARE LOST TO SUICI ATRALIA EVERY DAY.ON FRIDAY, 10 SEPTEMBER - WORLD SUICI PREVENTN DAY - LIFELE WILL BE HOSTG ‘OUT OF THE SHADOWS’. THE EVENT LLS ON ALL ATRALIANS “TO JO LIFELE CREATG HOPE THROUGH ACTN.”ATRALIANS N REGISTER TO JO A FACE-TO-FACE OR VIRTUAL WALK THEIR AREA OR PLANT A FLOWER AT LIFELE’S VIRTUAL GARN.IN AUGT, LIFELE RERD FOUR OF THE BIT DAYS S 57-YEAR HISTORY. THE SUICI PREVENTN ANISATN IS ON TRACK FOR S BIT YEAR EVER WH 694,400 LLS FOR HELP THE YEAR TO DATE.RELATEDATRALIAN OLYMPIANS ADM THEY NEVER WOULD HAVE DONE WHAT SIMONE BIL DIDROBERTS SAID HIS LL TO LIFELE WASN’T THE LAST TIME HIS LIFE WOULD BE MARKED BY THE KDNS OF STRANGERS.ANOTHER PIVOTAL MOMENT ME WHEN HIS R BROKE DOWN UP THE ROAD OM THE NATNAL INSTUTE OF DRAMATIC ARTS (NIDA). ROBERTS WALKED TO THE SCHOOL, HOPG HE ULD GET A START ONE OF HIS OTHER LOV: ACTG.THERE WAS JT ONE PROBLEM. AT 35 YEARS OF AGE, ROBERTS STGGLED WH DYSLEXIA AND ULDN’T “READ OR WRE”.“I MET THIS GUY, KEV JACKSON, WHO CHANGED MY LIFE. WHEN I TOLD HIM I WAS DYSLEXIC, WASN’T AN ISSUE AT ALL,” ROBERTS SAID.“I LEARNT TO READ AND WRE AT A VERY BASIC LEVEL, WAS A REAL TURNG POT.”ROBERTS TRAED WH KEV FOR SIX MONTHS BEFORE DNG FOR ENTRY AT NIDA. HE GOT AND STUDIED THERE FOR THREE YEARS.“IT’S HARD TO SCRIBE THE FEELG. I HAD THE SAME FEELG WHEN I LLED LIFELE,” HE SAID.“LIKE ALL OF A SUDN, SOMEBODY H ME ON THE HEAD WH A HAMMER AND WAS LIKE ‘THIS IS OKAY. YOU'RE GOG TO BE OKAY.”IF YOU OR SOMEONE YOU KNOW IS IMMEDIATE CRISIS, PLEASE LL POLICE AND AMBULANCE ON 000.FOR FURTHER HELP, NTACT BEYOND BLUE ON 1300 22 4636, LIFELE ON 13 11 14 OR KIDS HELPLE ON 1800 551 800.SHAREFOLLOW THE FEEDFACEBOOKTWTERSTAGRAMYOUTUBETHROUGH AWARD WNG STORYTELLG, THE FEED BREAKS NEW GROUND WH S PELLG MIX OF CURRENT AFFAIRS, EDY, PROFIL AND VTIGATNS. SEE DIFFERENT. KNOW BETTER. LGH HARR. READ MORE ABOUT THE FEEDWATCH NOWHAVE A STORY OR MENT? CONTACT USTHROUGH AWARD WNG STORYTELLG, THE FEED BREAKS NEW GROUND WH S PELLG MIX OF CURRENT AFFAIRS, EDY, PROFIL AND VTIGATNS. SEE DIFFERENT. KNOW BETTER. LGH HARR.WATCH NOWFOLLOW THE FEEDFACEBOOKTWTERSTAGRAMYOUTUBE4 M READPUBLISHED 10 SEPTEMBER 2021 12:00AMUPDATED 22 FEBARY 2022 5:26PMBY EN GILLPIETAGSMENTAL HEALTHMENTAL HEALTHSHARE THIS WH FAY AND IENDSCOPY LKSHAREREMEND FOR YOU
• CRONULLA NRL STAR TOBY RUDOLF REVEALS HE HAS 'KISSED MANY GAY MEN' AS HE BACKS NRL PRI ROUND
• A COMPLETE LIST OF ALL 40 OUT GAY PLAYERS THE NWSL
• GAY RUGBY LEAGUE PLAYER SAYS HE'S SEEN MUCH 'GAYER' THGS IN SPORTS CHANGG ROOMS
• IS THE NRL READY FOR A GAY PLAYER? ONLY IF HE’S HAPPY TO BE RIDICULED, SAYS PL MALONE
• CASEY CONWAY BAR ALL: BEG A GAY ABORIGAL MAN PROFSNAL SPORT
• WHY IS AFL THE ONLY PRO SPORT TO NEVER HAVE AN OPENLY GAY MALE PLAYER?

DISMANTLG STEREOTYP: 10 INSPIRG GAY RUGBY PLAYERS AND PERSONALI

In light of recent ntroversy regardg homophobic slurs by Israel Fol, we thought we would she a light on 10 fluential gay gby personali.

ATRALIA'S FIRST OPENLY GAY NRL PLAYER ON WHAT GOT HIM THROUGH HIS DARKT MOMENTIAN ROBERTS HAS AN ACPLISHED SPORTG REER BUT HE’S ALSO FAMO FOR BEG ATRALIA’S FIRST OPENLY GAY NRL PLAYER. HE OPENS UP ABOUT HIS MENTAL HEALTH BATTL AFTER RETIREMENT AND WHY ’S OKAY “NOT TO BE OKAY”.IAN ROBERTS IS THE FIRST OPENLY GAY NRL PLAYER ATRALIA. SOURCE: SUPPLIEDIN 1995, IAN ROBERTS BEME ATRALIA’S FIRST OPENLY GAY NRL PLAYER, BUT LOOKG BACK, HE REGRETS NOT “G OUT SOONER”.DPE GROWG UP THE 70S A “HOMOPHOBIC AND MISOGYNIST ATMOSPHERE”, ROBERTS TOLD THE FEED HE’S ALWAYS BEEN AT EASE WH HIS SEXUALY AND OPEN ABOUT PRIVATELY.FOR YEARS, HE WANTED TO E OUT PUBLICLY BUT HE H A DRAWBACK WHEN HE SAW WHAT HAPPENED WHEN ENGLISH SOCCER PLAYER JT FASHANU ME OUT 1990. FASHANU ONCE SAID OF HIS G OUT, "FOOTBALLERS ARE VERY NARROW-MD PEOPLE. WHEN YOU PUT YOURSELF THE FIRG LE, YOU ARE OPEN TO ATTACK. I KNOW I'M THERE TO BE SHOT DOWN FLAM."FASHANU TOOK HIS LIFE 1998 AT THE AGE OF 37.WHEN ROBERTS EVENTUALLY ME OUT 95’ HE NONTED SOME “HORRIBLE” HOMOPHOBIA BUT SAID, “THE BENEFS FAR OUTWEIGHED THE NEGATIV.”AT THE TIME, ROBERTS SAID THERE WAS A STIGMA ABOUT GAY PEOPLE BEG “WEAK” AND BAD AT SPORTS.NRL PLAYER IAN ROBERTS SAID HE WENT THROUGH A "DARK TIME" AFTER RETIRG OM THE SPORT 1998. SOURCE: AAP“I REALISED AFTER I ME OUT HOW POWERFUL WAS, HOW MUCH CHANGED PEOPLE'S LIV AND PEOPLE'S PERSPECTIV,” ROBERTS TOLD THE FEED.“IT GAVE SOME OF THE KIDS THE SUBURBS WHO’D BEEN STGGLG A B OF A VOICE.”AFTER AN IMPRSIVE REER, PLAYG FOR NSW STATE OF ORIG AND THE RABBOHS, SEA EAGL AND COWBOYS, ROBERTS HUNG UP HIS FOOTY BOOTS ‘98. IT WAS THEN THAT THGS BEGAN TO UNRAVEL HIS PERSONAL LIFE.“I RETIRED OM FOOTBALL, SO I WAS A REAL VOID OF NOT KNOWG WHAT TO DO,” ROBERTS SAID.“I HAD AN ADDICTN ISSUE. IT'S REALLY HARD TO SPEAK ABOUT THIS TIME.”IT WAS DURG THIS “DARK TIME” THAT ROBERTS NTACTED SUICI PREVENTN ANISATN LIFELE FOR HELP.“I WAS GOG THROUGH THIS HAZE OF NFN AND PA AND JT FEELG WORTHLS,” ROBERTS SAID.“THE PHONE LL WH THIS PERSON ON THE OTHER END, JT THE POWER OF THAT NVERSATN, VALIDATED WHAT I WAS FEELG. NOW I UNRSTAND, ’S OKAY TO FEEL THAT WAY AND THIS FEELG WILL PASS.” ACRDG TO LIFELE, NE LIV ARE LOST TO SUICI ATRALIA EVERY DAY.ON FRIDAY, 10 SEPTEMBER - WORLD SUICI PREVENTN DAY - LIFELE WILL BE HOSTG ‘OUT OF THE SHADOWS’. THE EVENT LLS ON ALL ATRALIANS “TO JO LIFELE CREATG HOPE THROUGH ACTN.”ATRALIANS N REGISTER TO JO A FACE-TO-FACE OR VIRTUAL WALK THEIR AREA OR PLANT A FLOWER AT LIFELE’S VIRTUAL GARN.IN AUGT, LIFELE RERD FOUR OF THE BIT DAYS S 57-YEAR HISTORY. THE SUICI PREVENTN ANISATN IS ON TRACK FOR S BIT YEAR EVER WH 694,400 LLS FOR HELP THE YEAR TO DATE.RELATEDATRALIAN OLYMPIANS ADM THEY NEVER WOULD HAVE DONE WHAT SIMONE BIL DIDROBERTS SAID HIS LL TO LIFELE WASN’T THE LAST TIME HIS LIFE WOULD BE MARKED BY THE KDNS OF STRANGERS.ANOTHER PIVOTAL MOMENT ME WHEN HIS R BROKE DOWN UP THE ROAD OM THE NATNAL INSTUTE OF DRAMATIC ARTS (NIDA). ROBERTS WALKED TO THE SCHOOL, HOPG HE ULD GET A START ONE OF HIS OTHER LOV: ACTG.THERE WAS JT ONE PROBLEM. AT 35 YEARS OF AGE, ROBERTS STGGLED WH DYSLEXIA AND ULDN’T “READ OR WRE”.“I MET THIS GUY, KEV JACKSON, WHO CHANGED MY LIFE. WHEN I TOLD HIM I WAS DYSLEXIC, WASN’T AN ISSUE AT ALL,” ROBERTS SAID.“I LEARNT TO READ AND WRE AT A VERY BASIC LEVEL, WAS A REAL TURNG POT.”ROBERTS TRAED WH KEV FOR SIX MONTHS BEFORE DNG FOR ENTRY AT NIDA. HE GOT AND STUDIED THERE FOR THREE YEARS.“IT’S HARD TO SCRIBE THE FEELG. I HAD THE SAME FEELG WHEN I LLED LIFELE,” HE SAID.“LIKE ALL OF A SUDN, SOMEBODY H ME ON THE HEAD WH A HAMMER AND WAS LIKE ‘THIS IS OKAY. YOU'RE GOG TO BE OKAY.”IF YOU OR SOMEONE YOU KNOW IS IMMEDIATE CRISIS, PLEASE LL POLICE AND AMBULANCE ON 000.FOR FURTHER HELP, NTACT BEYOND BLUE ON 1300 22 4636, LIFELE ON 13 11 14 OR KIDS HELPLE ON 1800 551 800.SHAREFOLLOW THE FEEDFACEBOOKTWTERSTAGRAMYOUTUBETHROUGH AWARD WNG STORYTELLG, THE FEED BREAKS NEW GROUND WH S PELLG MIX OF CURRENT AFFAIRS, EDY, PROFIL AND VTIGATNS. SEE DIFFERENT. KNOW BETTER. LGH HARR. READ MORE ABOUT THE FEEDWATCH NOWHAVE A STORY OR MENT? CONTACT USTHROUGH AWARD WNG STORYTELLG, THE FEED BREAKS NEW GROUND WH S PELLG MIX OF CURRENT AFFAIRS, EDY, PROFIL AND VTIGATNS. SEE DIFFERENT. KNOW BETTER. LGH HARR.WATCH NOWFOLLOW THE FEEDFACEBOOKTWTERSTAGRAMYOUTUBE4 M READPUBLISHED 10 SEPTEMBER 2021 12:00AMUPDATED 22 FEBARY 2022 5:26PMBY EN GILLPIETAGSMENTAL HEALTHMENTAL HEALTHSHARE THIS WH FAY AND IENDSCOPY LKSHAREREMEND FOR YOU

The players have bee a bean of light bee they overme stereotyp and other challeng faced by homosexual athlet way too often.

In this article, we’ll name ten of the most notable gay gby personali, analyze their acplishments, discs how they are shapg the game today, and asss their impact on the overall perceptn of homosexual profsnal athlet around the world. That beg said, due to s physily, gby is regard as a “manly” sport, which mak more difficult for gay players to publicly acknowledge their preference. At the same time, there are many misnceptns about this betiful sport, which has led to the margalizatn and targetg of gay players.

Some high-profile stars like Israel Fol have recently ma headl due to potentially homophobic posts on social media.

CRONULLA NRL STAR TOBY RUDOLF REVEALS HE HAS 'KISSED MANY GAY MEN' AS HE BACKS NRL PRI ROUND

This is one of the ma reasons why reprentativ of World Rugby met wh the lears of Internatnal Gay Rugby (IGR) to help eradite homophobia and tolerance om the game.

Notable homosexual gby players and personali.

Here’s a list of ten notable gay gby players and how they are shapg the game today.

A COMPLETE LIST OF ALL 40 OUT GAY PLAYERS THE NWSL

The very first high-profile gby player to ever e out to the public as gay is former Atralian ternatnal Ian Roberts.

GAY RUGBY LEAGUE PLAYER SAYS HE'S SEEN MUCH 'GAYER' THGS IN SPORTS CHANGG ROOMS

Even though Ian Roberts may have been the first high-profile player to openly adm beg gay, Keegan Hirst was the first to ever do while still active. Currently a Wakefield Try prop, Hirst has bee one of the most notable gay athlet, earng himself a startg role after signg a ntract wh the League si 2016. Sam Stanley beme the first openly gay Rugby Unn and Sevens player the UK.

Although he never played gby at a profsnal level, Mark Bgham has bee an inic figure for gay gby players and sportspeople around the world. Known for his heroics durg the September 11 attacks, Bgham was a robt send-row man who played for the gay-clive San Francis Fog RFC. The Mark Kendall Bgham Memorial Tournament, simply known as the Bgham Cup, is a biennial gay gby unn tournament which was held for the first time 2002.

Thomas publicly me out 2009 and has sce scribed his experience as a secretly gay player, revealg how the social prsure and stereotyp pose a signifint challenge for many athlet today.

IS THE NRL READY FOR A GAY PLAYER? ONLY IF HE’S HAPPY TO BE RIDICULED, SAYS PL MALONE

The Welshman is also a TV personaly and a voted activist for the LGBT e, wng “Gay Sports Personaly of the De” at the Stonewall awards ceremony London back 2015.

In 1995, Ian Roberts beme Atralia’s first openly gay NRL player, but lookg back, he regrets not “g out sooner”. Dpe growg up the 70s a “homophobic and misogynist atmosphere”, Roberts told The Feed he’s always been at ease wh his sexualy and open about years, he wanted to e out publicly but he h a drawback when he saw what happened when English soccer player Jt Fashanu me out 1990.

"Fashanu took his life 1998 at the age of Roberts eventually me out 95’ he nonted some “horrible” homophobia but said, “the benefs far outweighed the negativ.

CASEY CONWAY BAR ALL: BEG A GAY ABORIGAL MAN PROFSNAL SPORT

”At the time, Roberts said there was a stigma about gay people beg “weak” and bad at player Ian Roberts said he went through a "dark time" after retirg om the sport 1998. NRL star Toby Rudolf opens up about his same-sex experienc followg Manly Sea Eagl pri jersey sagaCronulla Sharks prop Toby Rudolf said he will back the NRL hostg s first pri round to celebrate clivens, revealg he was raised by "que a few gay and lbian muny members" and there is "so much love that muny" star Toby Rudolf has opened up about his same-sex experienc followg the Manly Sea Eagl pri jersey Cronulla Sharks prop said he will back the NRL hostg s first pri round to celebrate clivens, revealg he was raised by "que a few gay and lbian muny members" and there is "so much love that muny" 26-year-old spoke up after seven players stepped down om Thursday night's clash agast the Sydney Roosters over their refal to don a rabow-tailed jersey, which celebrat "clivens" for the Round 20 more sports news live & on mand wh Flash. "What I will say is I was raised by que a few gay and lbian muny members.

WHY IS AFL THE ONLY PRO SPORT TO NEVER HAVE AN OPENLY GAY MALE PLAYER?

My uncle is gay and my godmother is gay, and there's so much love that muny. I've been out and kissed many gay men, kissed many straight woman and kissed many gay woman.