14 gay sportg stars who took the cisn to go public |

Contents:

• DISMANTLG STEREOTYP: 10 INSPIRG GAY RUGBY PLAYERS AND PERSONALI
• JAGS' MAXEN IS FIRST MALE AMERIN PRO SPORTS ACH TO E OUT AS GAY
• 14 GAY SPORTG STARS WHO TOOK THE CISN TO GO PUBLIC
• 9 BASEBALL PLAYERS WHO CAME OUT AS GAY
• FIRST ENGLISH PRO GBY UNN PLAYER OUT AS GAY
• DAN PALMER: FORMER ATRALIA GBY PROP BE FIRST OPENLY GAY WALLABI PLAYER
• GAME CHANGERS: THE WORLD'S FIRST OPENLY GAY GBY LEAGUE PLAYERHOW DO FEEL TO BE THE FIRST, WHEN NO ONE FOLLOWS?IAN ROBERTS PLAYG FOR ATRALIA SOURCE: GETTY IMAG EUROPEHE WAS THE FIRST THE WORLD, AND STILL ONE OF THE ONLY RUGBY LEAGUE PLAYERS TO E OUT PUBLILLY AS GAY.HIS CISN HELPED CHANGE THE CULTURE AROUND MEN’S SPORT, BUT IAN ROBERTS FDS HARD TO LL HIMSELF A GAME CHANGER. “I DIDN’T REALLY HAVE TO DO ANYTHG EXCEPT BE MYSELF,” HE TELLS INSIGHT’S JENNY BROCKIE THIS WEEK.IAN DOWNPLAYS HIS G OUT, LLG HIS SEXUALY “THE WORST KEPT SECRET GBY LEAGUE.” BUT 1995, HE BEME THE VERY FIRST HIGH-PROFILE ATRALIAN SPORTS PERSON TO DO SO.DPE BEG TOLD BY HIS ACH THAT WOULDN’T BE ACCEPTED, AND HIS FEARS THAT HIS PERSONAL AND PROFSNAL LIV ULDN’T POSSIBLY MIX, IAN CID TO BE OPEN ABOUT HIS ORIENTATN AFTER GETTG TO KNOW A CHILD WH HIV.IAN ROBERTS, ON INSIGHT SOURCE: INSIGHT“I SAW THE DISCRIMATN AND THE PREJUDICE, THE EXCLN THAT THAT YOUNG BOY HAD TO GO THROUGH,” ROBERTS SAYS. “IT KD OF MA ME FEEL THAT I WAS JT BEG REALLY FAKE.”   IAN THOUGHT HE WOULD OPEN THE DOOR FOR OTHER ATHLET TO E OUT – BUT HE WAS SURPRISED WHEN, S LATER, THE GAME HADN’T CHANGED AS MUCH AS HE’D EXPECTED.“I THOUGHT THERE WOULD BE A TRICKLE ON EFFECT … I WOULDN’T HAVE THOUGHT, 20 YEARS DOWN THE LE, THAT ONLY ONE OTHER PLAYER HAD E OUT AT THE END OF HIS REER,” HE SAYS. “WE LIKE TO THK THGS HAVE CHANGED, BUT THEY HAVEN’T REALLY.”WH NO ONE ELSE SPEAKG OUT, IAN REMAED THE POSTER BOY FOR LGBT+ SPORTSPEOPLE. HE TELLS INSIGHT HOW BEG VISIBLE AND REAL ABOUT HIS SEXUALY HAS BEE A RPONSIBILY, WHICH SOMETIM WEIGHS HEAVILY.   “IT’S SOMETHG THAT YOU HAVE TO DO … FOR WHATEVER REASON, I’M THIS SUATN NOW.” WHAT HAPPENS WHEN YOU TRY TO CHANGE THE GAME – AND THGS STAY THE SAME? | INSIGHT: GAME CHANGERS - CATCH UP ONLE NOW:[VIORD VIO="877130307600"]FURTHER READGGAME CHANGERS: ATRALIA’S FIRST IVF BABIGAME CHANGERS: ATRALIA'S FIRST FEMALE PILOT FOR A MAJOR AIRLE SHAREFOLLOW INSIGHTFACEBOOKTWTERSTAGRAMYOUTUBEINSIGHT IS ATRALIA'S LEADG FOM FOR BATE AND POWERFUL FIRST-PERSON STORI OFFERG A UNIQUE PERSPECTIVE ON THE WAY WE LIVE. READ MORE ABOUT INSIGHTWATCH NOWJO THE DIENCEHAVE A STORY OR MENT? CONTACT USINSIGHT IS ATRALIA'S LEADG FOM FOR BATE AND POWERFUL FIRST-PERSON STORI OFFERG A UNIQUE PERSPECTIVE ON THE WAY WE LIVE.WATCH NOWFOLLOW INSIGHTFACEBOOKTWTERSTAGRAMYOUTUBE2 M READPUBLISHED 27 FEBARY 2017 3:32PMUPDATED 28 FEBARY 2017 9:57PMBY NILA MCCASKILLTAGSSPORTSHARE THIS WH FAY AND IENDSCOPY LKSHARETOPICS
• DAN PALMER PRAISED AFTER BEG FIRST WALLABI PLAYER TO E OUT AS GAY
• 10 GAY RUGBY PLAYERS WHO MA THEIR COME OUT

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. 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.

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.

JAGS' MAXEN IS FIRST MALE AMERIN PRO SPORTS ACH TO E OUT AS GAY

Here’s a list of ten notable gay gby players and how they are shapg the game today. The very first high-profile gby player to ever e out to the public as gay is former Atralian ternatnal Ian Roberts.

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.

14 GAY SPORTG STARS WHO TOOK THE CISN TO GO PUBLIC

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.

9 BASEBALL PLAYERS WHO CAME OUT AS GAY

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. -- Jaguars assistant strength and ndng ach Kev Maxen has bee the first male ach major Amerin men's profsnal sports to publicly e out as gay, tellg he ma the cisn bee he didn't want to hi who he is any longer and to possibly spire others siar 's a cisn and move that drew praise and support om owner Shad Khan, who was a vol and emphatic supporter of a cy ordance that expand protectns on the grounds of sexual orientatn, genr inty and genr exprsn. Outsi lebacker Carl Nassib beme the first active NFL player to e out as gay and to play a game Associated Prs ntributed to this report.

FIRST ENGLISH PRO GBY UNN PLAYER OUT AS GAY

Ne-time All-Ireland wner Valerie Mulhy will reveal how she alt wh her sexualy Donal Óg Cack's documentary to be aired next Cork footballer has bee the first high-profile female GAA star to e out publicly and do so to help others and to make other women, who are a siar suatn, to feel more fortable wh who they Óg Cack, the first openly gay GAA sports star, looks at attus towards homosexualy at home and abroad his documentary Comg Out Of The Curve which will be aired on Monday night on RTE, We take a look at other gay sports stars who took the cisn to go Og Cack (hurlg)The much-rated Rebel star is one of the greatt goalkeepers the game of hurlg has ever seen. He beme the first ele Irish sportsman to reveal he was gay his tobgraphy, 'Come What May', released last year. "Whatever you may feel about me or who I am, I've always been at peace wh , " he Cack (hurlg)The Cloyne hurler who last year bravely spoke out about his battle wh prsn joed his brother Donal Og Cack revealg that he is gay last year.

He ntu to highlight mental health Stoney (football)England women's football pta said sh cid to speak publicly about beg gay after the posive reactn to diver Tom Daley sayg he was a relatnship wh a man.

Stoney, who has 116 ps for England, is now the most high-profile active gay footballer Hzlsperger (football)The 31-year-old, pped more than 50 tim for Germany, announced he was gay last year, the first high-profile German player to do so and the first to have played regularly the English Premier League. The former Aston Villa midfielr was advised by iends to keep his sexualy quiet but was astound by the posive reactn to his Fashanu (football)Bra's first black footballer to mand a £1ln transfer fee was also the first top-flight player to publicly adm his homosexualy.

DAN PALMER: FORMER ATRALIA GBY PROP BE FIRST OPENLY GAY WALLABI PLAYER

After admtg he was gay, Fashanu stggled to reigne an already stutterg reer, and retired 1997, blamg his downfall on prejudice the English game.

Louganis' tobgraphy, which spent five weeks at number one on the New York Tim bt-seller list on s release 1995, tailed his rise to global promence and subsequent cisn to e out as a homosexual livg wh HIV.

Marta Navratilova (tennis)The Czech-born ne-time Wimbledon champn me out publicly as gay 1981, a short time after she was granted US cizenship.

GAME CHANGERS: THE WORLD'S FIRST OPENLY GAY GBY LEAGUE PLAYERHOW DO FEEL TO BE THE FIRST, WHEN NO ONE FOLLOWS?IAN ROBERTS PLAYG FOR ATRALIA SOURCE: GETTY IMAG EUROPEHE WAS THE FIRST THE WORLD, AND STILL ONE OF THE ONLY RUGBY LEAGUE PLAYERS TO E OUT PUBLILLY AS GAY.HIS CISN HELPED CHANGE THE CULTURE AROUND MEN’S SPORT, BUT IAN ROBERTS FDS HARD TO LL HIMSELF A GAME CHANGER. “I DIDN’T REALLY HAVE TO DO ANYTHG EXCEPT BE MYSELF,” HE TELLS INSIGHT’S JENNY BROCKIE THIS WEEK.IAN DOWNPLAYS HIS G OUT, LLG HIS SEXUALY “THE WORST KEPT SECRET GBY LEAGUE.” BUT 1995, HE BEME THE VERY FIRST HIGH-PROFILE ATRALIAN SPORTS PERSON TO DO SO.DPE BEG TOLD BY HIS ACH THAT WOULDN’T BE ACCEPTED, AND HIS FEARS THAT HIS PERSONAL AND PROFSNAL LIV ULDN’T POSSIBLY MIX, IAN CID TO BE OPEN ABOUT HIS ORIENTATN AFTER GETTG TO KNOW A CHILD WH HIV.IAN ROBERTS, ON INSIGHT SOURCE: INSIGHT“I SAW THE DISCRIMATN AND THE PREJUDICE, THE EXCLN THAT THAT YOUNG BOY HAD TO GO THROUGH,” ROBERTS SAYS. “IT KD OF MA ME FEEL THAT I WAS JT BEG REALLY FAKE.”   IAN THOUGHT HE WOULD OPEN THE DOOR FOR OTHER ATHLET TO E OUT – BUT HE WAS SURPRISED WHEN, S LATER, THE GAME HADN’T CHANGED AS MUCH AS HE’D EXPECTED.“I THOUGHT THERE WOULD BE A TRICKLE ON EFFECT … I WOULDN’T HAVE THOUGHT, 20 YEARS DOWN THE LE, THAT ONLY ONE OTHER PLAYER HAD E OUT AT THE END OF HIS REER,” HE SAYS. “WE LIKE TO THK THGS HAVE CHANGED, BUT THEY HAVEN’T REALLY.”WH NO ONE ELSE SPEAKG OUT, IAN REMAED THE POSTER BOY FOR LGBT+ SPORTSPEOPLE. HE TELLS INSIGHT HOW BEG VISIBLE AND REAL ABOUT HIS SEXUALY HAS BEE A RPONSIBILY, WHICH SOMETIM WEIGHS HEAVILY.   “IT’S SOMETHG THAT YOU HAVE TO DO … FOR WHATEVER REASON, I’M THIS SUATN NOW.” WHAT HAPPENS WHEN YOU TRY TO CHANGE THE GAME – AND THGS STAY THE SAME? | INSIGHT: GAME CHANGERS - CATCH UP ONLE NOW:[VIORD VIO="877130307600"]FURTHER READGGAME CHANGERS: ATRALIA’S FIRST IVF BABIGAME CHANGERS: ATRALIA'S FIRST FEMALE PILOT FOR A MAJOR AIRLE SHAREFOLLOW INSIGHTFACEBOOKTWTERSTAGRAMYOUTUBEINSIGHT IS ATRALIA'S LEADG FOM FOR BATE AND POWERFUL FIRST-PERSON STORI OFFERG A UNIQUE PERSPECTIVE ON THE WAY WE LIVE. READ MORE ABOUT INSIGHTWATCH NOWJO THE DIENCEHAVE A STORY OR MENT? CONTACT USINSIGHT IS ATRALIA'S LEADG FOM FOR BATE AND POWERFUL FIRST-PERSON STORI OFFERG A UNIQUE PERSPECTIVE ON THE WAY WE LIVE.WATCH NOWFOLLOW INSIGHTFACEBOOKTWTERSTAGRAMYOUTUBE2 M READPUBLISHED 27 FEBARY 2017 3:32PMUPDATED 28 FEBARY 2017 9:57PMBY NILA MCCASKILLTAGSSPORTSHARE THIS WH FAY AND IENDSCOPY LKSHARETOPICS

"Prr to beg a [US] cizen, I uldn't speak my md about beg gay, " she said. "John Amaechi (basketball)The Amerin-born Bron was the first NBA player to openly adm to beg gay 2007. "Gareth Thomas (gby unn)Thomas, who was Wal' most-pped player and a former Brish and Irish Lns pta, publicly announced he was gay December 2009 at the age of 35.

DAN PALMER PRAISED AFTER BEG FIRST WALLABI PLAYER TO E OUT AS GAY

"Steven Davi (cricket)The England and Surrey wicketkeeper beme the first active profsnal cricketer to openly adm to beg gay Febary 2011. " Davi, now 27, has played eight one-day ternatnals and five Twenty20 ternatnals for Rogers (soccer)Former Leeds wger and Uned Stat ternatnal Rogers revealed he was gay Febary 2013 and at the same time announced his retirement om football at the age of 25.

"Nila Adams (boxg)Olympic boxg gold medallist Nila Adams topped the Inpennt's annual 'Pk List' poll of fluential lbian, gay, bisexual and transgenr people November moreRead more: Read moreRead more:.

So, here we gonna talk about some of the bravt of all begs; as we know, Like other sports, homophobia is still prevalent baseball. Major League Baseball seems to be fallg behd other sports leagu acceptance of gay players. In MLB, players rerd g homophobic slurs gam.

10 GAY RUGBY PLAYERS WHO MA THEIR COME OUT

“Pri is for everyone, ” In profsnal baseball, brave players who me out as gay publicly are maly om mor leagu. The prsure toward acceptg pri players baseball may be why homosexual players who e out as gay before or after retirement have a short reer.