The urageo journey of Ian Roberts, gby league's first openly gay player | Rugby league | The Guardian

Contents:

• GAY GBY STAR KEEGAN HIRST'S WIFE SARA OPENS UP ABOUT HER REACTN TO HIS SEXUALY
• FIRST OPENLY GAY GBY LEAGUE PLAYER KEEGAN HIRST OUT OF RETIREMENT
• GAY RUGBY LEAGUE PLAYER SAYS HE'S SEEN MUCH 'GAYER' THGS IN SPORTS CHANGG ROOMS
• LIST | 5 GAY RUGBY STARS WHO ARE OUT AND PROUD
• DISMANTLG STEREOTYP: 10 INSPIRG GAY RUGBY PLAYERS AND PERSONALI
• GAY GBY LEAGUE STAR SLAMS "HOMOPHOBIA HIDG BEHD RELIGN" AMID PRI SHIRT BOYTT
• RUGBY STAR’S TEAMMAT SUPPORT HIM AFTER GAY PORN VIO SURFAC
• FIRST OPENLY GAY GBY LEAGUE PLAYER HAILS 'OVERWHELMG' SUPPORT
• KEEGAN HIRST STEPS ON TO FIELD AS BRA'S FIRST GBY LEAGUE STAR TO E OUT AS GAY
• I'M A CELEBRY AU: BE RYAN SAYS HE'S CERTA THERE ARE GAY PLAYERS THE NRL
• THE URAGEO JOURNEY OF IAN ROBERTS, GBY LEAGUE'S FIRST OPENLY GAY PLAYER
• GAY MOSW MOSW CY GUI
• GAY MOSW · CY GUI
• KEEGAN HIRST: GAY GBY LEAGUE STAR OUT OF RETIREMENT TO FIGHT HOMOPHOBIA
• ONLY OPENLY-GAY PROFSNAL RUGBY LEAGUE PLAYER SPEAKS OUT ON MANLY JERSEY CONTROVERSY
• OPENLY GAY FOOTY STAR KEEGAN HIRST OUT OF RETIREMENT AFTER PRI JERSEY MOVE

GAY GBY STAR KEEGAN HIRST'S WIFE SARA OPENS UP ABOUT HER REACTN TO HIS SEXUALY

Wife of first openly gay gby league star says she wanted to 'rip his head off and kill him' after he revealed his te sexualy - but now she's supportg him Sara Hirst admted she was fur by hband Keegan Hirst's revelatnSaid she was angry bee she feared their marriage had been a 'sham'But mother-of-three says she is now proud of her hband for beg braveRugby world was shocked last month when the player, 27, me out as gay Published: 15:18 BST, 6 September 2015 | Updated: 21:08 BST, 6 September 2015. Heartbroken: Sara Hirst was stunned when her gby playg hband Keegan told her he was gayThe wife of the first gby league player to e out as gay has revealed she wanted to ‘rip his head off and kill him’ after he nfsed his te sexualy to Hirst has admted she was fur and heartbroken when 27-year-old hband Keegan Hirst told her they uld no longer be said she was not angry bee he was gay - but bee she feared their marriage and whole relatnship had been a 'sham'. Weddg day: Sara said she was not angry bee he was gay - but bee she feared their marriage and whole relatnship had been a 'sham'Brave: Hirst, pta of Wt Yorkshire si Batley Bulldogs, is the first openly gay gby league player'She didn’t say anythg at first.

FIRST OPENLY GAY GBY LEAGUE PLAYER KEEGAN HIRST OUT OF RETIREMENT

Growg up on a uncil tate and qutg sixth form to pursue his gby league reer, he says he was ' nial' about his homosexualy, nvcg himself that ep down he was toll of keepg such a huge secret about his private life led to Hirst, who sists he loved his wife and never cheated on her, nsirg takg his own gby unn Gareth Thomas me out as gay 2009.

Came out: The gby league star recently appeared on the ma stage at the Manchter Pri event Public appearance: Hirst appeared at the event alongsi gay actor Sir Ian McKellen and Anthony Cotton.

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

Gay gby league star Keegan Hirst's wife proud of his urage after first 'wantg to kill him' - Mirror Onle. Keegan Hirst, the first Brish gby league star to e out as gay, has reversed his retirement cisn wh the hope to play for the Batley Bulldogs for the rt of 2022.

“After the recent thly-veiled homophobia over a rabow shirt, I thought how n I help wh visibily and cln? A former English gby league star has rpond to the recent LGBTQIA+ jersey saga engulfg the Manly Sea ex-player Keegan Hirst says 's rather ironic that the group are boyttg wearg the pri k bee he's seen 'what go on changg rooms' and 'would be seen as beg MUCH gayer' than simply wearg a rabow jersey for a AlamyThe Manly Sea Eagl have ma headl across the world this week after releasg their 'Everyone League' jersey – unfortunately, though, wasn't for the right was meant to be a posive move to drive clivy soon turned sour when several players threatened to boytt their next game after refg to wear the club’s rabow Aloiai, Jason Saab, Christian Tuipulotu, Josh Schter, Hmole Olak’atu, Tolut Koula and Toafofoa Sipley have been named as the players qutn and will subsequently miss their next fixture after beg stood down on relig saga hasn't pated anyone volved a particularly pleasant light wh both the players and the club self g unr fire. A number of big-name figur have had their say on the matter, cludg the NRL's first and only openly-gay player Ian Hirst, who me out as gay 2015 durg his time the UK Super League, has h out at the Sea Eagl players.

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

LIST | 5 GAY RUGBY STARS WHO ARE OUT AND PROUD

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.

DISMANTLG STEREOTYP: 10 INSPIRG GAY RUGBY PLAYERS AND PERSONALI

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.

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.

GAY GBY LEAGUE STAR SLAMS "HOMOPHOBIA HIDG BEHD RELIGN" AMID PRI SHIRT BOYTT

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. 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.

RUGBY STAR’S TEAMMAT SUPPORT HIM AFTER GAY PORN VIO SURFAC

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. Keegan Hirst, the first Brish gby league star to e out as gay, has cricised the Manly Sea Eagl players set to s out their match on Thursday prott at a shirt promotg LGBTQ+ equalyThe first Brish gby league star to publicly e out as gay has acced Manly Sea Eagl players of g relign as an exce for their homophobia.

FIRST OPENLY GAY GBY LEAGUE PLAYER HAILS 'OVERWHELMG' SUPPORT

Keegan Hirst, the former Wakefield Try prop, beme the first Brish player to publicly e out as gay when he did so 2015 before retirg 2020.

“Everyone is allowed to play gby league, and for the players to make this cisn, and I feel hi behd relig and cultural beliefs, I feel as though 's homophobia hidg behd relign.

The Atralian gay porn webse that nned Capewell to appearg those vios is famo for s duplico tactics, reports The se is known for enlistg agents to trick young men to starrg pornographic films through var means.

KEEGAN HIRST STEPS ON TO FIELD AS BRA'S FIRST GBY LEAGUE STAR TO E OUT AS GAY

It wasn’t long ago when the admtance of appearg gay porn, even unknowgly, uld’ve led to wispread harassment and alienatn the world of ele male athletics.

Media ptn, Keegan Hirst says was "nceivable" for him to thk he uld be gayThe first Brish gby league player to e out as gay says he has been "overwhelmed" and "humbled" by fans' and fellow players' support for Hirst, who is separated om his wife, said the time had e "to be te to myself". "You expect a b of stick om fans, om players - you get whether you're gay or not - but there wasn't any of that. "Image source, PAImage ptn, Hirst said he hoped other players would feel able "to be who they really are"Hirst said he only recently me to accept he was gay when his marriage broke down.

I'M A CELEBRY AU: BE RYAN SAYS HE'S CERTA THERE ARE GAY PLAYERS THE NRL

No one is gay Batley, ” the prop cisn to go public prompted a wave of support om teammat and fans, many takg to social media to praise the 6ft 4 Yorkshireman. ”Nigel Wood, the chief executive of the Rugby Football League, the sport’s erng body, ngratulated Hirst but said he hoped that one day would not be nsired exceptnal for a player to announce they were gay.

“Particularly wh a sport that is as exprsive and tough as gby league, I thk there is a prupposn that would suppose that people who were gay would not be playg , but that’s jt not right. The Welsh gby unn star Gareth Thomas, now retired, is the hight-profile gby player to have said he was gay while still playg the sport.

THE URAGEO JOURNEY OF IAN ROBERTS, GBY LEAGUE'S FIRST OPENLY GAY PLAYER

He summoned the urage to tell his wife he was gay a few weeks ago after realisg that she blamed herself for their breakup. Hopefully if there’s other gay players out there – which I’m sure there are – if they have the urage to do then ’s a good thg.

”The Rugby Football League beme the first erng body of a major sport to sign up to Stonewall’s mpaign agast homophobia 2008, when logos proclaimg “Some people are gay.

Matthew Hodson, the chief executive of the gay men’s health chary GMFA, scribed Hirst’s announcement as a signifint moment for a sport nsired one of the most macho the world.

GAY MOSW MOSW CY GUI

“I thk ’s really important that for other people who have e om very tradnal backgrounds, and have that expectatn of ‘this is what a man is’, to fd out that gby players, builrs, other sportspeople are gay. Be Ryan says he's certa there are gay players the NRL durg ndid chat wh Olympic swimmer Ey Seebohm on I'm A Celebry Published: 11:25 BST, 5 January 2022 | Updated: 11:25 BST, 5 January 2022.

Be Ryan said he was certa there are gay players the NRL durg a ndid admissn on Wednday's episo of I'm A Celebry... ' Speakg out: Be Ryan (pictured) said he was certa there are gay players the NRL durg a ndid admissn on Wednday's episo of I'm A Celebry... ' Be add that while there were NRL players who had 'e out after' they left the sport, there was no one who was openly gay while still ced Ian Roberts as an example, sayg the 56-year-old former gby league footballer 'was probably the first to do that'.

GAY MOSW · CY GUI

' asked mpmate David Subrzky (right, wh Ey Seebohm), promptg Be to rpond, 'No, but I thk there would be' Out: He ced Ian Roberts (pictured durg an NRL game Sydney 1989) as an example, sayg the 56-year-old former gby league footballer 'was probably the first to do that'Roberts publicly me out as gay 1995, before retirg om the sport three years later 1998 after sufferg a seri of speakg to David Subrzky, Ey, 29, explaed that she uld unrstand the need for ele athlet to have to partmentalise their liv. Laser foced: Later speakg to David Subrzky, Ey explaed that she uld unrstand the need for ele athlet to have to partmentalise their livTakg to Twter, many viewers agreed that while there would 'absolutely' be gay footballers, was upsettg they didn't feel fortable g out. It's a sad state of affair that we haven't got openly proud gay male AFL players but yet we see AFLW players e out strong and proud, ' tweeted one viewer.

' Sad news: Be add that while there were NRL players who had 'e out after' they left the sport, there was no one who was openly gay while still playg. Aborigals, Polynians, Melanians and Southern European migrants provid the game’s first diversy om s Anglo-Celtic base and the terlopers were accepted if they plied wh the and “pped sweet” had no place for homosexual men and to be labeled gay was a slur implyg weakns.

KEEGAN HIRST: GAY GBY LEAGUE STAR OUT OF RETIREMENT TO FIGHT HOMOPHOBIA

And that’s the way remaed until a pneer smashed the stereotype, beg the game’s first openly homosexual player, a precursor, a full 20 years before Keegan Hirst, the Batley Bulldogs player who this weekend beme the first Brish player to do likewise.

“Until Ian Roberts me out we thought all gay guys were weak, ” says Mar Fenech, the former South Sydney Rabbohs pta and Roberts’s team-mate. Stereotyp mean ls thkg and for the league muny, surround by a ep emotnal moat, there was no way he uld be tough and father always advised him to “go for the biggt guy” and, crippled by a life nial, he uld sublimate his rage and claw back self-worth by excellg at everythg physil, cludg was all a smokcreen for a new phase of his life, glorly gurated at Sydney gay pub The Exchange.

Roberts would nvce them that he was gog to “50-50 clubs”, further throwg them off the trail by paradg wh betiful “girliends” at club 1984, an unlikely hero emerged for 19-year-old Roberts the form of New South Wal premier Neville Wran, who passed a law crimalisg homosexualy.

ONLY OPENLY-GAY PROFSNAL RUGBY LEAGUE PLAYER SPEAKS OUT ON MANLY JERSEY CONTROVERSY

”It was the same year that Bronski Beat’s tortured g out anthem Smalltown Boy stormed world dancefloors, crystallisg the horror experience which a young suburban man is bashed for attendg a gay club and disowned by his father.

OPENLY GAY FOOTY STAR KEEGAN HIRST OUT OF RETIREMENT AFTER PRI JERSEY MOVE

Eventually old school Souths ach Gee Piggs nonted Roberts about his sexualy, pleadg wh him to stop gog to the gay clubs. Early the 1989 season a gossip em wrten unr a nom plume appeared the Sun Herald statg Roberts had been spotted a gay club.

In the followg game Roberts was baed by Bulldogs players and openly vilified by fans, the thought of a gay player fuellg the passns of the wilst Jack, pictured after a brawl wh Roberts 1991. Roberts was bone tired om pretendg, but they both advised him to keep a fay secret until after his years later Roberts tormented gby league media and fans further by agreeg to a nu shoot Blue, a new gay magaze, but did not fively say he was gay.