Gay Rugby Player & Bobsledr Simon Dunn Dead at 35

Contents:

• FORMER WALLABY DAN PALMER 'HUMBLED' BY SUPPORT AFTER G OUT AS GAY
• DISMANTLG STEREOTYP: 10 INSPIRG GAY RUGBY PLAYERS AND PERSONALI
• 'MY OWN ATH FELT PREFERABLE TO ANYBODY DISVERG': FORMER WALLABY DAN PALMER OUT AS GAY POWERFUL LUMN
• DAN PALMER PRAISED AFTER BEG FIRST WALLABI PLAYER TO E OUT AS GAY
• DAN PALMER, FORMER PRO GBY PLAYER, OUT AS GAY TEAR-JERKER OP-ED
• GAY GBY PLAYER, BOBSLEDR, ACTIVIST SIMON DUNN DI AT 35
• ATRALIAN RUGBY PLAYERS REVOLT AFTER BEG TOLD TO WEAR GAY PRI JERSEY
• HUGE SUPPORT FOR FORMER WALLABI PLAYER WHO HAS E OUT AS GAY
• FORMER WALLABI PROP BE FIRST ATRALIAN GBY TERNATNAL TO E OUT AS GAY
• 10 GAY RUGBY PLAYERS WHO MA THEIR COME OUT
• RUGBY LEAGUE PLAYERS ATRALIA TO BOYTT KEY MATCH OVER GAY PRI JERSEY
• 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 LKSHARETOPICS
• MANLY SEA EAGL ACH APOLOGIS FOR HANDLG OF GAY PRI JERSEYS AS SEVEN REFE TO PLAY
• LESTER’S NICK MCCARTHY OUT AS GAY AND THANKS CLUB FOR THEIR SUPPORT
• THE URAGEO JOURNEY OF IAN ROBERTS, GBY LEAGUE'S FIRST OPENLY GAY PLAYER

FORMER WALLABY DAN PALMER 'HUMBLED' BY SUPPORT AFTER G OUT AS GAY

The Atralian former gby unn player Dan Palmer says his cisn to e out as gay was, part, motivated by a sire to break down often ntradictory stereotyp associated wh beg a ‘gby player’ or a ‘gay person’ the week sce his powerful lumn was published by the Sydney Morng Herald, Palmer has received hundreds of emails and msag om around the world, cludg om many people who have enuntered siar stggl wh their own btally open reunt tailed the mental health issu and dg problems he experienced, cludg feelgs that “my own ath felt preferable to anybody disverg I was gay” 32-year-old, a prop who played one Tt for the Wallabi 2012 and domtilly for the Waratahs and Bmbi between 2008 and 2015, jos Welshman Gareth Thomas as the only other male profsnal gby player to have e his lumn, Palmer wrote he had always felt fortable the gby environment, tegorisg his battle as one “primarily wh myself rather than wh obv external prsur or discrimatn” Guardian Atralia he scribed the issue as plited, regnisg the pcy of male players to have publicly intified as LGBTQI spe wir societal progrs.

”Palmer also ced “the ignorance of Israel Fol”, and the damagg impact of the sacked Wallaby’s social media post claimg “hell awas” gay people, as a key driver his rolve to speak out. 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.

DISMANTLG STEREOTYP: 10 INSPIRG GAY RUGBY PLAYERS AND PERSONALI

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.

'MY OWN ATH FELT PREFERABLE TO ANYBODY DISVERG': FORMER WALLABY DAN PALMER OUT AS GAY POWERFUL LUMN

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. 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.

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

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. 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.

Oct 30th, 2020Oct 30th, 2020Former Atralian gby star Dan Palmer has bee the first Wallabi player to e out as gay, and jt the send the men's ternatnal a powerful lumn published by the Sydney Morng Herald today, Palmer penned a stirrg acunt of his time as a young man at the height of Rugby Unn tryg to e to terms wh his now 32-year-old revealed the stggl he faced tryg to nceal his homosexualy throughout his reer, durg which he ntemplated endg his life rather than have people disver his tth. (Getty) (Getty)Sadly, Palmer's story is emblematic of the handful of other profsnal athlet that have e out as gay recent s, says Erik Denison, lead rearcher of the Sport Incln Project at Monash Universy, highlightg the lack of progrs on the issue. "Dan's story is almost the same as athlet who e out before him, like Gareth Thomas 10 years ago, and David Kelley, who is the very first gay athlete to e out as an NFL player back the 70s, " Denison exclively told Wi World of Sports.

DAN PALMER, FORMER PRO GBY PLAYER, OUT AS GAY TEAR-JERKER OP-ED

"Through Denison's rearch to homophobia sport, he found the overwhelmg factor that ntributed to an unwelg environment for gay men was the systemic e of rogatory language. "It really down to the language that is beg ed, leav the imprsn that gay athlet are unwele that environment, " he fends the Wallabi' performance agast the All Blacks: 5 Ms wh Fzy"What we found the rearch is that om a very young age young men hear homophobic slurs which are ed nstantly as part of banter.

"And bee they hear homophobic words every time when someone drops a ball or for msg up builds this associatn and their md that is que strong between beg gay and beg unsirable or beg weak.

And we nsistently hear om gay athlet when we terview them, they felt like beg gay was patible to beg a gby player and an athlete. "Men e homophobic and sexist language sport, sentially to nigrate or to scribe anythg that is weak, that is not manly.

GAY GBY PLAYER, BOBSLEDR, ACTIVIST SIMON DUNN DI AT 35

"Palmer, a prop who played one Tt for the Wallabi 2012 and domtilly for the Waratahs and Bmbi between 2008 and 2015, jos Welshman Gareth Thomas as the only other male profsnal gby player to have e out as gay. Palmer tailed the mental health issu and dg problems he experienced when g to terms wh his sexualy, although he said he never felt discrimated agast durg his playg the long-nng Israel Fol saga, which rulted the wger’s sackg by Rugby Atralia after he posted on social media that “hell awas” gay people, was a ntributg factor his cisn to wre the lumn. Many others have done so the women’s game, to far ls Denison, a rearcher wh Monash Universy’s School of Social Scienc who has nducted studi examg homophobia and homophobic behavur gby, said the siari between the stori of Palmer and Thomas highlighted the lack of progrs on the issue sport environments.

“There has been a dramatic improvement public attus towards gay people general society, but we haven’t seen the same chang sport where the nstant e of homophobic language creat a culture where gay people feel unwele, ” Denison said. “I’m hopeful that people wh the gby muny will regnise the siary between the stori and unrstand the urgent need to addrs the culture that mak gay people feel unwele and that they have to hi their sexualy to be accepted gby.

ATRALIAN RUGBY PLAYERS REVOLT AFTER BEG TOLD TO WEAR GAY PRI JERSEY

”Much progrs has been ma by gby unn recent years, cludg a formal agreement ma between Rugby Atralia and LGBTQ+ and clive teams to fight wh no openly gay active male players, Michael Smh of Internatnal Gay Rugby said there was far more work to be done to create sportg environments which men felt fortable to be themselv.

“Atralian gby, and the gby teams which Dan played for, have been credibly supportive of the need to addrs homophobia. It’s a powerful mt-read story that foc on givg the rear a glimpse to the emotns and mental state of a gay athlete locked a closet wh the key seemgly thrown away. He se Palmer’s story as simultaneoly a lson about the negative impact of homophobic language sports, as well as hopeful spiratn for others.

HUGE SUPPORT FOR FORMER WALLABI PLAYER WHO HAS E OUT AS GAY

The top eight teams qualify for the was the only club planng to wear a pri jersey this Manly forward Ian Roberts, who the 1990s was the first high-profile gby league player to e out as gay, said he was not surprised by the players’ cisn.

“He was a passnate advote for LGBTQIA+ reprentatn sport, speakg about his experienc of homophobia his younger years, ” a statement om the HIV support group Bobby Goldsmh Foundatn said. Dunn played gby wh gay-oriented teams London and Sydney and then moved to Canada while he tackled bobsled, hopg to qualify for the Olympics. Up to seven players om the Manly gby league club Sydney, Atralia, are threateng to boytt their match Thursday after a cisn was ma whout nsultatn for them to wear a gay pri jersey the fixture.

Atralian gby star attacked for clg to support gay marriage mpaign due to Christian beliefs — Brebart London (@BrebartLondon) September 14, 2017. "Palmer tailed the mental health issu and dg problems he experienced when g to terms wh his sexualy, although he said he never felt discrimated agast durg his playg mediaBut the long-nng Israel Fol saga, which rulted the wger's sackg by Rugby Atralia after he posted on social media that "hell awas" gay people, was a ntributg factor his cisn to wre the lumn.

FORMER WALLABI PROP BE FIRST ATRALIAN GBY TERNATNAL TO E OUT AS GAY

Many others have done so the women's game, to far ls Denison, a rearcher wh Monash Universy's School of Social Scienc, who has nducted studi examg homophobia and homophobic behavur gby, said the siari between the stori of Palmer and Thomas highlighted the lack of progrs on the issue sport environments.

10 GAY RUGBY PLAYERS WHO MA THEIR COME OUT

”ProgrsMuch progrs has been ma by gby unn recent years, cludg a formal agreement ma between Rugby Atralia and LGBTQ+ and clive teams to fight wh no openly gay active male players, Michael Smh of Internatnal Gay Rugby said there was far more work to be done to create sportg environments which men felt fortable to be themselv. "As an out gay athlete, Dunn fiercely advoted for LGBTQ+ cln the world of sports and fought back agast anti-gay rhetoric the field. Roberts, who the 1990s was the first high-profile gby league player to e out as gay, said he was not surprised, Tuday July 26, 2022, that seven Manly Sea Eagl players whdrew om a Natnal Rugby League match bee they’re unwillg to wear their club’s cln jersey.

Former Manly forward Ian Roberts, who the 1990s was the first high-profile gby league player to e out as gay, said he was not surprised by the players’ cisn. Former Wallabi prop be first Atralian gby ternatnal to e out as gay (Photo by Cameron Spencer/Getty Imag) One-tt Atralia prop Dan Palmer has bee the first Wallabi player to e out as gay, wrg a newspaper lumn on Friday of mental health issu and dg problems while g to terms wh his 32-year-old wrote the Sydney Morng Herald of the anguish of “livg the dream” as an ele athlete while beg trapped a “false narrative”.

RUGBY LEAGUE PLAYERS ATRALIA TO BOYTT KEY MATCH OVER GAY PRI JERSEY

After gog public 2009, Thomas also revealed stggl wh personal mons while ncealg his, who played tighthead prop for Atralia agast Stland 2012, said he had overdosed on pakillers while France and woken up a “pool of the prev day’s food” moment was transformative, and he flew to London to share his secret for the first time wh a he said he had never felt discrimated agast the gby environment, Palmer was motivated to e out after former Wallabi fullback Israel Fol posted on social media that hell awas “homosexuals” who do not, a fundamentalist Christian, had his Wallabi ntract torn up by Rugby Atralia last might be achg royalty New Zealand but Steve Hansen's been given a prod om his succsor to leave the All Blacks alone. ”Only a handful of ele gby unn players have e Stanley, who played gby sevens for England, beme the first English profsnal gby unn player to e out ternatnal gby unn referee Nigel Owens, one of the game’s most popular and regnisable officials, me out 2007 and long champned cln for gay sportsmen and ’s lumn triggered an outpourg of support om former team mat and other gby figur.

Rugby is one of the most loved sports the world and due to s physily, is regard as a “manly” sport, which mak more difficult for gay players to publicly acknowledge their preference. Nigel Owens, one of the bt refere the world, is openly gay and has been vol about how the gby world has been hugely acmodatg. It is the sport’s rponsibily to posively promote anti-homophobia, and anti-bullyg general, so that the majory of people who are acceptg have a lour voice than those who prott.

After his Saturday afternoon on the pch, is reported that Roberts would spend Saturday night on Oxford Street, Sydney’s gay quarter.

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 LKSHARETOPICS

Followg the footsteps of Ian Roberts who may have been the first high-profile player to openly adm beg gay, Keegan Hirst was arguably the first ever to do while still actively playg gby.

Currently a Wakefield Try prop, Hirst has bee one of the most notable gay athlet, earng him a startg role after signg a ntract wh the League si 2016. In an terview wh the Sunday Mirror, the now divorced father of two and self-nfsed gay tells of the moment he fally found the words to expla to his wife the reason they uld no longer be together. He fends himself by sayg, “Millns of people are the suatn, even people who have been Lrence’s (his partner) suatn and they are still married but are gay.

As a young spired player he stated, “…this is pretty spirg for me as a fairly new player who happens to be gay, I had held off pursug gby bee of but the guys i play wh give no shs whatsoever and we have good banter about . A large athlete at 6 ft 4 (193 cm) and 225 pounds (102 kg), Bgham was a robt send-row man who played for the gay-clive San Francis Fog RFC and was a favore for his teammat the gby songs that he tght them.

MANLY SEA EAGL ACH APOLOGIS FOR HANDLG OF GAY PRI JERSEYS AS SEVEN REFE TO PLAY

To honor him, The Mark Kendall Bgham Memorial Tournament, simply known as the Bgham Cup and was started 2002, is a biennial gay gby unn tournament is named after the former gby player.

Gareth ‘Alfie’ Thomas was a profsnal Welsh Rugby player who broke one of the biggt taboos the sport when he announced his homosexualy 2009. In 2010 he was voted the most fluential gay person the UK The Inpennt on Sunday Pk Listand received Stonewall’s Hero of the Year. He scribed his experience as a secretly gay player, revealg how social prsure and stereotyp pose a signifint challenge for many athlet today.

LESTER’S NICK MCCARTHY OUT AS GAY AND THANKS CLUB FOR THEIR SUPPORT

He is a voted activist for the LGBT e, wng “Gay Sports Personaly of the De” at the Stonewall awards ceremony London back 2015. Seven players om an Atralian Natnal Rugby League (NRL) team will boytt a key champnship match this week over their team's cisn to wear a gay pri jersey, promptg cricism om the club's first openly gay Manly Sea Eagl's one-off jersey has rabow strip and a rabow llar - place of the regular whe sectns - to support LGBTQ cln sports, and the club planned to e for one game agast Sydney Aloiai, Jason Saab, Christian Tuipulotu, Josh Schter, Hmole Olak’atu, Tolu Koula and Toafofoa Sipley are the players standg down for Thursday's match, which uld prove pivotal to the club's chanc of makg the NRL fals. Cred: APIan Roberts, the former Manly player who the 1990s was the first high-profile gby league player to e out as gay, said he was not surprised by the players’ cisn, but add ma him "sad and unfortable" nohels.

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

"I n promise you every young kid on the northern beach (of Sydney) who is alg wh their sexualy would have heard about this, " he told Sydney's Daily says homophobia remas a big issue among fans and players the untry's top petns. LGBTQ advot nmned the boytt as the players were wily brand as homophobic on social Sea Eagl - which has to have 13 players to play each match - are nth place the NRL, one spot below the Roosters. 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. ”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.

Manly Sea Eagl ach D Hasler has apologised over the club's handlg of the cln of rabow lours on the club jersey, sayg was a "signifint mistake" pots:Seven players will boytt Thursday's game over the gay pri shirtHasler says the club's executn of the iative was "poor"Manly will face the Roosters on Thursday wh a greatly dispted siSeven players are boyttg their NRL match on Thursday over their team's cisn to wear a gay pri jersey. (AAP: Dan Himbrechts and Jam Gourley)Ian Roberts, a Manly legend and the first NRL player to e out openly as gay  1995, praised the "thenticy and scery" of Hasler and Cherry-Evans's said was "wonrful" the club would still wear the pri jersey this week and that he had been nsulted about the plan several weeks ago. ”PRIDE MONTH: Openly gay English soccer player fds acceptanceNEWSLETTER: Get the latt sports news straight to your boxJosh Aloiai, Jason Saab, Christian Tuipulotu, Josh Schter, Hmole Olak’atu, Tolu Koula and Toafofoa Sipley are not available for selectn on Thursday.