When looking for examples of sports that have a big LGBT community in them, outside of specific LGBT teams, it was difficult to find many examples unless it is focused on one person. I decided to look at Gareth Thomas from the LGBT community and how the rugby world responded to him when he came out.
Welsh rugby star Gareth Thomas has featured in both rugby union and rugby league and has over 100 test match appearances for his country. In December 2009, Gareth became the first openly gay rugby player when he released a statement about his sexuality to the Daily Mail, stating “I don’t want to be known as a gay rugby player. I am a rugby player, first and foremost I am a man”. He stated his reason for coming out was to help young rugby players be accepted in the sport, saying how his sexuality had nothing to do with what happens on the pitch.
The world of rugby had by large a very positive and supportive attitude towards Gareth when he came out, the chief executive of his club at the time, the Cardiff Blues described him as “a credit to Cardiff Blues who has truly brought honour to the jersey as a formidable player and a strong leader”, adding that “his private life is his own concern”. A campaigner for gay rights named Peter Tatchell commented at the time on how there is an understanding that rugby has a much more relaxed attitude towards homosexuality than football. At the time this was put down to prejudice within the older generation of football managers and with football being a more working class game, the attitudes stem from that, he also stated that he was aware of four high profile footballers that were secretly gay and there are many more.
In November 2018, Gareth was unfortunately on the receiving end of a homophobic provoked assault in Cardiff. the assailant was a 16 year old boy and after the assault Gareth released a video in which he explained the incident. Rather than press charges against the boy, Gareth decided to solve the issue through restorative justice, as he felt the boy would learn more that way. In wake of the attack many people involved with the game came out in support of Gareth, the New Zealand all blacks for one wore Rainbow laces to show how united the game is behind him. Even people outside the game like Neville Southall tweeted “Sorry it happened mate, but there are thousands who support you,” he wrote. “Love that you concentrate on the positives. Keep being a role model. Top guy.”
Rugby really seems to have accepted Gareth as he is and this is great to see, hopefully in the future football can begin to make strides into learning a thing or two about attitudes towards homophobia.
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