Ian Thorpe ‘Thuper Mad at Gay Media Speculation
All week long, Olympic swimmer Ian Thorpe has been answering questions about his sexuality from Australia’s newspapers, who seemed to have just discovered now that the diver has lived with his Brazilian housemate, Daniel Mendes, for the last three years and was photographed with him while the two vacationed together in Brazil, as friends do from time to time. This is a big deal in Australia, because they already have a gay Olympian (in the form of gold medalist Matthew Mitcham) and with water sports (not that kind) being the Aussie equivalent of baseball, the idea that two guys who spend their days running around in Speedos could be gay, is just one too many shrimp on the barby.
“Over the last few days there have been a series of press articles published, speculating about my friendship with Daniel Mendes,” the five-time Olympic gold medallist [sic] said in a statement published today.
“In the past, on several separate occasions, I have answered questions about my sexuality openly and honestly with the media … my situation in this regard has not changed.”
Thorpe, 26, referred reporters to remarks in an interview he gave shortly after his retirement in 2007 – comments that offended the gay community because they likened homosexuality to an illicit activity.
Thorpe said then that “the gay speculation, along with when I was accused of taking drugs in 2000, was an attempt to pull me down from the top.”
Other fun fact: After Thorpe offered as proof of his straightness the fact that he had a “long-term, long-distance relationship” with fellow swimmer Amanda Beard a few years back, she shot back via her agent:
“But Beard, 27, yesterday told her agent: “Take out the word relationship and put in the word friendship and that’s exactly what it was.”
Mr. Morganstien insisted Beard was never been romantically involved with Thorpe.”
“To her it was absolutely a long-term, long distance friendship and that’s all it ever was,” Mr Morganstein said.
You know, with a last name like “beard”, you’d think she’d be a little more accommodating.
Clearly, he has no fashion sense what-so-ever…he’s straight.
@ask ena: Well, that little tight shirt probably looked hot before he got fat. Fatties should not wear clothes like that.
Its no wonder the guy has to deny these rumors. In the latest issue of the Advocate which I don’t read, there is an article about Mathew Mitchum. Australia’s latest Gold Medal Winner does not have the usual sponsorships and endorsement deals that gold winners can expect. Why? I guess its because he has declared that he is openly gay. So I can’t blame Thorpe when his livelyhood is at stake.
I’d still hit it.
okay we’ve all heard it from friends before, the ‘i’ve tapped so and so celebrity’ but given this source of mine isn’t the kind of vapid attention seeker who would make up said lies, i’m giving him the benefit of the doubt.
Apparently before thorpedo hit it big with his swimming he used to train on the beach somewhere here in queensland and use to enjoy…:P doin something that starts with a b and ends in ottoming.
as i said, perhaps its just made up, but i’ve heard enough of these stories to cast some serious doubt
@ask ena: He’s wearing clothes you want to rip off him. Ok, you want to rip them off him for the wrong reasons, but at least he’s heading in the right direction, eh?
(Actually, I’d like to rip them off him for the right reasons as well – I think he’s way hotter with the extra weight)
@1: I don’ t know about you, but I’ve seen more gay men dressed in atrocious yet supposedly fashionable clothing than straight men. The idea that gay men are more fashionable seems to me to be a total myth.
@2: The guy’s put on a few pounds, but he’s not fat. I for one am sick and tired of all the ridiculousness of gay men’s obsession with overly toned fake bodies. I’m sure when he competed, he looked better than any of the readers of this blog.
Personally, I think Queerty needs to stop posting this stuff. When gay men engage in chatter like this, we further the reigning ideology that homosexuality is something exotic or shameful or tittilating or whatever. Who the hell cares.
I heard he has a 14-inch dick.
Thank you Sandra, for raising the level of this conversation. It was so tawdry before. :P
@L’homme Acephale: I mostly agree, but if he IS gay, he’s doing the shameful, stupid thing by denying it. This is 2009, not 1979.
@Hunter: Take a number, bruh.
One of two things is probably happening here:
They’re both gay, but for family and sponsorship reasons, want to keep it under wraps.
Ian is gay but Daniel is not, and Ian has the whole misty-eyed unrequited love thing going on.
Queerty didn’t even mention that he used to have his own line of men’s jewellery some years back. If I recall correctly, that’s when the speculation about his sexuality really hit it big.
I just realized I’m a chubby chaser.
@L’homme Acephale: I agree with both your responses. Good to see someone with sense posting on here. Not that others posting here do not have sense, well except for…
@rickroberts: He is hardly a “fattie”. Again as stated above and as I stated about you yesterday, it is people like you that give gay men a bad name.
Ok, lets look at this logically, Ian thorpe was/is one of the most famous people in Australia. He is rich, he is always in the newspapers…and oh gee, in years and years has never had a public girlfriend, fiancee etc… PLEASE tell me what straight guy, who is famous and rich is going to be celibate over the course of 10 years?
Ian, you’re career is pretty much over, nobody cares anymore so can you stop lying and looking like a fool finally?
are there pictures of his boyfriend anywhere?
@andy: http://tinyurl.com/dbtwzt
Who cares if the tub of lard is gay or not?
Uppity, interesting call. I hadn’t considered that Daniel might be straight and simply the Object of Ian’s Affection.
My theory is he’s out, but playing games with the straight community for attention / sponsorship / amusing the gays who are laughing along with the gag. Like Ange wearing her dress backwards.
My g/f’s is that he simply doesn’t KNOW he’s gay. Maybe – he has [insert various activities] with Daniel, emails Amanda Beard and thinks he’s bi or even straight / curious.
Thorpe said then that “the gay speculation, along with when I was accused of taking drugs in 2000, was an attempt to pull me down from the top.”
Come on, that quote says it all – there were attempts to pull Ian from Mendes, the top :0)
(Makes that 14-inch rumor kind of sad at the same time, doesn’t it?)
why is it such a crime for guys to be freinds??? Gays always said to republicans in the 80′s to stay out of their bedrooms and i thnik this should stand for all males…
Thorpe has to milk all potential sponsorship cash before coming out. Sad, but true. Mark Tewkesbury, another gold medal swimmer, came out too soon, and no one’s heard of him since.
huh….what?…yeah he’s cute
i think he looks pretty good in that photo. IMHO
I don’t know if Ian is gay. All I know is that he stands to make more money formally ‘heterosexual’ especially in Japan where he is very popular. I heard he was into MMF threesomes but rumours are rumours. I like him hes not your average jock; hes smart and has manners. Hes Australian ‘royalty’ now . I must to difficult to be famous and gay . I respect those that are both.
Her name is Andrea Beard? That’s just too perfect.
Mathew Mitchum is niiiice. This is a sad and pointless comment, but it is true, so I’m posting anyway. :)
He’s as bent as a three dollar note. Nobody cares, it’s just annoying to hear the continual denials. It’s analogous to me going around telling people the sky is really purple. Nobody is going to bother to argue; but nobody is going to agree with me either, and I’m only fooling myself if I pretend they are.
Let me see if I understand this – Daniel comes from a very wealthy Brazilian family yet chooses to live halfway across the world. My guess is that he can afford housing of his own but he chooses to live with the Thorpedo, who, with all of his endorsements, can also afford housing of his own.
Either this is a gay couple of their picture should be put into the dictionary when it adds “bromance” to the lexicon. I’m betting on the former.
Also, if Sandra O’Connor is correct about 14 inches, then there is no mistaking why Ian got the nickname Thorpedo. And to think I thought it was short for Thorpe in a Speedo.
hmmmmm, this is creating quite the conversation.
Firstly, he doesn’t have a ‘weight problem’, clearly he is retired and there is no reason him to be extra toned/ slim for competitive sporting.
secondly, I agree with some of the past posts, it’s quite ridiculous that he is denying his sexuality, clearly he is gay. If he was straight (and 26) he would have some interest in dating or at least fucking (excuse the language) women, physically there is no problem in that department.
The reason i think he’s gay, is because his new ‘boyfriend’ clearly knows there is speculation about his sexuality (i.e. there is a possibility that he is gay), and he has been living with him for three years. To me, there might be a reason for him wanting to live with a man that might be gay for three years (if you know what i mean).
All the best for him though, He’s a nice guy, I think his problem is that he is conservative in nature… and does not like to associate with anything that deviates from the norm (e.g. being gay), hopefully he will overcome this fear of social judgment / social hierarchy (which is clearly evident in his speech- “Thorpe said then that “the gay speculation, along with when I was accused of taking drugs in 2000, was an attempt to pull me down from the top.”). His beliefs are a bit demeaning – being gay will pull you away from success. The longer he suppresses the way he feels the more it will hurt.
I could be entirely wrong though, but to me he only looks stupid/ intolerant when he denies the obvious.