I didn’t want to be gay. I actually went to the doctor at one stage to see if I could be chemically castrated in any way, if it would get rid of me being gay. Looking back at that, it was a horrific thing that one would have to do, but that’s what I was going through at the time. It was only when my mom came to see me in hospital when I tried to take my own life and she told me: ‘If you try to do anything like this again, then you take me and Dad with you, because we don’t want to live our lives without you.’
I was an only child. I sat up in bed that night and I cried. I thought to myself that I need to grow up here. That’s when I accepted who I was, and that was the biggest challenge of my life over with. A lot of people are struggling with who they are. They can’t tell other people they’re gay because they’re fighting it themselves. That’s one of the reasons a lot of people are not out in sport yet.”
— Openly gay Welsh rugby referee Nigel Owens, who came out in 2007, talks candidly with CNN about his struggle to come out
John Kuehnle
Seriously?
Luis H. Lopez
Why just play the game ref. Have some fun with the guys !
Masc Pride
@John Kuehnle: I wouldn’t take it too seriously. Notice how these melodramatic stories are always just about contemplation. It’s just like, “I thought about suicide.” If I had a quarter for every drama queen that uttered those words, I’m sure I’d never have to work again.
kernowcraig
@Masc Pride: NO, he was in hospital because he DID try to take his own life, He’s welsh, so would have grown up in a very small, closed minded community. Don’t Judge!
Masc Pride
@kernowcraig: Meh. Need more deets. I’m skeptical of all the so-called suicide attempts too. Too many people in this community just use their exaggerated stories to make people feel sorry for them. A lot of them just took a dose of something that wasn’t even strong enough to kill a toddler. I read about one guy that had three attempts to his credit. IDK one of those times should’ve took if he was really serious about it.
Steven Burr
OMG
joe
i still struggle every day, now the holiday stress you never know who is going to ask you personal questions, are you dating? why havent you ever married? good for you guys who are out with accepting co workers, work places, family and friends. not everyone has a fantastic open family , friends or work place. you have no idea how hard it can be not everyone lives in a progressive town or city. all of this does a job on a person,
Steven Burr
I’d miss sex too much. Not That I get any, but
Michael Claypoole
Ugh!
Lee Swinney
Glad you didn’t. that’s not the way
mosm
@Masc Pride: Yes, where are those stories of people that succeeded in taking their own life…
brooklynbobby
Guys! Masc Pride is quite obviously a troll who just says outrageous things to draw attention to him self. This is a game that you will see played out time and time again on any comments wall after practically any article on Queerty or any article on other sites where there is the slightest possibility for controversy. Look at how he has everyone jumping through hopes by being a ridiculous oaf making shamelessly provocative statements. DON’T feed his ego and he will go away! You will notice a pattern if you follow comments on other articles and after a while you will learn to spot it. I swear sometimes it’s the same troll using different names!
brooklynbobby
Oh, if you want to see another example check out @jon on the Antigay bride fires pro-gay wedding photographer. You will swear they are one in the same person!
brooklynbobby
OH WAIT! I lied wrong article!!! Look for the gay doctor Frank Spinelli turning in his ex-Boy Scout leader molesting him and others. That is where you will find “Jon”
zooby
That’s a little extreme.
john.k
Nigel Owens is currently the top referee in world rugby. There is no reason to doubt his honesty. He came out some years ago and has since written and spoken about his previous struggle with his sexuality.
SonOfKings
Lord have mercy. Glad he didn’t do anything rash. But one wonders if young gays who contemplated harming themselves while coming to terms with their sexuality weren’t simply high strung individuals who would have been prone to mental issues whether gay or straight.
Giancarlo85
@Masc Pride: You are a sad pathetic person in every sense of the word. You’ve lived a sheltered existence and you really don’t know what people go through. How dare you! You don’t know what people go through because you never had to go through that yourself. Again, nobody cares about the sheletered egotistical self centered bastard you really are.
Giancarlo85
@brooklynbobby: He’s a complete raving idiot and everytime I see him post stupid ignorant shit it pisses me off. Yes, it’s the same troll using the same username. CWM85, Mask Pride, Brian… they all sound the same. I’m starting to think they are all controlled by a former troll known as “JASON SMEDS”.
Masc Pride
But this one ID seems to be enough to drive a few of you completely mad, why would I need another? Even if any of you ladies could prove I’m a troll with other IDs, WTF are you going to do about it? Oh right, you will just remain “pissed off”. Go ahead and have a stroke, that’ll really show me! LOL
Sweetie Pie
He´s kind of a DILF….
Saint Law
@Masc Pride: Remember – it’s never too late to kill your ‘self’, Ms Mask.
Masc Pride
@Saint Law: Back atcha! Though I’m sure you already have several “attempts” under your belt already.
trell
Nigel Owens came out in 2007 in the UK Rugby world as being gay. Yet I’ve never heard of him.
Gareth Thomas came out in 2009 as gay, after being married to Jemma Thomas for 6 years. She had 3 miscarriages during her marriage to Gareth, then he told her that their marriage was a sham, and she was just a “Beard”. – Gareth goes on to find fame & fortune, appearing in every reality TV programme and gay lifestyle magazine on the planet. He becomes an ambassador for LGBT in the UK, and the indiscretion of him using another person to cover up his sexuality is brushed over.
2015, Keegan Hirst comes out. Instantly, he is signed up for a photoshoot for Gay Times.
Not that I want to rob Gareth Thomas or Keegan Hirst of having the courage to finally come out, especially in such a macho and testosterone-filled environment as professional rugby, but where was the publicity for Nigel Owens in becoming a potential advocate for gay people in the sport when he came out in 2007? Is it because he doesn’t look as good as Thomas or Hirst without his top on? – Owens deserves a bit more of the limelight here!