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We’ve become fans of hunky Australian pro rugby player Toby Rudolf after comments resurfaced this week about his love of making out with men and women… Oh, and also because of his support of the LGBTQ+ community, of course.
“Sexuality is very fluid. I’ve been out and kissed many gay men, kissed many straight women, and kissed many gay women,” the heterosexual-identified player told the Sydney Morning Herald in July. “I’m not a one-stop shop. Love is love, and I love to share it with everyone…. You could say I’m open to both genders but only attracted to one of them.”
Put another way, he’s hetero-romantic when it comes to love, but bi-flexible when it comes to sex.
“That’s probably why I love going to all the gay bars in Sydney as well — I love dancing with my shirt off and getting down Universal on Oxford Street until 2 a.m.,” he added.
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Rudolf, who plays for the Cronulla-Sutherland Sharks within Australia’s National Rugby League (NRL), shared his comments with the media after seven members of the NRL team, the Manly Sea Eagles, refused to wear rainbow-colored jerseys during a match, citing their religious beliefs.
“I haven’t got caught up in the Manly situation,” Rudolf told the publication. “What I will say is I was raised by quite a few gay and lesbian community members. My uncle is gay and my godmother is gay, and there’s so much love in that community.”
He added that he would totally support another “Pride round” of NRL matches to show their support for the LGBTQ+ community. Luckily, NRL officials say they’re considering that possibility for 2023, though they want to do so in a way that will avoid team protests.
Rudolf also got himself in hot water in March 2021 when he made off-the-cuff remarks about his plans to get drunk “try and pull something; anything will do.” (“Pull” is slang for “find someone to sleep with.”)
When people said his comment was disrespectful to women, he noted, “At the time of that interview I never said ‘women.’”
While his comments might seem merely thirsty, they’re actually pretty significant considering the lack of openly queer male players in professional sports around the world. After all, when was the last time you heard about a male pro athlete, comfortable in their own masculinity and sexuality, talking about making out with men to the national press?
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Brian
“Sometimes I get so drunk that I kiss people” and “I like to take my shirt off and have people stare at me” is very, very far from being a bisexual person. And it’s also certainly not a thoughtful or respectful way to engage with people who are different. We’ve all met people like him. A dime (or less) a dozen. This isn’t representation or authenticity.
Joshooeerr
Yup, that’s about right. Curiously, a lot of professional sportsmen seem this way inclined. I recall a former footballer and sports journalist who just loved gay bars, flashing his bits in public, streaking at all-male gatherings and, when drunk, snogging guys and being extremely handsy. Then someone published an article describing him as “metrosexual” (which he seemed to interpret as bi) and he instantly sued.
Prax07
What I got from the story… he’s happy to gaybait as long as it doesn’t affect his bottom line. He’s happily hetero because that’s what’s getting him the sports bucks, and happy to kiss a dude to get the cash that’ll bring in on the side. But yeah, hetero.
Neoprene
Oh, just come out as gay, Toby, and stop with all the fluidity nonsense.
“Put another way, he’s hetero-romantic when it comes to love, but bi-flexible when it comes to sex.” Wait? I thought he was fluid, so maybe add “at this split second in time….”
sfhairy
What Brian said.
SDR94103
I love his body!
BrokebackBob
Okay kids here it is one more time. It’s not who you like to make out with when you’re on drugs or booze, it’s who you’re attracted to such that you would want to spend the rest of your life with that person in all aspects of your life. Why do so many Australian men think they’re bisexual, sounds vaguely toxic to me.
nm4047
Really, that’s what you took out of this? 1 example as the anecdotal evidence to base your claim that ‘so many etc’ interesting.
bachy
I dunno, he just seems very lively, reckless, full of passions, and not particularly concerned with staying in his assigned box or coloring inside the lines. I find it refreshing.
mastik8
Agreed.
Trev
Not sure where Brokeback Bob got his information from thats many Australian men think they are bisexual and considers it toxic. Has Bob ever been out here in Australia ? The venue he mentions Universal is a great place to meet people and and no-one asks if you are gay or straight the same goes for the pubs and clubs of Oxford Street. There are often celebrities visiting these venues. Pity Brokeback Bob missed last Saturday when a group of at least a dozen young straight men came in to the Oxford Hotel only in their speedos (Budgie smugglers)doing there annual charity run and pub crawl Also just enlighten Speedos were originally and Australian swimwear brand which was then bought ou by an American company. Also budgie smugglers comes from the bird budgerigar. As World Pride is in Sydney next year it will great to see first time visitors here to this part of the world and make new friends.
straightupgay
Needs a haircut and a bath. Hunky? eh
Kangol2
A year and some months later (2024), he’s cut his hair, is still pro-gay and looks like he’s having a ball from his Instagram account!