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Olympic swimmer Daniel Jervis reflects on coming out: “I’ve been afraid all my life… I’m not anymore.”

It was not an easy journey. One day I’d be like, “No, I’m not [gay]. What am I doing?” And the next day I’d be like, “I absolutely am.” And then one day I said, “I am, and I need to stop lying to myself.”

…I wanted people to look at me, and if they were struggling, I wanted them to say, “Dan’s standing on the world stage, but he has so many people looking at him and he is so proud of who he is.”

I want them to see me and just see someone who’s not afraid of what people think. I’ve been afraid all my life, and I’m tired of being afraid. I’m not anymore.

British Olympic swimmer Daniel Jervis speaking to ESPN about coming out as gay before the 2022 Commonwealth Games last June.
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