Trailblazing rugby star Ian Roberts set to star in new doc about his coming out story

Australian rugby star Ian Roberts made history back when he publicly came out as gay while still an active player in 1995, at a time when homosexuality was considered a taboo topic in pro sports.

Now, in a symbol of how much times have changed, Roberts is set to star in a documentary about his incredible journey. The project is tentatively titled, Light: The Ian Roberts Story.

In it, Roberts 57, talks about his coming out process and how he wishes he actually came out earlier in his career.

“Reflecting now, as soon as I started playing for Souths [in 1986], I wish I had come out then,” he told the Sydney Morning Herald. “I wish I had never been in the closet, if that makes sense.”

In previous interviews, Roberts has said his sexuality was a poorly kept secret around Australia’s National Rugby League. While he tried to pass as straight, he dated men and frequented gay nightclubs.

“I used to go into clubs or bars. I’d come up with the most fumbling excuses, like it was just for the music,” he said in a 2005 radio interview, as transcribed by Outsports.

In the aforementioned Sydney Morning Herald interview, Roberts says he used to take his boyfriend to functions while he was still closeted. “I think back now and me being gay was the worst-kept secret for five or six years,” he said.

Despite the relative homophobia of the mid ’90s, Roberts says he doesn’t think it would be easier to come out today. 30 years ago, it was much easier to find privacy, even as a public figure. That’s changed with the proliferation of smartphones and social media.

While out gay men are now prevalent in most Western societies, depression and suicide rates among LGBTQ+ youth are still startlingly high.

“The queer community still has such high percentages of self-harm and dying of suicide. I think, would it be easier now? I don’t know,” said Roberts. “Everything is so much more accessible now.”

After coming out, Roberts used his sizable platform to promote LGBTQ+ inclusion in athletics–further solidifying his trailblazer status. At the time, the only other prominent out gay male athlete was British soccer player Justin Fashanu, who came out in 1994 (he died by suicide in 1998).

Roberts participated in a book about his life story as a gay rugby player, Ian Roberts – Finding Out, which was published in 1997.

Since retiring from rugby in 1998, Roberts has successfully transitioned to acting. He’s been credited in 68 projects, according to IMDb, including the 2012 film Saltwater, in which he played a gay man.

Over the years, Roberts has also masterfully pushed back against some of the most tired tropes about gay athletes, including the ridiculous worry about team showers. Back in 2011, he shut down Australian soccer player Jason Akermanis, who said it would be uncomfortable to shower with a gay teammate.

“Don’t flatter youself, Aker! That’s all in your own head, man,” he said in a magazine interview.

Touché.

In addition, Roberts’ advocacy pushed the NRL to publicly support same-sex marriage when Australia voted on and passed the measure in 2017.

Today, there are two active out gay male pro athletes in Australia: soccer player Josh Cavallo and basketball player Isaac Humphries. They’ve both been widely embraced by their teammates.

Roberts say he was, too, though there was a culture of silence.

“That’s another good thing about this story, back in the ’90s it was ok for me to be gay around the team because everyone knew I was gay, but nobody spoke about it,” he said. “It was almost like this cone of silence-type thing because it’s easier to deal with. No one ever made fun of me, no one ever belittled me or niggled me, out of my teammates.”

But that doesn’t mean there still aren’t issues with homophobia in rugby and other sports. Last year, players on an Australian rugby team refused to wear rainbow accents to celebrate LGBTQ+ Pride.

Roberts knows visibility is the best way to combat bigotry, and that’s what he hopes his documentary represents. The project is slated to be released sometime in 2024.