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Tom Daley comes out  [message #68166] Mon, 02 December 2013 12:01 Go to next message
NW is currently offline  NW

On fire!
Location: Worcester, England
Registered: January 2005
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Tom Daley has revealed that he's in his first real relationship - with a man.

http://www.theguardian.com/sport/2013/dec/02/tom-daley-in-re lationship-with-man

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OJwJnoB9EKw

I'm delighted for him, and hope that the press and paparazzi give the couple reasonable privacy and don't stress the guys out too much. Tom is obviously still working out what it all means for him - but he's clearly happy, and that's what really matters.

[Updated on: Mon, 02 December 2013 12:17]




"The ultimate weakness of violence is that it is a descending spiral, begetting the very thing it seeks to destroy. ... Returning violence for violence multiplies violence, adding deeper darkness to a night devoid of stars." Martin Luther King
Re: Tom Daley comes out  [message #68167 is a reply to message #68166] Mon, 02 December 2013 12:56 Go to previous messageGo to next message
timmy

Has no life at all
Location: UK, in Devon
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Messages: 13739



What a lovely way to come out. He seems like an all round nice guy.



Author of Queer Me! Halfway Between Flying and Crying - the true story of life for a gay boy in the Swinging Sixties in a British all male Public School
Re: Tom Daley comes out  [message #68168 is a reply to message #68166] Mon, 02 December 2013 13:14 Go to previous messageGo to next message
Kitzyma is currently offline  Kitzyma

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Registered: March 2012
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I'm pleased for him and wish him all the best. However, I'm certainly not surprised.
The first interview I saw with him, years ago, made my gaydar ping and every time I've seen him on TV since then made it more certain.

Re: Tom Daley comes out  [message #68169 is a reply to message #68166] Mon, 02 December 2013 15:22 Go to previous messageGo to next message
Ian John Copeland is currently offline  Ian John Copeland

Toe is in the water
Location: South East
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Messages: 33



Just seen this piece of news, I am glad that Tom has decided it is better to go public(in his own words): "I wanted to put an end to all the rumours and speculation, and just say it and tell you guys. It's what I want to do"

I also see the he says his father was supportive when he was alive: "As long as you are happy, I'm happy."  Or at least I assume this is a specific reference and not some general discussion he had with Tom.

It is events like this that make me believe we live in a better world today than the dark ages when no male could confess to being bi-sexual, never mind one involved in sport or as young as Tom is.

Tom never set my gaydar pinging but then perhaps that devotion to suntan was a bit of a clue!

Ian



Visit my Blog: http://thepaintheagony.blogspot.co.uk/
Re: Tom Daley comes out  [message #68170 is a reply to message #68169] Mon, 02 December 2013 17:10 Go to previous messageGo to next message
Smokr is currently offline  Smokr

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All I can say, other than "You go boy!" is...
http://bosguydotcom.files.wordpress.com/2012/12/olypian-tom-daley-christmas.jpg
Though he is a bit more muscly than my taste.



raysstories.com
Re: Tom Daley comes out  [message #68173 is a reply to message #68166] Mon, 02 December 2013 22:19 Go to previous messageGo to next message
Brody Levesque is currently offline  Brody Levesque

Really getting into it
Location: US/Canada
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Messages: 733



Olympic Bronze Medalist comes out as... human[/font]
http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-hhNtFfJNniA/Up0GfVQZ_SI/AAAAAAAAQdo/h8mJrJJctx4/s320/Tom+Daley+(Photo+by+Jim+Thurston+courtesy+Wikimedia+Commons.jpgTom Daley  Photo by Jim ThurstonBy Brody Levesque | PLYMOUTH, UK -- In a YouTube announcement made public Monday, British Olympic Diver Tom Daley told the world that he is in a relationship with a man. Pointedly avoiding use of the terms 'gay' or 'bi' the 19 year old Olympian said;
"In spring this year my life changed massively when I met someone, and they make me feel so happy, so safe and everything just feels great. That someone is a guy."[/font]

Quote:
Daley also noted, "Of course I still fancy girls but right now I'm dating a guy and I couldn't be happier."[/font]

Daley says in the five-minute video clip [Below] that he wanted "to put an end to all the rumours and speculation, and just say it, tell you guys," adding "is it a big deal? I don't think so."
Daley won the 10-metre platform gold at the 2009 world championships when he was 15 and won a Bronze Medal in the same category-event in London during the 2012 games.
Edward Lord, chairman of the UK's Amateur Swimming Association, told the BBC Monday,

Quote:
"To be one of the first British Olympic athletes to come out is very brave. We must all support Tom in taking this incredibly courageous step." [/font]

Lord also noted that Sports are very difficult area, very slowly moving in recognition of gay and lesbian sexuality.

Quote:
"Coming out is not risk free but I hope that what Tom Daley has done will lead to a good outcome for him and say to people it is good to do this."[/font]

Quote:
He said he hoped it would "be a signal not just to other sportspeople but to all young people that you can be open about your sexuality, even in a very public environment."[/font]

Quote:
He added: "I am very proud of Tom"[/font]

In his video Daley spoke about his father Rob, who had died of cancer aged 40 in 2011

Quote:
[His father had always said to him] "As long as you are happy, I'm happy." He added: "My mum has been so supportive as well."[/font]

Daley commented that there were "mixed opinions" from some friends and family when he told them that he was making the announcement.

Quote:
"Lots of them did not believe it," he said. "Lots of them wanted me to keep it quiet. I didn't want to get my words twisted. I wanted to put an end to all the rumours and speculation, and just say it and tell you guys.[/font]

Quote:
It's what I want to do.My friends and family are always there to support me and I hope you guys can be too."[/font]

He then spoke about his future plans to compete in the 2016 Olympic Games to be held in Rio de Janeiro, Brasil,

Quote:
"I mean I'm still Tom, I still want to win an Olympic gold medal in Rio 2016 for Great Britain. I am still as motivated as ever to do that. It would be great to have you guys on that journey, too."[/font]

Reaction to Daley's announcement was met with positive response from regular folks as well as celebrities.
CNN anchor and Brit-expat Piers Morgan tweeted: "@TomDaley1994 just made it 100 times easier for confused young gay men to come out and lead open, happier lives - good for him."
UK LGBTQ equality rights group StonewallUK tweeted: "Moving and inspiring video from @TomDaley1994. A role model for thousands of other young people."
Paul Stenning, a self-employed website designer said,

Quote:
"He has not come out as "bi" or "gay" or anything. He has not used labels, he has said he is in a relationship with a guy. I admire his honesty and courage. Maybe he doesn't see the need for labels, or maybe he is not sure at this stage.[/font]

Quote:
[...] Good for you Tom, and I wish you a long and happy relationship with whoever the lucky guy is. And thank you for doing your bit to show to other young people that this really isn't such a big deal now."[/font]


Re: Tom Daley comes out  [message #68174 is a reply to message #68166] Tue, 03 December 2013 00:19 Go to previous messageGo to next message
solsticeman is currently offline  solsticeman

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Registered: November 2012
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He is indeed a marvelous example to young people.

Apart from being a great and courageous athlete he is a simply delightful person.

During the last few years he has appeared quite a few times on UK television, notably on a humour-based sports quiz just after the Beijing Olympics when he was really very young... He came across as a thoroughly nice person, clearly thrilled to be appearing with people he admired and enjoyed being with.

Way to go Tom... I wish you'd been out there when I was faced with the same questions.

[Updated on: Tue, 03 December 2013 00:20]

icon10.gif Re: Tom Daley comes out..and there's more!  [message #68175 is a reply to message #68166] Wed, 04 December 2013 05:43 Go to previous messageGo to next message
Brody Levesque is currently offline  Brody Levesque

Really getting into it
Location: US/Canada
Registered: September 2009
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Brit Divers Boyfriend Is Oscar Winning Screenwriter
http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-9XBQ2H1uoLc/Up6uENl6e7I/AAAAAAAAQe4/k7VaTP_SC94/s320/Black-Daley.jpgDustin Lance Black (Left) and Tom Daley (Right)
By Brody Levesque | LONDON -- According to multiple sources, British Olympic diver Tom Daley is reportedly dating Academy Award winning screenwriter Dustin Lance Black. Daley, who revealed to the world in a YouTube video Monday that he is currently dating a man, didn't say who that person was.
The story broke Tuesday afternoon when the British tabloid paper- The Sun, published an article claiming that a source allegedly close to Daley told the paper; "He's besotted with Dustin. They love each other and aren't concerned what anyone says about age difference." The source who claims to be a Daley friend added "Dustin is very proud of Tom for making such a powerful statement about his sexuality. They are officially in a long term relationship and are talking about having a future together."
A British sports journalist who declined to be named, told LGBTQ Nation Tuesday evening that Daley and Black were reportedly introduced during an event in London this last summer. In his video Monday, the 19-year old British Olympian said;

Quote:
"Come spring this year my life changed massively when I met someone and it made me feel so happy, so safe, and everything just feels great. And, well, that someone is a guy," adding it did take me by surprise a little bit but something just clicked and it felt right. My whole world just changed there and then.
Of course I still fancy girls but, I mean, right now I'm dating a guy and I couldn't be happier. It feels safe and it really does feel right."

Black, 39, is an Academy award winning screenplay writer and LGBTQ equality rights activist.
There was no comment from either Daley or a representative for Black, who is currently returning home from the Side by Side LGBT Film festival in St. Petersburg, Russia which was held this past week.
Black and film director Gus Van Zant had traveled to Russia to showcase their 2008 Oscar winning film 'Milk,' the bio-sketch of slain San Francisco Supervisor and LGBTQ icon, Harvey Milk.
Re: Tom Daley comes out..and there's more!  [message #68177 is a reply to message #68175] Wed, 04 December 2013 15:23 Go to previous messageGo to next message
timmy

Has no life at all
Location: UK, in Devon
Registered: February 2003
Messages: 13739



To be fair, all we have is gossip column stuff right now. I prefer to wait until Tom tells us. Smile



Author of Queer Me! Halfway Between Flying and Crying - the true story of life for a gay boy in the Swinging Sixties in a British all male Public School
Re: Tom Daley comes out..and there's more!  [message #68178 is a reply to message #68177] Thu, 05 December 2013 10:10 Go to previous message
NW is currently offline  NW

On fire!
Location: Worcester, England
Registered: January 2005
Messages: 1558



I really don't care about who his boyfriend is, and am slightly disgusted (though utterly unsurprised) by the prurient interest shown by much of the press. Some of them seem to have been barely half a step away from asking "so which one of you is the woman?" or "who's the top in bed, then?"!

What I do care about, very much, is that Tom's example has already empowered a number of other kids to feel able to come out to their friends and families: that's fantastic news.



"The ultimate weakness of violence is that it is a descending spiral, begetting the very thing it seeks to destroy. ... Returning violence for violence multiplies violence, adding deeper darkness to a night devoid of stars." Martin Luther King
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