Gay Olympian Ian Thorpe wants to use his platform to help younger guys struggling to come out.
In an interview with Star Magazine, he talks openly about his struggles with coming out, his desire to do more to help younger people, and the pressures that come with being an LGBT role model.
On helping young guys come out:
I feel like I have something to offer and I like helping out young people. I feel as though there’s a role for me to help out.”
His own struggles with being closeted earlier in life:
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If I had a little bit more time when I was younger, I would have come out. I would have been comfortable with that, but because I told that lie, I was trying to suppress that part of me.”
And about that whole LGBT role model thing:
In some ways, there is an expectation that you will be the voice of this group, which none of us can do. It’s made up of many voices, and I’m very new to this. I don’t have the experience.”
