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After calling British Olympic diver Tom Daley his inspiration, Brazilian diver, and Olympic hopeful, Ian Matos has come out as a gay man:
"From a young age, I knew I was gay, but it was here that I got to live my sexuality."
Matos says a friend advised him to stay closeted until after the 2016 Summer Olympics in Rio, but Matos decided that the pressure of hiding his orientation, as well as a boyfriends, and avoiding being seen in any place that might be deemed “gay” was too much.
It’s is better to live in the light, and Matos says he hopes his coming out would not impact his ability to be a successful diver and not cost him any potential sponsorship, but might be an inspiration to others, still closeted, to come out.
As our gift to you, Ian, for your bravery, we here at HOMO HQ would like you to have a Coming Out Toaster Oven and your very own copy of The Gay Agenda.
Welcome out, Ian, and here’s to you being an inspiration for others to follow.
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And in other Coming Out news, after retired Premier League footballer Thomas Hitzlsperger came out as gay last week, he inspired Gainsborough Trinity winger Liam Davis to publicly come out this week as well:
“I personally hope that over the next 10 years I’m not the only gay footballer out there. Nobody wants to be forced out, but I hope they can look and see there is someone out there who has done it. I hope we can get to a stage where it is not a bad thing, that there is no problem and people just get on with it.”
Davis has been out to friends and family, and came out to his team over the summer after they questioned his orientation; he is also in a long-term relationship with his partner Neil, and together they own a restaurant:
“My partner and I work in the same place and it will probably come across that we are a couple. But people do not walk out of our restaurant because of that. They come in for some good food and good service. It should be the same in football. I should be able to picked, or not picked, on merit, not because of my sexuality. You are there to play and do a good job for your team.”
Well said, Liam, and Welcome Out.
Now, I know you own a restaurant, but maybe you could use another oven, namely the Obligatory Coming Out Toaster Oven, as well as a copy of The Gay Agenda.
Welcome Out.
I like this domino effect, of one athlete coming out and then inspiring others to do so. With each closet door that opens, more light shines on the LGBT community, making people aware that The Gays, like the Visa card, are everywhere you want to be.
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