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Sir Ian McKellen: Sport should feel shame over gay fears
21 Jan 2010Sir Ian McKellen attacked the sports world today, saying it should be “ashamed of itself” for its lack of understanding about homosexuality.
The actor and gay campaigner said the lack of acceptance made macho stars into “little shrinking violets” as they feared fans on would barrack them if they came out.
In an interview to be broadcast by Radio 5 Live's Tony Livesey tonight, he said sport was not keeping pace with the rest of the world.
His remarks come weeks after Welsh rugby star Gareth Thomas revealed he is gay but had hidden his sexuality from most of his colleagues.
Sir Ian, 70, who first spoke of his homosexuality publicly in 1988, said sports stars were “absolutely admirable, but when it comes to being honest about who they are, some become shrinking violets because they're afraid”.
Reader views (8)
Keith, King's Cross, It's not an age issue. It's a culture/development issue. Coming out was a MUCH bigger deal around the time Sir Ian was in his 20s (early 1960s). Being gay isn't as huge a deal as it was then. Coming out now isn't about us knowing all the details of a celebrity's private life ... it's about stemming the flow of assaults and abuse and misery and murder. Certain TV chat show hosts have fueled homophobia by presenting a horrendous, stereotypical, cartoon facade of what being gay is. They have created targets and none of them are respected. However, the same would not happen if a prominent sportsman were to come out ... but, there would be the inevitable media intrusion to try and tarnish them - similar to the "He deserved to die" reporting we saw around Stephen Gately.
- Ben Farrell, London, 22/01/2010 09:39
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sir ian i wouldnt give a hoot if all the middlesbrough team and the wet sponge man were gay as long as they got us back in the premiership
- Scony, middlesbrough, 22/01/2010 08:41
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several things prevent acceptance of homosexuality in football - hetero blokes are always likely to be unhappy about being naked in a room with someone they know to be gay, footballers are generally poorly educated with appalling attitudes - Graham le Saux was accused of being gay because he read The Times - and also lots of young black males in football and they are notoriously deeply homophobic.
- Squiz, Islington, 22/01/2010 08:05
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Ditto what Keith said, (though on these numbers McKellen was actually around 48 when he came out!).
It's all very well for older, (and well established and successful) stars to tell other people what they should do - AFTER they've had their own epiphany - but I really feel it's for each individual to decide what's best for them and not be dictated to.
I also think his language is entirely disingenuous and actually quite spiteful - talking of cowardice and fear.
Tell us Ian: Were you straight until 48?
- John T, London, 21/01/2010 20:45
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Sorry Keith, King's Cross but the difference is that when Sir Ian was 20 it was illegal to be gay. Sportsmen and women of today live in a different society where it is more acceptable and legal. How many sportsmen have wags when in the background they are having relationships or encounters in secret. This is living a lie for the sake of their career which is neither realistic for themselves or their pretend love of the opposite sex
- Patrick Mc Crossan, Birmingham, 21/01/2010 17:41
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What a load of guff! Who cares about sexuality, is he being Hetrophobic?
I don't care my peers don't care, if you are gay get over it, if you are hetrosexual get over it.
Go and act, you are very good at that
- Captain Haddock, surrey, 21/01/2010 17:20
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Sir Ian is absolutely right. Homosexuality remains the last taboo in sport, particularly in football. I would dearly love a footballer to be brave enough to admit to being gay, and I genuinely believe that most football fans would be fair-minded enough (there are always a few morons) not to abuse a player, and presumably any abuse would be covered under the same laws as racist abust.
- Blue Baby, London, 21/01/2010 14:31
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If McKellen has been a sportsman, he'd have been retired at age 38 or so when he himself "came out" so it's a bit rich him expecting some 20-year-old to admit himself a gay in the prime of his career.
- Keith, King's Cross, 21/01/2010 13:44
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