Tom Daley has come out.

As it happens, I used to be a competition diver but, I don’t like boasting.

Haven’t competed much in front of large audiences, but I often get good cheers anyway.

I endorse your second paragraph.

In a thousand years time [if the human race is still around] there will still be bigots and small minded people.

I actually the smaller minded ones are quite often those who think they represent a minority and because it is a big thing in their lives think they have the right to shove their minority beliefs onto others.

Re 53

As it happens, I used to be a competition diver but, I don’t like boasting.

You have not made it clear if it was because he was black or because he was a lousy tenant….

Like me, you’ll have to come to your own conclusions.

You have missed the Jim’s of this world off that list… :p

Sent him a PM but not had a response BTW 🙁 hope all is well.

Me, too, Tony……

I quite like diving. I used to do an awful lot when I was living in Northern Ireland at a place called Muff.

and this has somthing to do with this post how

I was talking to a friend the other day (he is for want of a better word, black skinned).
He rents a couple of properties out, and has recently had to have one of the tenants evicted.

He said to me that it’s the last time he has another black tenant !

I didn’t quite know what to say.

Regarding the Daly story, I can’t be the only one receiving texts and emails on the subject ? Some quite humorous, and
not repeatable on here.

We have noisy, disruptive selfish neighbours. They are black. They are bad neighbours because they are selfish and inconsiderate, not because they are black. We have neighbours who are white who have been just as noisy and anti-social. I don’t think the ability to be a crap neighbour/tenant is race specific.

School playgrounds have been hotbeds of phobic attitudes for decades – ginger tops, spectacle wearers, freckles, wimps, goodie goodies- the list goes on and children grow up. I have no doubt that there will always be homophobes as well as anti Semites, racists, etc.

You have missed the Jim’s of this world off that list… :p

Sent him a PM but not had a response BTW 🙁 hope all is well.

You have not made it clear if it was because he was black or because he was a lousy tenant….presumably he would have evicted a lousy tenant if he had been white, Irish, Jewish or whatever else…

The ones I have received generally say, “Why didn’t he keep his trap shut?”

School playgrounds have been hotbeds of phobic attitudes for decades – ginger tops, spectacle wearers, freckles, wimps, goodie goodies- the list goes on and children grow up. I have no doubt that there will always be homophobes as well as anti Semites, racists, etc.

I was talking to a friend the other day (he is for want of a better word, black skinned).
He rents a couple of properties out, and has recently had to have one of the tenants evicted.

He said to me that it’s the last time he has another black tenant !

I didn’t quite know what to say.

Regarding the Daly story, I can’t be the only one receiving texts and emails on the subject ? Some quite humorous, and
not repeatable on here.

On the subject of coming out, this fascinated me on the BBC News website this morning:
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/magazine-25142557
Its the story of fascist streetfighter Nicky Crane, the violence he dealt out and his alternative life as a quiet gay skinhead, outed by the anti fascist magazine Searchlight in 1985.
He appeared in a Channel 4 programme in 1992, denouncing his past, and died of AIDS in 1993.

On what evidence? You used the phrase “It is said” in your post. A meaningless phrase without any evidence to support it. I can truthfully say that it does not apply to either me or my wife and we are in our 70s. And probably not to Garryrussel and no doubt many thousands of others across the globe. I am quite sure it does apply to some. But that’s not 100%.

Nonesense

its true though

School playgrounds have been hotbeds of phobic attitudes for decades – ginger tops, spectacle wearers, freckles, wimps, goodie goodies- the list goes on and children grow up. I have no doubt that there will always be homophobes as well as anti Semites, racists, etc.

Not sure about that.

I heard a comment from an otherwise educated person the other day that Tom Daly must be gay because he wears speedos.
It was said with all seriousness, so while attitudes like that prevail, there is still a long way to go.

Also, anyone familiar with school playgrounds will tell you that homophobia is far from over, so any ‘celebrity outing’, where young people can see and hear gay role models together with all role models, has to be a good thing.

I totally agree and I number many homosexuals among my friends none of whom are in sympathy with celebrity public “outing” and agree that it is all now quite different from Stonewall’s ascendancy and their original need to fight for acceptance.

I think the fact that it isn’t important for 90% of the population is good news.I can’t help but think more is being made of it by the LGBT than the average bod in the street.Maybe you are too close to the wood to see the trees.

This article from MSN News is particularly interesting:
http://news.uk.msn.com/comment-and-analysis/articles?cp-documentid=258581953

The last part is particularly relevant, especially to those who think that this story does not matter.
(The emphasis on the last sentence is mine.)

In an article for the PinkNews website, Sam Bannister says he is surprised how many commentators in the gay and lesbian press “reacted to Tom’s announcement with disdain”.

“It’s not newsworthy, they said. Who cares? He isn’t brave. Being gay is not a big deal any more.”

Bannister begs to differ. The LGBT community “did not spend the last few decades getting beaten up, attacked, spat on, and killed, just so we could sneer at other guys for coming out,” he writes. “It will be of great comfort to young LGBT kids who see this shining example and realise there is nothing wrong with who they are.”

I agree with Bannister.
Working with LGBT youth, I frequently see that sexuality IS still a big deal to them. It shouldn’t be.
We still have a long, long way to go. Some of the comments on here are proof of that.

TonyT – Like with any celebrity, the media will always try and find out who the boyfriend/ girlfriend of that celebrity are, regardless of sexuality.
Frankly, the appearance of that article came as no surprise.

Don

See they wont leave the poor guy alone

http://celebrity.uk.msn.com/news/daley-dating-top-screenwriter-39-2