Tom Daley coming out as gay is a big deal.

Hi, this might be the first time you've visited my blog, welcome :)

Today Olympic diver Tom Daley came out as gay in a self made Youtube Vlog and in the scheme of things in the greater world we live in, this shouldn't be a seen as a big deal, nor should people be judging him or criticising him, although obviously some out of touch brain dead people will be doing that on twitter as I type this.

But, in the world of sport, it's a massive deal. Tom Daley is among very few now that have let the world know that they're Lesbian, Gay, Bi, or Transgender, it's a problem in sport, at least for those who feel they have to hide who they really are. In what I consider to be 'my' sport, Football, the amount of players that are openly gay is minute. For Tom Daley to make this step and tell the world without a care for what people think is fucking brilliant. I hope it encourages more sports stars to do them same should they wish too. Homophobia is a wide spread problem in the perceived, alpha-male sports, not only from those that jeer from a spectator stand point but by peers that would judge their potential team mates unfairly.

Below wikipedia kindly compiled a list of LGBT sports men and women that have 'come out', one day coming out won't even be a thing will it?
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_LGBT_sportspeople
It's a scary thought that that amount of people on that list amount to a similar number that a professional football club signs to their team from youth level to the first team. That list isn't from the past 10 years, it's in the history of modern day sport, 16 of which English. So that table is telling us that out of the thousands of people playing sport professionally in England, less that 20 feel comfortable in coming out. Attitudes need to change.

It should be noted that Tom Daley didn't have to tell anyone, and many people don't, I myself am not gay but that doesn't mean I don't witness homophobia while watching or playing sport, it's often not even aimed at someone that's gay, it's often used and covered up by a term which I cannot stand, 'Banter'. So for anyone that's reading, being homophobic or a bully or a general prick is not 'Banter', that's you being a complete dick, a stain on the society that we live in, and it 2013, your views aren't welcome. It must make it bloody difficult to come out if you're playing a sport in which half your team are mocking someone that isn't even gay, knowing that you are.

In summary, well done Tom Daley, I've no doubt you'll inspire many with your decision to tell the world that you're not ashamed of who you are :)

Thanks for reading :)

Ben