Ian Thorpe and Homosexuality: Is It Any Of Our Business?

August 14, 2012 in Current Affairs, Entertainment, Film & TV, News, People, Relationships, Sexuality, Society, Sport

Ian Thorpe on the BBC in his role as a swimming commentator during the Olympic Games in London

Until Day 13 of the London Olympic Games, Ian Thorpe had won more gold medals in his career than his entire nation had managed at London 2012. Yet for some strange reason we treat Thorpe like we’ve forgotten he was a superstar of the pool just over a decade ago. I’m also baffled as to why Channel Nine chose Grant Hackett, who has not been short of a scandal in recent memory, to host the swimming commentary with NRL legend, Ray Warren. What is wrong with the Thorpedo? Is this just another case of tall poppy syndrome?

I was pleased to read that Thorpe has been busy winning millions of fans for his role as an Olympic commentator on the BBC. It was his medal success that attracted the British television network, who hired him as a swimming pundit. And good for him – our loss is Britain’s gain as far as I’m concerned. Australians love to hate Ian Thorpe. Whether it’s his interest in high fashion (Thorpe is a good friend of the Italian designer, Armani), his jewellery line or his highest-selling sports drinks in Japan. Actually until yesterday I had no idea Thorpe even made energy drinks. He is definitely one of Australia’s most successful entrepreneurs, gliding easily from a stellar swimming career to a first-class businessman.

Perhaps one of the reasons Thorpe has been successful overseas is because he is tired of the way the Australian media treats him. Anyone who reads the news would think we don’t host one of the most sexually liberal events in the world, the Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras. Yet we treat this man, who has represented our country and delivered under enormous pressure at the Sydney 2000 Olympics, like he is a liar, a fraud and not worthy of being an Australian.

Ian Thorpe has been plagued by homosexual rumours for nearly a decade. In a recent interview with Harry Wallop of the Telegraph in London, he is told not to ask about Thorpe’s sexuality. He does anyway.

“What I don’t like is that people think I’m being dishonest. That’s what’s so hurtful in all this. I don’t live my life as an open book, but what I do say, I don’t retract. That is me.”

I think two things here. Firstly, just because Ian Thorpe has led his country to victory during our home Olympic Games gives us no right to hassle this man who has stated over and over again that he is not homosexual. Not that it’s any of our business – he doesn’t need to “come out” to Australia as gay, straight, bisexual or asexual – his life is his life. It doesn’t affect us. Move on.

Secondly, since when did homosexuality become so focused on stereotypes? Just because Thorpe enjoys wearing fashion which he states is a style thing rather than being fashion conscious or fashion forward, suddenly he’s gay because he dresses himself well. I get told quite regularly “oh, but you don’t look like a lesbian”. I politely nod and think okay so if I dress more like a dyke will I be taken more seriously? Thorpe should be allowed to dress however he likes as a heterosexual male and I should be able to wear a dress, heels and red lippy without the stereotypical questions.

The Telegraph article states:

Thorpe is not homosexual, I am assured, but this will not stop people on the internet speculating about his svelte looks, cultured interests and friendships.

“I tick all the boxes,” he admits. “There is no way I can answer this. It really has just got to the stage when I say ‘whatever’. It’s not a big deal for me. It doesn’t impact on my life what people think”

And nor should it.

Why do you think the media hounds celebrities to be open and honest about every detail of their lives? Do you think sportspeople and celebrities alike should live their lives as an open book if they are in a public eye?

Ian Thorpe BBC Featured Image

Author Info

Rose Russo has written 56 posts.
Rose is a freelance writer, blogger and self confessed chocoholic who could quite easily live on a diet of turkish delight and English breakfast tea. She loves the fast paced nature of online media but sometimes feels like she’s the only member of Gen Y who still gets excited to pick up the newspaper on weekend mornings. If anyone has a Sportsgirl addiction cure please let her know [I may be on a first-name basis at my local store] She also writes a weekly column focusing on relationships, friendship and life stuff on her blog at The Budding Rose
Follow on twitter: @thebuddingrose

10 Comments »

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http://music.johnanthonyjames.com/ John James

I think Thorpie should just come out and admit it…he’s a Hipster!
Melissa Savage

There’s a question here, much broader than this particular person (poor dude, he must brace himself every time he does an interview) that’s actually kind of interesting about an individual’s right to keep their private life to themselves versus the value of diversity in public life. For an individual person it’s often really hard to talk about their private life in public and even if you have a high profile career, there is certainly no obligation on anyone to share any more about themselves publicly than they feel comfortable with. You see this quite a lot among GLBT identifying celebrities: Darren Hayes and Ricky Martin who were both in the ‘glass closet’ for years before they felt comfortable about coming out officially and The Matrix director Lana Wachowski (née Larry) only very recently began identifying publicly as transgender. On the other hand, when GLBT teens see lots of high-profile GLBT people in different areas of public life, it means they realise they’re not weird but that there are other people just like them and they are pursuing their dreams and living fulfilled lives without hiding part of their identity. And that’s a really good reason for any GLBT person unsure about making ther sexuality public to do so. In any case, it’s not up to the (majority hetero) public to tell anyone what they should and shouldn’t do.
- Rose Russo
  
  I think it’s slack of the journalist to ask him the specific question he’s been asked not to! I feel sorry for Thorpie.
  
  I agree with what you’ve said about GLBT people. I absolutely agree with your statement that by high-profile GLBT people coming out and being proud of it encourages teens to feel more comfortable in their sexuality. This is one of the reasons why I always am open about myself, yet I’m far from high-profile. But there’s nothing to be ashamed of.
fender4eva

Personally, I think Thorpie IS gay. He doesn’t want to come out, for fear of possibly upsetting some of his more conservative markets. All about dollars. In any case as you say Rose, who cares ?
fender4eva

As a footnote to all this, an illustration of the amount of ignorance going around. A friend’s mum said to him ” I don’t know why you’re gay, your father isn’t “……..
- Rose Russo
  
  Ha! Don’t people know that being gay is biological?
  
  ……
Maree Talidu

So when the media do interviews with other, hetero celebrities, are they asked whether they are ‘straight’ or not? NO. So why is the ‘is he/isn’t he’ question raised at all? I feel it’s incredibly unfair. So he can dress. He may have mannerisms that lean away from the ‘macho bloke’ stereotype- so what? The guy is a legend, a sporting hero, I agree that he needs to be left alone and respected for what he has achieved.
Fran

I totally agree with you, Rose – it’s none of our business. On behalf of everyone in the UK, I can concur that Australia’s loss was GB’s gain during the Olympics. His punditry was intelligent, articulate and insightful. I really hope he can continue with his swimming comeback but, if all else fails, he has a very promising career ahead as a pundit.

I was quite surprised to learn that his agent has been telling journalists not to ask about Ian’s sexuality because, as you can see in the article you mentioned, it drew the journalists attention to an area that he says had no intention of speaking about. Equally though, I can appreciate that it must get tiresome answering the same questions over and over again.

Ian also said in that article that there are going to be some ‘revelations’ in his autobiography later this year. My only hope is that he hasn’t felt pressured to prove or reval anything about his sexuality, one way or the other, in this book. He shouldn’t have to do that – people should just repsect him for who his rather than trying to label and pigeon-hole him.

I always rated him as a swimmer but I really respect him as an individual. I love the fact that he doesn’t care what anyone thinks! We were sad to see him leave our screens in the UK but hopefully he’ll be back in the future – or even better, back on the medal rostrum where he belongs! Thanks for letting us borrow your sporting legend!
- Rose Russo
  
  Wow! Thanks for your comment Fran. Our loss was definitely your gain! I would’ve loved to have Thorpie doing the commentary for our swimming instead of Grant Hackett. I don’t think Hackett deserved it to be honest given this past year.
- Kylie2
  
  Meanwhile we got……Ray Warren!
  
  Intelligent, articulate and insightful, NOT.

KiKi & Tea