Gay diver breaks Australian sporting taboo
Your support helps us to tell the story
From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it's investigating the financials of Elon Musk's pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, 'The A Word', which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging.
At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story.
The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political spectrum. And unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock Americans out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. We believe quality journalism should be available to everyone, paid for by those who can afford it.
Your support makes all the difference.Australia's cities all boast thriving gay communities, and the Sydney Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras, which recently celebrated its 30th birthday, has become a mainstream cultural event. Yet Australian sport remains a bastion of heterosexuality – on the surface, at least.
Now a diver, Matthew Mitcham, has taken his first cautious steps towards dispelling that myth. Mitcham, 20, who will be competing in Beijing, will be the first openly gay Australian to take part in an Olympic games.
The Queenslander, who is now based in Sydney, told the Sydney Morning Herald that he had applied for a grant to enable his partner, Lachlan, to accompany him to the Games. Lachlan has supported him throughout a turbulent period during which he fought depression and temporarily retired from his chosen sport.
Mitcham's decision to reveal details of his personal life was a brave one. Australia is a sports-mad country that still expects its sporting heroes to conform to old-fashioned notions of masculinity.
The diver quit his sport in mid-2006 and returned to it last year. He is regarded as a serious gold medal prospect. Earlier this month, he beat two Chinese Olympic favourites at a World Cup event in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, with four perfect dives from the 10-metre platform. Dawn Fraser, one of Australia's Olympic swimming greats, has acknowledged having had lesbian relationships. But when the gold medallist competed at the 1960 Rome Games and in Tokyo in 1964, her sexuality was a private affair.
The American gold medal-winning diver, Greg Louganis, competed at the Montreal Games in 1976, in Los Angeles in 1984 and in Seoul in 1988. Shortly after returning from Seoul, he came out as both gay and HIV-positive.
Join our commenting forum
Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies
Comments