First openly gay rugby league players hails overwhelming support
 

The first British rugby league player to come out as gay says he has been "overwhelmed" and "humbled" by fans' and fellow players' support for him.
Keegan Hirst, who is separated from his wife, said the time had come "to be true to myself".
The father-of-two told the BBC's Victoria Derbyshire show he did not want "to go on some kind of crusade".
But the Batley Bulldogs captain said he hoped his decision to come out would "help break down stereotypes".
Hirst announced his sexuality in an interview with the Sunday Mirror, hours before playing in a match against local rivals Dewsbury Rams.
The 27-year-old prop said the reaction at the game had been fantastic.
'Bit of stick'
"There's not any gay people in Batley, not that I know of," he told the BBC. "I thought it would be a bit of a taboo, a bit of an issue, but it wasn't at all.
"There was nothing but support and well-wishers yesterday at the ground from fans, players, the club. And then social media's gone mad. It's really overwhelming and quite humbling.
"You expect a bit of stick from fans, from players - you get it whether you're gay or not - but there wasn't any of that."

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-33957207



He was interviewed on 5 Live this morning, he came out in the Sunday Mirror yesterday before the game, however he and his wife have yet to tell their 7 year old daughter and are going to use the six weeks holidays to tell her (:umm2: there are only two weeks left) which I was a bit shocked about.

"There's not any gay people in Batley, not that I know of," he told the BBC.


Population: 49,448

:umm2:

He said it was a place where everyone knew everyone elses business :laugh: He also said he had yet to have a gay relationship, and Adrian Chiles asked him what if he didn't like it when he finally did :joker:

Good for him, there are so many athletes and sportsmen that are scared to come out, hopefully this helps them some :clap1: