Out rugby star Keegan Hirst is opposed
to outing gay athletes.
The 27-year-old Hirst, a father of two,
came out in August, making him the first British Rugby League player
to publicly announce he's gay.
In an interview with GuysLikeU.com,
Hirst said that his love life comes second to being a dad.
“She's aware,” Hirst said of his
7-year-old daughter's knowledge of his sexuality. “It doesn't
really affect the kids, so I don't need to bang on about it to them.
But yes, they're aware. My son is too young to understand so I guess
he'll just grow up and not know any different.”
When asked when he expects other rugby
players to come out, Hirst answered that they'll come out “when
they're ready to.”
“I don't think it's fair to try and
force it. A person, whoever they are, can only come out when they
want to. They’ll feel the same as anybody else does before they
come out. But if a regular guy has 100 people to come out to, to be
possibly rejected by, footballers have 50,000 people who they feel
may reject them. I think only when they’re totally comfortable with
their situation will you get a footballer who publicly comes out,”
he said.
(Related: Keegan
Hirst strips down for Attitude cover shoot.)