In a new interview, British diver Tom
Daley talked about competing in countries where gay sex is a crime.
Daley, who came out bisexual in a 2013
YouTube video, last year married Hollywood producer Dustin Lance
Black. The couple recently welcomed their first child.
(Related: Tom
Daley, Dustin Lance Black welcome first child.)
"It can be scary going to
countries that aren't accepting of LGBTQ people. I've competed in the
Middle East, Russia, and parts of the Commonwealth, where being gay
is punishable. I feel extremely lucky being able to compete as I am
without worrying about ramifications,” Daley
told Shortlist.
Daley said that he skipped a
competition in 2014 because it was held in Russia, where speaking
positively of LGBT people is prohibited.
"It was in the wake of my coming
out. I thought it was too risky and unsafe. Then, when everyone got
back, I really kicked myself for not going. I'd let other people rule
by fear, and it weighed really heavily on me,” he said.
He's since traveled to Russia.
“I wanted to make sure young LGBTQ
people in Russia saw me, an out and proud gay man, competing in their
country. I realized being there would send a stronger message than
me staying home out of anxiousness,” Daley, 24, said.
Daley added that his husband was banned
from Russia after he participated in a protest connected to a
screening of his film Milk, which tells the story of Harvey
Milk, California's first openly gay elected official.
“He did a big protest there with a
massive rainbow flag, and after he screened his film he started
getting threats and attacks. So, he's not allowed back,” Daley
said.