Why Ian Thrope isn't brave for revealing he likes to sleep with men

I live and breathe media and there are very few days when I don't have something to say about the story of the day.  Generally in this blog I write about my views on the mainstream media's reporting and their journalism standards.  Anyone who has read previous blogs of mine will know that I don't hold them in high regard, partially because of their attitudes towards people with opinions and partially because of their sloppy reporting.

For the last few months there has been pressure on Australian medalist Ian Thorpe to come out and admit he's gay.  Well this weekend he did and there has been an absolute media circus over it.  On just about every single Australian news site there have been 3-4 articles written...by MEN about his coming out.  Now you may call me ignorant for not having read them but I'm pretty sure the headlines go something along the lines of "who cares!  This is a non event" and that's exactly what I want to say but I want to go further.

Did you know 10% of the population is homosexual according to recent studies, and that Australia allows civil unions.  Several countries around the world allow same sex marriage.  The marriage issue is another one all together and personally I'm opposed to marriage.  If you love someone you don't need a piece of paper.  Love isn't something you can contractually bind yourself to, and that's just one reason I'm opposed to it but that's a debate for another blog.

The issue I want to talk about today is that firstly, Ian Thorpe is gay and he's battled with drug addiction issues.  Did you know that other medalists like Grant Hackett (Australia's sexiest swimming star by the way) have also had drug issues, and several musicians and actors have too?  So I don't think his drug and alcohol addiction issues can be attributed to his sexuality but I'm not a psychologist nor am I doctor.  I'm just a journalist with very strong opinions.  Drug and alcohol abuse go with the territory of being a successful sportsman.

The other issue I want to talk about is that it's actually none of our god damned business who he chooses to sleep with.  He's entitled to do what he wants in the privacy of his own home and it's rather shameful that the media has created a circus.  Then again, they do over Lara Bingle's bob, which by the way is terrible and does not suit her, and then there's the rumours that Miranda Kerr is involved with James Packer.  Romantic relationships are none of our business.

In addition to it being a non issue I really draw objection to Thorpe being called "brave" for revealing that he's gay.  He's not brave.  Non famous men and women have been coming out of the closet for years.  It doesn't make them brave.  If it was the 1960s it would be but given Mardi Gras  is run every year in March in Sydney and given wide acceptance of homosexuality people are hardly brave for saying they choose to sleep with the same sex.  It's such an over-reaction.

Don't people have better things to do with their time than harass people about their personal lives when it has absolutely nothing to do with them?  I say leave Ian Thorpe alone.  It's not our business, just like the media needs to stop fawning around Michelle Obama and Prime Minister Tony Abbott's daughters.

Then there is the other issue that the only people who appeared to comment on Ian Thorpe's sexuality honesty are mostly men.  It would appear that either women aren't working as journalists in the MSM (another bone of contention for me) or they're working as journalists but aren't allowed opinions and are just supposed to be good little play things for men.

To be honest, where Ian Thorpe, or Thorpie as the MSM have dubbed him, is concerned the only issue we should be concerned with is his sporting career and whether or not he is a good person.  His personal life is not our business, and it's called personal, for a reason.