Nick Clegg hails Tom Daley, Ian Thorpe for coming out
By Josh Haggis
As the Commonwealth Games get underway in Glasgow, Nick Clegg has praised athletes such as Tom Daley and Ian Thorpe for speaking openly about their sexuality. Homosexuality is illegal in 42 of the 53 nations competing in the Commonwealth Games. Some of the participating nations, most notably Uganda, Brunei and Jamaica, have become especially notorious for their extreme anti-gay laws in recent years. During a visit to Glasgow’s newly-opened Pride House, which has been set up to welcome LGBT athletes competing in the games, the Deputy Prime Minister hailed Daley and Thorpe for their bravery in coming out. “As we celebrate the bravery of Olympians who have come out – Tom Daley, Ian Thorpe or Nicola Adams for example – some countries are taking backward steps; putting their LGBT Olympians so far back in the closet that they can’t ever imagine their day in the open,” Clegg said. The Deputy Prime Minister then called for the UK to promote LGBT rights to other nations competing in the Commonwealth Games, which is the world’s third-largest sporting event. “The Commonwealth core values and principles which all Commonwealth countries sign up to are clear,” said the 47-year-old politician. “They say that ‘We are committed to equality and respect for the protection and promotion of civil, political, economic, social and cultural rights’.” He continued: “Yet almost 80% of Commonwealth countries that are represented here in Glasgow this week criminalise homosexuality. We can’t dictate how other nations behave but we can promote the principles we believe in – of a fair and open society both in the UK and abroad. The message is clear: LGBT rights are human rights. So we need LGBT protections to be a part of anti-discrimination laws everywhere.” Meanwhile, out gay actor John Barrowman was seen kissing a man during the opening ceremony of the Commonwealth Games last night (July 23) – click her to watch a clip of the kiss, which was seen by an estimated one billion viewers worldwide. Ian Thorpe participated in the ceremony, helping to carry the Commonwealth flag.