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Former Australian footballer Lachlan Beaton shares agony of coming out in touching video
Lachlan Beaton’s moving video in which the former Australian footballer revealed how his efforts to keep his sexual orientation a secret from his family and football club caused him engage in destructive habits for 12 years has made the press in Australia.
The Herald Sun reported that Beaton, who coached at Uni Blacks until his move to the US last month, is one of few footballers of any level to publicly come out as gay and ‘yet the statistics tell us his story of suffering is echoed across every community and sporting club.’
Now 34 and a happiness coach based in New York City, Beaton said although he had known since the age of 15 he is gay, he was afraid that he would be rejected by his friends and his identical brother Charles who he was very close to.
He said in the video he first came out when he was 27 after he became tired of his own self-destructive tendencies and suicidal thoughts because he felt like a ‘lesser human’ who ‘hated’ himself.
He first came out to his twin brother Charles, then brothers Sam and Nick, his footy mates and his parents Juddie and Andrew months later.
‘Until we feel equal, we will continue to feel like being gay isn’t normal… and this can have disastrous consequences on a young person.’
His video also called on politicians in Australia to legalize same-sex marriage.
‘Our political leaders can end this now. All it will take is a little bit of courage… courage to make #Equallove a right.’
In a Facebook post, Beaton who grew up in Casterton in Western Victoria reported that although over 20 MPs in Australia have personally expressed their support for his campaign, the MP for the area he grew up in responded to his email saying that until he provides a postal address, he won’t respond.
‘Such a great way to respond to someone with genuine concern for the mental health of youth in rural Australia. All the while, MPs from across the country who don’t know me from a bar of soap have pledged to support my campaign. Such a shame we have so many heartless politicians with no conviction,’ Beaton wrote on 13 July.
Lachlan has a personal stake in the issue as his American partner, Marcin, is not allowed to move with him to Australia under current laws.
The post Former Australian footballer Lachlan Beaton shares agony of coming out in touching video appeared first on Gay Star News.
Sylvia Tan
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