Tom Daley, one of the hometown stars of the London 2012 Summer Olympics, has said in a YouTube video that he is in a relationship with a man at the moment. Daley, 19, posted the YouTube video today and has earned plenty of respect from YouTube users.
The video, which runs just over five minutes, begins with Daley recounting the last two years of his life, including losing his father to cancer in 2011 and winning medals in London. Then, he says that now is the time to go public with his relationship and be honest with his fans.
“Now I feel ready to talk about my relationships. Come spring this year, my life changed, massively, when I met someone,” Daley revealed, reports the Standard. “They make me feel so happy, so safe and everything just feels great. That someone is a guy. It did take me by surprise a little bit. It was always in the back of my head that something like that could happen.”
Daley did not say what the man’s name is, but clearly he has had a profound affect on his life. He said it wasn’t until the spring that “something just clicked” and “It felt right.”
He continues, “My whole world just changed right there and then. Of course I still fancy girls, but right now I’m dating a guy and I couldn’t be happier. It really does feel right. People are going to have opinions and people are going to make a big deal of this. Is it a big deal? I don’t think so.”
Daley has been questioned about his sexuality throughout his career and now that he has gone public, he’s earning support from fans and colleagues. According to the BBC, Edward Lord, chairman of the Amateur Swimming Association, sent his support on Twitter.
“Moving and inspiring video from @TomDaley1994. A role model for thousands of other young people,” wrote gay rights group Stonewall.
Moving and inspiring video from @TomDaley1994. A role model for thousands of other young people: http://t.co/yYV9mO8zZe
— Stonewall (@stonewalluk) December 2, 2013
Daley won a bronze medal at the Olympics and is hoping to win a gold in Rio in 2016.
image: screenshot