Lucy
During my first rugby season, I don’t think anyone knew I was gay, simply because it was not really something scandalous and no one felt the need to pressure me into labelling myself.
During my first rugby season, I don’t think anyone knew I was gay, simply because it was not really something scandalous and no one felt the need to pressure me into labelling myself.
Women’s ice hockey is pretty open to gay athletes, but I found that in rowing and track it was slightly harder to come out. Each sport’s mentality is different, and thus causes coming out to be a different experience.
Every one of my friends and family knows I prefer women. I find it much easier this way, because when everybody knows, I can just be myself and don’t have to hide my sexuality.
I doubted for a very long time and was in complete denial. Once I knew, I also found it very difficult to tell my team.
Who you are or who you love doesn’t change the way you play the game.
I have never been scared to lose sponsors. I thought it was a strength of my personality to show them who I really am.
I’ve always played with older girls, so I always had examples. I’ve always perceived lesbian girls as something normal.
I’ve had times when I felt I had to pretend I was straight. Actually that was just to avoid negative reactions, because after a while you get sick of being targeted all the time.
I didn’t have anyone as an example, I cannot name one person who took the same path as I did. In the beginning, I really felt like an intruder in women’s sports. And that is something that should be tackled.