NRL’s first openly gay player Ian Roberts reacts to NBL’s Isaac Humphries coming out
Australia’s first male athlete to reveal he was gay has praised the bravery of basketballer Isaac Humphries and hopes his actions will start a conversation about sexuality in sport.
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The first Australian male professional athlete to announce his sexuality, rugby league legend Ian Roberts, has hailed Melbourne United centre Isaac Humphries a “superhero” for anyone struggling with their identity after the basketball star revealed he is gay.
Humphries has received global respect after detailing his sexual orientation during an emotional and brave address to teammates.
The 24-year-old took to social media on Wednesday morning to reveal he attempted to take his own life as he battled with his identity.
Roberts, who came out as gay while playing first grade rugby league with the Manly Sea Eagles in 1995, couldn’t be prouder of Humphries for having the courage to be his authentic self.
“It makes me emotional because stuff like that saves people’s lives,” Roberts said.
“Send Isaac my love and best wishes. My arms are around him.
“He is going to be a superhero out there to someone that is struggling.
“You can’t be what you can’t see, and viability is the Pride community’s biggest tool.
“We need to be seen and we need people to be out there and comfortable enough and that is where the conversation needs to start.
“There is still a stigma in men’s contact sport around sexuality and we have to be mature enough to have a conversation about it.”
In the 27 years since Roberts came out, only one professional Australian men’s athlete prior to Humphries had revealed his sexuality in former Adelaide United midfielder Josh Cavallo in October last year.
Roberts hopes the United big man can inspire other men to open up about their sexuality.
“Because for me, that is the most comforting news, that someone feels safe to do it,” he said.
“I think the best story to come out of this is how (Isaac’s) honesty reflects on basketball.
“That team he is in is obviously a safe environment, so kudos to basketball for creating that environment.”
Humphries, the NBL’s first openly gay man, wants to tell his story to pave the way for more Australian men to comfortably share their sexuality.
“A few years ago, I fell into a very dark place, a very lonely place and I couldn’t be who I am,” said Humphries, who played five NBA games for the Atlanta Hawks in 2018-19.
“I attempted to take my own life and the main reason for me becoming so low and being in that point is because I was very much struggling with my sexuality and coming to terms with the fact that I’m gay.
“And I hated it about myself. I was disgusted at myself.
“I thought that I could not be that person within our environment and within a basketball environment.”
Humphries is the only active gay player in top-tier world basketball and the first since former Boston Celtics centre Jason Collins came out after the 2012-2013 NBA season.
Collins has reached out to support the United centre and also took to social media to publicly back him.
“Thank you for sharing your truth with the world and please know that your story will help inspire someone else to step forward as well,” Collins said.
“Congratulations and best of luck this season.”
Humphries said he finally accepted his sexuality when he was in a community “full of pride, happiness and joy.”
He also wanted to remove any stigma associated with professional athletes being gay.
“It was a big wake up call for me,” he said.
“But then came the big question mark of how do I be a basketball player and how do I join a new team when I’ve finally come to terms with myself, and I don’t want to hide who I am anymore.
“I decided that if I’m going to join a team, that I’m going to come out publicly and just make sure that people know that you can live, and you don’t have to hide just because you are an athlete.
“But I do want to see that, we as professional athletes, we do have a responsibility to set examples for people.
“And the truth is that there are so many people in other worlds that are struggling every single day and don’t know how to get up, don’t know how to exist and I know how that feels and I want to represent those people.
“That’s my goal behind this, is to make people know that you can be whatever you want, no matter who you are and what you do.”
We stand with you Isaac and fully support your announcement today, which shows tremendous courage and faith within our community. â¤ï¸ðŸŒˆ https://t.co/2DDduFdw5p
— Adelaide 36ers (@Adelaide36ers) November 15, 2022
The NBA also released a powerful show of support for Humphries after he publicly revealed he is the first male in top-tier basketball to announce that he is gay.
“We are proud and grateful to Isaac for sharing his story,” the statement on Twitter said.
“We know the real impact his honesty and courage will have on many others.
“Isaac has our unwavering respect and support.”
Originally published as NRL’s first openly gay player Ian Roberts reacts to NBL’s Isaac Humphries coming out
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