Professional rugby player Jack Dunne has shared with the world that he is bisexual, hoping to bring some bi visibility to the world of sport.
The 22-year-old Leinster player shared that he has been out for many years, but felt ready to share his sexuality with the media.
“I kind of realised when I was 15 or 16, but you are in a school full of teenage boys,” Dunne said on the BBC’s LGBT Sport Podcast last month.
“A lot of them would say thing that they wouldn’t even be thinking about, but they are just doing it out of ignorance. So when you hear that you kind of just want to keep it to yourself.”
Dunne explained he was hiding his sexuality, feeling it was at times easier not to be true to himself. Dunne found he was confronted with biphobia when he eventually decided to share his story.
“In sixth year I told one or two people and they took it really well so I decided to tell everyone and if someone has a problem with it, that’s on them,” Dunne continued.
“There were one or two people who said ‘you are not bisexual, you are gay and you won’t come out’, but largely it was overwhelmingly positive so it was a massive weight off the shoulders when I did that.”
Dunne says he hopes he can be a role model for bi and other queer young people who are finding their place on the field.
“It’s definitely on my mind that people could be like ‘he is the bisexual rugby player’ instead of ‘he is a bisexual who plays rugby’,” Dunne said.
“At the same time, maybe there are some kids across the country who could do with a role model.”
OIP Staff
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