Out Spotlight

Today's Out Spotlight is someone who has not been out for a long time, in fact they just came out this past week. A pro athlete and captain of his team, he made the courageous step at the age of justtwenty-two and early in his sports career. Today's Out Spotlight is Welsh rugby player Jed Hopper.

The 22-year-old back row rugby forward for Old Redcliffians Rugby club came out to family and friends earlier this year but hadn't come out publicly until last week.

Hooper played his first game for his hometown Bristol, England club at the age of six on a youth team, before he went on to Gloucester Academy. As young man he went on to play rugby for Hartpury, Cinderford and Newbury, returning to his hometown team two seasons ago.

He said he first became aware that he might be gay when he was 14. "Even then I had a bit of a hard man image because of my rugby, and that made me think 'no I'm not gay', but at the age of 15, in my heart of hearts, I was sure. At school, I didn't want to be with a girl and I couldn't be with a boy."

He, like many others have, grappled with his true identity. No one would ever know what the rough and tough rugby playing teen was going through, the anxiety from working through his sexuality identity and the turmoil of a leading a double life led him to drink into a stupor at different points over past 7 years. Hooper also admitted there short period when he cut himself, "because I thought I might be able to cut this out of me."

Known to speak as directly off the pitch as he does in his pre-match talks with his teammates, he had never spoken openly about his sexuality. Just a handful of people who knew after he told them at the beginning of 2011.

After meeting a guy who told him that he could not be with someone who was still in the closet he was spurred to come out.

"I met someone earlier this year who said he could not be with someone who was in the closet. That, basically, was the catalyst that I needed."

"Before that, I think I had already told about ten friends and their reaction was very positive so that gave me an inkling of what might happen. And I also thought if the crap really hits the fan then at least there are ten people on my side!"

Despite his decision to come out , it wasn't that easy to carry out. Even with the support of those who already knew he still agonized over it.

"I was never going to do it bit by bit, that would have been too drawn out, so I decided to text everyone and also put it on Facebook.

"I was horribly nervous. I wrote and rewrote the text four or five times, and I had my finger on the 'send' button for ages before I finally pushed it.

"The text basically said something along the lines that 'I've been hiding it and fighting it for too long, and I can't hide any more. If you can accept me this way then great ... and if you can't then I don't need you and you can get lost!'

"I then cried my eyes out as I was thinking to myself 'what have you done?, but very quickly I must have had 40 replies and all of them were positive."

He said as soon as he made the announcement it he felt relief. "A massive weight came off my shoulders. If I couldn't accept myself the way I am, how could I expect my friends to?"

A team captain, who knows the honor and importance of the position, the Old Red's chairman as one of the first people he went to talk to after his announcement.

"I said that if the club doesn't want a gay man as its figurehead I would understand and step down. But he was brilliant and said 'you're our captain and this doesn't change anything'. That support was massive to me."

The club included their captain's announcement on their website. And it wasn't just the front office who was supportive but his teammates as well on and off the pitch.

In the clubhouse the traditional locker room dissin' and talk didn't stop it just took a bit of turn.

"No punches were pulled with questions from the rugby lads, that's for sure. I can't repeat some of the things I was asked, but I've always been someone who has been at the centre of any banter flying around, and the only thing that's changed is the type of banter."

Reaction to his news has been overwhelmingly positive among the community, the fans, and other players. Hooper said there has been only one comment said on the pitch, that he had to step in and stopping his teammates "from kicking things off" to defend him.

But don't look for him to change on the field, saying he might be a little less aggressive now that his anxiety of being in the closet is gone, but he's still the rough tough aggressive competitor he's always been. He's just a much nicer guy in the bar after the match.

His hope is that his story will help other young rugby players and others come to terms with their sexuality."If anyone is reading this and they're in the same situation as me, all I want to say is don't bottle things up because, trust me, there is light at the end of the tunnel. The world's not against you. If my story can help one person then this has been worth it."