Tom Daley

Tom Daley recalled feeling sorry for his younger self amid bullying at school before he came out as gay aged 19, noting how he fought his sexuality.

‘I was always trying to overachieve to distract from the fact that I knew that I was gay and I knew that I was going to be seen as something that was bad and something that was wrong,’ he begins. Recalling how scared he was to be coming out to his maternal grandparents, he said: ‘I was terrified, because I just told the other set of grandparents, and it didn’t go so well.’ Elsewhere in the documentary, Tom Daley: Illegal to be Me, Tom speaks to his mum about how he felt when he came out to his family. In a new documentary, titled Tom Daley: Illegal to be Me, following Tom campaigning for the Commonwealth Games to be more LGBTQ+ friendly, in which he says he wants any country with anti-LGBT laws banned from hosting the games, the Olympic diver travels to Pakistan and Jamaica and discovers the difficulties faced by LGBTQ+ people there. as he fought for the iconic baton to be transformed multi-coloured to represent the LGBTQ+ community and brought out during the Commonwealth Games opening ceremony. During the Commonwealth Games opening ceremony, Tom was welcomed by a roaring crowd as he brought out the iconic baton, which had been transformed multi-coloured to represent the LGBTQ+ community, in a powerful nod to gay rights.

While making his documentary, he spent four years visiting the 'most homophobic countries in Commonwealth' in a bid 'to explore how gay athletes are facing ...

It was really quite heartbreaking to hear some of the stories.' 'You have to understand it is not just legislation in a book. 'I know that is a bold wish,' he says, 'but it has to start somewhere to create some change.' I led campaigns on LGBT rights for amnesty in several countries and know just how hideously oppressive these laws are. 'So being able to approach it with less oppression and giving people the opportunity to learn and to grow in a way that, for example, having the pro-LGBT rights stance at the forefront of the Commonwealth games ethos for example narrows out certain countries that would be able to host it for example. 'Here in the UK we take for granted our privilege and the fact that we see rainbow flags in places, but for those people around the Commonwealth where their existence is illegal, that is a sign of safety and is a beacon of hope. Solidarity and thank you.' 'Coming in and saying 'we can't host a competition' puts a target on the back of LGBT people in that country as in 'they are the reason why we can't host this competition',' he said. 'It opened my eyes to so many different things, where the laws came from, where that homophobia stemmed from in the first place and it is a legacy of colonialism and speaking to him in particular was very eye-opening.' What he learnt during filming prompted him to change his initial opinion that countries with anti-LGBT laws should be banned from hosting sports events - instead concluding that banning countries from hosting these events 'puts a target on the back of LGBT people in that country'. 'He's a national treasure': Olympian Tom Daley praised for his BBC documentary Illegal to Be Me exploring the persecution of gay athletes in the 'most homophobic countries in Commonwealth' Tom Daley has been branded a 'national treasure' following the broadcast of his BBC documentary Tom Daley: Illegal to Be Me, which shows the athlete campaigning for the Commonwealth Games to be more LGBTQ+ friendly.

Here's all you need to know about Tom Daley's husband Dustin Lance Black from his bio to career and more...

Dustin and Tom reportedly met at a mutual friends' dinner in Los Angeles in 2013 and soon began dating. Dustin Lance Black is a film producer, writer, director and gay rights activist. But when he's not in the pool or campaigning for LGBTQ+ athletes, Tom can be found at home with his husband, Hollywood film writer and director, Dustin Lance Black, and their son, Robbie. Find out all about the Olympian's Oscar-winning husband here...

Tom Daley will star in a new BBC documentary tonight, which will see the Olympic gold medallist visit countries in the Commonwealth to explore the treatment ...

The next time we will do it the other way round." So that was in the first week. The next night he asked me to be his boyfriend. I love you!" "The night after that, after a couple of lychee martinis, he told me he loved me. That someone is a guy."

Tom Daley visits the most homophobic countries in the Commonwealth to explore the plight of gay athletes. By Steven Ross. Tuesday, 9th August 2022, 10:35 am.

And that someone is a guy - Pakistan - Jamaica

Tom Daley took him campaign against homophobia around the Commonwealth in an "important" BBC documentary, Tom Daley: Illegal to Be Me.

Our 'empire' past is truly shameful and explains (not excuses) why some commonwealth countries have homophobic laws. — Mac (@Admiral_JKirk)August 9, 2022 Change is needed. The British government should make a formal apology for that,” one viewer tweeted. Using his diving platform to take a leap into uncomfortable truths about the commonwealth (a day after they ended! All these amazing people from nations where being gay is either illegal or totally socially unaccepted being willing to give their voices on tv – you are so strong and incredible role models.

Olympic medal winner explores lack of LGBT+ rights in many Commonwealth countries in new BBC documentary.

Or should I be proud of them?” he said. The 28-year-old said that one interview in the documentary, which aired on Tuesday night, opened his eyes to “where that homophobia stemmed from in the first place, and it is a legacy of colonialism”. In a new BBC documentary, the diving champion visits countries within the Commonwealth to explore the legacy and origins of anti-gay laws.

The Olympic gold medallist has campaigned for LGBTQ+ rights amidst the backdrop of the Commonwealth Games. Find out how to watch the documentary.

He also discovers the colonial legacy that first criminalised homosexuality and the toxic influence of slavery on attitudes towards LGBT+ people." In it he revealed he was in a relationship with his now husband Dustin Lance Black. "Come spring this year, my life changed massively when I met someone," he said. He added: "That someone is a guy. The film culminates with Tom taking a very public stand at this year’s opening ceremony, in a powerful statement against homophobia. Some competitors live in fear of horrific brutality inside the countries they represent. The BBC synopsis reads: "As thousands of athletes prepare to compete on the global stage at the 2022 Commonwealth Games in Birmingham, Olympic gold medallist and double world champion diver Tom Daley wants to shine a light on an issue that he cares passionately about.

British Olympic diver Tom Daley created his new documentary "Illegal to Be Me" to increase LGBTQ+ visibility and subvert systemic homophobia.

In the video, Daley referred to his then-boyfriend, American screenwriter and film producer Dustin Lance Black, whom he married in 2017. Daley told BBC Sport: “In the UK, I think the Pride flag can be taken for granted. To conclude the hour-long special, Daley presents a powerful speech detailing his LGBTQ+ manifesto. In 2011, Daley was only 17 years old when he lost his father to cancer. Since then, he has been in the limelight as a successful diver and television personality. He was also featured on two television series Olympic Dreams and Olympic Breakfast.

Tom Daley has been praised for a new BBC documentary which highlights the homophobic laws that exist in a number of Commonwealth countries.

— Russell (@Rustybobs)August 9, 2022 — Richard Loftus (@richardjloftus)August 9, 2022 — Bainser (@bainser)August 9, 2022 I was incredibly moved when I saw the pride flags at the opening ceremony of the commonwealth games. It needs to be watched by all. This doc by @TomDaley1994is raw & defining. Turned on TV. Caught end of Tom Daley documentary. — Darren (@dizsaidwhat)August 9, 2022 Honestly, for WHAT?! Just for being themselves. — Prossy Kakooza (@Pkakooza)August 9, 2022 “He is a legend,” one viewer tweeted. “What makes Tom Daley stand out is that he understands how important it is as a gay guy in sport to use his platform to raise awareness of the plight queer people face,” one wrote on social media.

Olympic champion Tom Daley has blamed "a legacy of colonialism" for ongoing homophobia across many Commonwealth nations.

But others argued homophobia predates the British empire with Robert Meyers, political commentator saying: "Not convinced homophobia in some countries is entirely a 'legacy of colonialism' though. Because in over half the Commonwealth countries that are competing, it is illegal to be queer." In a new documentary exploring homophobia in Commonwealth countries, the diving champion said: "It opened my eyes to so many different things, where the laws came from, where that homophobia stemmed from in the first place and it is a legacy of colonialism."

DAN WOOTTON: Woke diver Tom Daley had a lightbulb moment during his BBC propaganda piece about homophobia in Commonwealth countries: It's all Britain's ...

DAN WOOTTON: Of course, it's a great concern that homosexuality remains a criminal offence in 35 out of 56 Commonwealth countries. (Pictured: Daley during his BBC programme on homophobia in the Commonwealth) Just like Tom, I am subjected to it every day of my life on social media, but it hasn't held me back from achieving my dreams in Britain. (Pictured: Daley knitting his own Team GB sweater during the Tokyo Olympic Games) In fact, Tom is now a far bigger star because of his sexuality, thanks to the tolerance of the country of which he now feels sick to be a citizen. Of course not.