Celebrity swimmer Ian Thorpe comes out
Ian Thorpe (Photo credit: Wikipedia ) Unlike everyone else in Australia with a microphone or a keyboard, I don’t feel like congratulating Ian Thorpe . The 31-year-old swimming superstar who has won more Olympic golds than any other Australian announced on the weekend that he was gay. With his broad smile, his size 17 shoes, and 6-foot, 5-inch frame, “Thorpedo” is one of Australia’s most popular sportsmen. When Sydney hosted the Olympic Games in 2000, he was Young Australian of the year . Speaking with talk show host Michael Parkinson , Thorpe confirmed years of rumours. His parents were shocked but most of his friends were not surprised. “This is something I thought about for a long time. I am not straight," he told Parkinson. "And this is only something that very recently - we are talking in the past two weeks - I've been comfortable telling the closest people around me." Prominent gays and lesbians were jubilant and welcomed him home. An Australian t