Matt Lister came out as gay in 2012, and he considers that was his duty as an athlete.
“I would never shame someone for not coming out because it’s a personal choice and it’s a difficult thing to go through, but I feel as if it’s a necessity for the LGBT community because you’re in the public eye”, Matt says.
“People are watching you, even people who aren’t involved in sport that maybe want to get into it, but they don’t try because they think it doesn’t fit them.”
He is Attitude’s Magazine newest cover man. He talked in an interview for Attitude about coming out at the age of 20, and the reason why he kept his sexuality a secret during school years.
“I didn’t want to come out while I was in school because I was already bullied for being a fat, spotty kid and I was bigger than everyone and I was hairy. I may as well have just worn a target. I didn’t want to add another thing to that pile, so I just waited till the last year of school, when I was in the sixth form.”
But he went from being a chubby kid to being this sexy hairy man, proud and gay. 24-year-old hunk made a video that will inspire everyone.
“I would never shame someone for not coming out because it’s a personal choice and it’s a difficult thing to go through, but I feel as if it’s a necessity for the LGBT community because you’re in the public eye. People are watching you, even people who aren’t involved in sport that maybe want to get into it, but they don’t try because they think it doesn’t fit them,” the canoe champ said.
