Illegal to Be Me: Tom Daley praised for ‘brave and inspiring’ documentary
Tom Daley has been praised for highlighting the homophobic laws that still exist in more than half of the Commonwealth countries.
The Olympian explored the topic in Tom Daley: Illegal to Be Me, which saw the 28-year-old travel to countries such as Jamaica and Pakistan to meet with LGBTQ+ athletes affected by the legislation.
The documentary, which aired on BBC One on 9 August, emphasised that 35 out of the 54 countries that competed at the Commonwealth Games still have anti-LGBTQ+ laws in place.
It has been met with widespread acclaim by viewers, with many noting Daley’s fearless approach to the subject as a highlight of the one-off episode. “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. “He doesn’t shy away from the tough questions or the bigot blowback.” Another added: “#IllegalToBeMe A powerful, moving, and brilliant documentary with @TomDaley1994 showing the importance of engaging, listening to & empowering LGBTQ+ people from across the Commonwealth as we push for change, and the importance of visibility.
