Leinster’s Nick McCarthy comes out as gay: “Life is so much better when you can be yourself”
Nick McCarthy, the scrum-half for Leinster, has come out as gay. In an interview for the Irish rugby team’s official website, the 27-year-old revealed that he came out to his teammates in January after first confiding in his coaches Leo Cullen and Stuart Lancaster in November.
While wrestling with his decision to publicly divulge his sexuality, McCarthy admitted that he contemplated “walking away from rugby altogether” because he didn’t believe he could be openly out in the sport.
However, the support from Cullen and Lancaster was “unbelievable” and motivated his decision to come out to his team. “They helped and guided me over the months that followed so that I felt more comfortable to come out to the group,” he said.
When asked why he thought it wasn’t possible for him to be open about his sexuality, McCarthy explained: “I suppose because it’s not really ‘a thing’. “It’s not common for a male athlete to come out in sport, nevermind professional rugby, and it’s probably something that I didn’t want to believe or accept myself either.
