{"id":96586,"date":"2019-09-15T10:25:23","date_gmt":"2019-09-15T14:25:23","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.gayfriendschat.com\/socialblog\/rugby-legend-gareth-thomas-comes-out-as-hiv-positive-after-blackmail-threat-watch\/"},"modified":"2019-09-15T10:25:23","modified_gmt":"2019-09-15T14:25:23","slug":"rugby-legend-gareth-thomas-comes-out-as-hiv-positive-after-blackmail-threat-watch","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.gayfriendschat.com\/socialblog\/rugby-legend-gareth-thomas-comes-out-as-hiv-positive-after-blackmail-threat-watch\/","title":{"rendered":"Rugby Legend Gareth Thomas Comes Out as HIV-Positive After Blackmail Threat: WATCH"},"content":{"rendered":"

Rugby Legend Gareth Thomas Comes Out as HIV-Positive After Blackmail Threat: WATCH<\/b><\/p>\n

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Welsh rugby star Gareth Thomas has come out as HIV-positive after \u201cevil\u201d people threatened to go public with his condition without his consent. Thomas was called the bravest athlete in sports when he came out as gay in 2009<\/a> while still active as a fullback for the Cardiff Blues professional rugby team.<\/p>\n

Thomas made the announcement about his HIV status in a video<\/a> posted to Twitter on Saturday.<\/p>\n

Said Thomas: \u201cI want to share my<\/em> secret with you. Why? Because it\u2019s mine to tell you. Not the evils that make my life hell by threatening to tell you before I do. And because I believe in you and I trust you. I\u2019m living with HIV. Now you have that information, that makes me extremely vulnerable but it does not make me weak. Now even though I have been forced to tell you this, I choose<\/em> to fight to educate and break the stigma around this subject.\u201d<\/p>\n

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pic.twitter.com\/4LOH7yKdlZ<\/a><\/p>\n

\u2014 Gareth Thomas (@gareththomas14) September 14, 2019<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n<\/div>\n<\/figure>\n

Thomas also told the Sunday Mirror<\/em>: \u201cI\u2019ve been living with this secret for years. I\u2019ve felt shame and keeping such a big secret has taken its toll. I was in a dark place, feeling suicidal. I thought about driving off a cliff. To me, wanting to die was just a natural thought and felt like the easier way out, but you have to confront things. I was being blackmailed and in my mind I thought you only get blackmailed for something really bad, which compounded the feeling of shame.\u201d<\/p>\n

Thomas said that he takes antiretroviral medication and the virus is now undetectable.<\/p>\n

\u201cI went for a routine sexual health test at a private clinic in Cardiff. I didn\u2019t feel ill and thought everything was going to be fine,\u201d he added. \u201cWhen (the doctor) said those words\u2026 I immediately thought I was going to die. I felt like an express train was hitting me at 300mph. Then I was thinking \u2018how long have I got left?\u2019 I\u2019m speaking out because I want to help others and make a difference. I hope me speaking out about my diagnosis will help a lot of people.\u201d<\/p>\n

Prince William and Kate Middleton tweeted their support for Thomas after the revelation.<\/p>\n

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Courageous as ever \u2013 legend on the pitch and legend off it. You have our support Gareth. W t.co\/WXGof2N3j8<\/a><\/p>\n

\u2014 Kensington Palace (@KensingtonRoyal) September 15, 2019<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n<\/div>\n<\/figure>\n

The post Rugby Legend Gareth Thomas Comes Out as HIV-Positive After Blackmail Threat: WATCH<\/a> appeared first on Towleroad Gay News<\/a>.<\/p>\n

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Rugby Legend Gareth Thomas Comes Out as HIV-Positive After Blackmail Threat: WATCH<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n