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Tom Daley Recounts Coming Out to his Grandparents in his Memoir

“Grandma Rose and Grandad Dink had been hugely supportive of me growing up. They used to live a few doors up the road from our first house in Derriford (Plymouth) and had remained close ever since, and I know my sporting success brought them a huge sense of pride. Deep down, I thought they would be fine but my heart was hammering as I drove down the road and knocked on their door. As we started chatting about everyday stuff while they made us a drink, I just couldn’t bear to bring it up. Eventually, I took a deep breath and summoned up the courage to speak. Originally, I had told them that the reason for Lance being in Plymouth was that he was interested in filming a documentary about me. It seemed like a good cover story. ’You know Lance, he’s great, isn’t he?’ I started. ’Yes, Lance, he’s a nice young man,’ Grandma Rose replied. ‘Well, basically, Lance and I are in a relationship,’ I said. ’Of course you are in a relationship. You’re doing a documentary together,’ she said. ’Er, no, not that kind of relationship. We’re in a relationship with just the two of us.’ I just couldn’t bear to say the words ‘he’s my boyfriend’, or to be even more clear, ‘I’m gay’. ‘Of course, you are.’ She wasn’t quite catching on. I caught sight of Grandad in the corner, who was starting to cry. Grandad was not happy with it, and while Grandma was trying to be OK, she just wasn’t. ‘Come on, Tom. Do you think that is even natural?! What would your dad think?,’ Grandad said. I just felt so sad that they couldn’t accept it. Our relationship after that became quite strained. I now look back and I understand that their initial reaction came from a place of just not understanding about different sexualities, or knowing anyone else who was openly gay. But it goes without saying that I was also very hurt. It also made me fear the reaction of the wider public. If my grandparents felt it hard to hear, what would other people say?”

–Olympic diver Tom Daley, recalling his difficulty coming out about his relationship with now-husband Dustin Lance Black to his grandparents. Daley shared the story in his new memoir “Air: What I Learned from Sport, Fame and Fatherhood” and elaborates on how his grandparents’ stunned reaction made him wary of coming out to anyone else.

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by Anonymousreply 62October 12, 2021 9:54 AM

Poofter!

by Anonymousreply 1October 5, 2021 10:47 PM

Grandad Dink . . .

by Anonymousreply 2October 5, 2021 10:49 PM

ENOUGH!!

No one cares about Tom Daley, or his old grandfather/lover Dustin Lance Black.

by Anonymousreply 3October 5, 2021 10:51 PM

I would have blamed too many water collisions to the brain for my grandsons dubious choice in life partnership.

by Anonymousreply 4October 5, 2021 10:55 PM

"My grandfather, my lover. The Tom Daley Story."

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by Anonymousreply 5October 5, 2021 10:57 PM

Dustin Lance Black has a long HORSE FACE.

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by Anonymousreply 6October 5, 2021 10:59 PM

I haven’t told my grandparents but I didn’t feel obligated to “come out” to everyone. I couldn’t give a fuck what my grandparents or any of my relatives think.

by Anonymousreply 7October 5, 2021 11:08 PM

Did everyone here “come out” to their grandparents and other relatives?

Being gay to me wasn’t like AIDS where you’ve got to go down a list of people to notify.

by Anonymousreply 8October 5, 2021 11:10 PM

He writes the same way he talks.

Also, this is this 27 year old's second memoir. Has he mistaken himself for someone interesting? Literally the only thing anyone cares about - including his husband - is his body.

by Anonymousreply 9October 5, 2021 11:14 PM

[quote]Lance, he’s a nice young man

Somehow I'm guessing even a grandparent didn't describe DLB as "young".

by Anonymousreply 10October 5, 2021 11:15 PM

I don’t mean this disrespectfully, but did anyone actually ever believe that Tom Daley was straight?

by Anonymousreply 11October 5, 2021 11:18 PM

I'm so glad that part of every young gay man's journey of life is publishing the intimate details of how other people, in their ignorance or age or expectation, didn't give him what he wanted. Or did they, since he is spreading ketchup of his private life and serving it up for fame and profit?

All in the name of those young gay people hesitant to come out to family members, of course.

Such a gay leader.

by Anonymousreply 12October 5, 2021 11:22 PM

Will it be serialised in Tom and Dustin's newspaper of choice when it comes to exclusives - the Sun? That well known supporter of gay rights?

by Anonymousreply 13October 5, 2021 11:26 PM

Trying to make that coin. I do wonder what he will do now. I guess every commonwealth and Olympic Games? But that's two months work over 4 years. Coaching I guess?

by Anonymousreply 14October 5, 2021 11:30 PM

It wasn't that we were upset you are gay, dear. We just wanted you to land someone better looking.

by Anonymousreply 15October 5, 2021 11:49 PM

[quote] It wasn't that we were upset you are gay, dear. We just wanted you to land someone better looking.

Or someone who was not a petal file pervert. Imagine your teenage grandson dating some 40 year old man who preyed on this impressionable teen. Teenagers’ brains aren’t even fully developed yet and you have this grandpa trying to groom him to be his teenage bride.

by Anonymousreply 16October 6, 2021 12:25 AM

And he'd lost his (domineering and controlling) dad just a couple of years before.

That said, you only need to listen to Tom to know his brain has still not fully developed. And I'm sure DLB wouldn't have it any other way.

by Anonymousreply 17October 6, 2021 1:08 AM

R14 Monetize his kid on Patreon

by Anonymousreply 18October 6, 2021 1:17 AM

I'll bet they smelled funny and spoke with a peculiar accent.

by Anonymousreply 19October 6, 2021 1:28 AM

[quote] Dustin Lance Black has a long HORSE FACE.

Horse DLB.

by Anonymousreply 20October 6, 2021 4:29 AM

[quote] [quote] Somehow I'm guessing even a grandparent didn't describe DLB as "young".

It's not the age but rather the spirit and kick that count.

by Anonymousreply 21October 6, 2021 4:30 AM

Interesting fact, but not widely known.

DLB was Grandpa Dink’s kindergarten teacher.

by Anonymousreply 22October 6, 2021 4:33 AM

[quote] you only need to listen to Tom to know his brain has still not fully developed.

What does brain development matter if, well, other regions are more fully fleshed out so to speak.

by Anonymousreply 23October 6, 2021 4:46 AM

But he still fancies girls! Give them some false hope that he just hasn't found the right girl yet...Does either of his biographies go into any detail about supposed girlfriends and if he ever fucked a girl? It wouldn't surprise me if he never lost his virginity to a girl - he has said before that his training schedule never really allowed him to have a social life and I just can't see him as some pussyhound....

by Anonymousreply 24October 7, 2021 3:43 AM

Oh darling, there was no need for you to 'come out' or whatever you boys call it these days. I knew from the time I pulled the snickerdoodles out of the oven when you were four. You're a cookie sniffer and always have been!

by Anonymousreply 25October 7, 2021 4:54 AM

[quote] But he still fancies girls! Give them some false hope that he just hasn't found the right girl yet...Does either of his biographies go into any detail about supposed girlfriends and if he ever fucked a girl? It wouldn't surprise me if he never lost his virginity to a girl

Why do gays have to lose their virginities to girls? It’s not the ‘60s anymore.

by Anonymousreply 26October 7, 2021 4:57 AM

R26 That poster was making reference to the fact that until this year Tom kept insisting he was bi and that he was always checking out girls, etc

by Anonymousreply 27October 7, 2021 5:23 AM

His grandfather started to *cry*? It's so hard for me to understand that kind of reaction.

by Anonymousreply 28October 7, 2021 5:37 AM

[quote] until this year Tom kept insisting he was bi

So he’s not bi anymore? He’s the classic case of Bi now, gay later?

by Anonymousreply 29October 7, 2021 5:42 AM

Was their problem Tom being gay, or was it understandably a problem with him being with Lance? I too would have referred to a relationship between DLB and a human being as not natural.

by Anonymousreply 30October 7, 2021 5:50 AM

R29 Yeah, after he won his medal in Tokyo he finally said he was a gay man, rather than all the bullshit he was spouting before.

by Anonymousreply 31October 7, 2021 6:17 AM

r31 No, he goes between saying he is gay and bi. I remember years ago he got an attitude award and said 'as a gay man' etc. Then years later, like others have said, talking about how he is still bi despite being with Lance. He constantly says he is gay, then bi.

by Anonymousreply 32October 7, 2021 6:26 AM

What the fuck is he wearing?

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by Anonymousreply 33October 7, 2021 7:48 AM

Poor Tom. He is really only ever interesting when he’s wearing a speedo.

by Anonymousreply 34October 7, 2021 8:17 AM

Tom certainly has grandfather issues. That’s why he married one.

by Anonymousreply 35October 7, 2021 8:22 AM

Tom's life isn't as interesting as he thinks.

by Anonymousreply 36October 7, 2021 8:32 AM

.,.,

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by Anonymousreply 37October 7, 2021 10:13 AM

Jesus. Had the grandparents met him? He didn’t need to ‘come out’ to anyone who had met him.

by Anonymousreply 38October 7, 2021 10:59 AM

Oh i feel sorry for the grandparents. They obviously have failing eyesights. Or they would see those purses falling out from their favorite grandchild’s mouth whenever he talks.

by Anonymousreply 39October 7, 2021 11:36 AM

Such an English conversation. No one says what they really mean, and no one understands what has been said.

Imagine the Dutch version: "Lance and I are fucking." / "Well he's almost our age but your Dad is dead. Apparently had more than one hole to fill." / "You don't accept us." / "Actually, we don't care, Opa is crying because you can do much better."

by Anonymousreply 40October 7, 2021 12:03 PM

He is possibly the gayest looking person ever.

by Anonymousreply 41October 7, 2021 12:54 PM

He’s the gayest acting person, ever. How could the grandparents not know?

by Anonymousreply 42October 7, 2021 3:35 PM

He’s queer now R32 which could mean fucking anything

by Anonymousreply 43October 7, 2021 4:00 PM

No longer content with just having them drop out his mouth whenever he speaks, he's now taken to carrying a purse.

His style is really poor, I get the feeling he doesn't really have any friends, just teammates. So no-one to tell him that something doesn't work for him.

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by Anonymousreply 44October 8, 2021 5:41 PM

R44 I hope LV loaned him that hideous outfit and he didn’t buy it. Yeah, I get the impression he doesn’t really have many friends too. The ghoulish husband probably scares them off one way or another.

by Anonymousreply 45October 8, 2021 6:43 PM

I appreciate that he marches to the beat of his own drum.

by Anonymousreply 46October 9, 2021 12:05 AM

Why did he marry such an old man? Something isn’t right.

by Anonymousreply 47October 9, 2021 9:03 AM

[quote] Why did he marry such an old man?

He is seeking the love and approval that crying Grandad Dink didn't provide.

by Anonymousreply 48October 9, 2021 4:30 PM

He should have started referring to his grandmother as grandpa's cum receptacle and the other fun ways we used to turn the tables on straight bigots prior to marriage equality.

by Anonymousreply 49October 9, 2021 4:56 PM

"FFS, we knew he was GAY!"

"It was the whole "I am a submissive faggot bottom who needs to serve Alpha men" that shook us a little..."

by Anonymousreply 50October 9, 2021 9:09 PM

"Why are you dating someone almost our age?"

by Anonymousreply 51October 9, 2021 9:12 PM

"You like horses don't you?"

by Anonymousreply 52October 9, 2021 9:14 PM

[quote] I caught sight of Grandad in the corner, who was starting to cry.

Grandad had always thought that "In Bruges" should have won the Academy Award over "Milk".

by Anonymousreply 53October 9, 2021 9:21 PM

His outfit at LV 22' was hideous.

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by Anonymousreply 54October 11, 2021 11:27 PM

On second thought, that honour goes to Cody Fern.

Jesus fucking wept.

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by Anonymousreply 55October 11, 2021 11:28 PM

Gay face

by Anonymousreply 56October 11, 2021 11:31 PM

His then boyfriend was older than his dad was when he died. I don’t excuse their homophobia, but they were right to be concerned about their grandson dating a creeper.

by Anonymousreply 57October 11, 2021 11:57 PM

That boy was gay from space the day he was born.

by Anonymousreply 58October 11, 2021 11:57 PM

LMAO…the guy in the red coat and pink boots is captioned as Chloe Bailey. I had heard of her, but was initially shocked to see what she looks like…until Google told me that’s not her.

by Anonymousreply 59October 11, 2021 11:59 PM

r59 It's Cody Fern. Dude who played the antichrist in American Horror Story.

by Anonymousreply 60October 12, 2021 12:08 AM

Tom’s Mum allegedly never suspected R58

Start at the 1:28 mark

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by Anonymousreply 61October 12, 2021 12:13 AM

[quote] His then boyfriend was older than his dad was when he died. I don’t excuse their homophobia, but they were right to be concerned about their grandson dating a creeper.

Especially when the old creeper was dating a TEENAGER!!! That’s not dating, that’s preying and grooming. Any parent and grandparent would be concerned and call the cops.

by Anonymousreply 62October 12, 2021 9:54 AM
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