Team GB’s Tom Bosworth speaks out after losing Instagram followers over boyfriend kiss picture
The Olympic race walker shared a picture of himself kissing his fiancé to mark National Coming Out Day.
By Will Stroude
Words: Will Stroude
Team GB’s Tom Bosworth has revealed he lost followers on Instagram after sharing a picture of himself kissing his boyfriend.
The Olympic race walker, who currently holds British records for walking 3km, 5km, 10km and 20km, spoke out after posting the romantic snap to mark National Coming Out Day last week (11 October).
Bosworth, 28, shared the picture of himself sharing a kiss with his fiancé Harry Dineley as he encouraged others to come out.
He wrote alongside the photo: “It’s #nationalcomingoutday so I thought I’d post the reason I came out, both times (to my parents then publicly). Love of my life, my everything – @harryd1010.
“To all those struggling with the decision, if the time is right and you have the reason to do it, then DO IT! You’ll instantly feel better and you’ll wonder why you never did it sooner!
“It won’t be easy, it is terrifying and there will still be challenges to over come, but trust me, it’s worth it. Goodluck and enjoy being the true you.”
Despite the post’s uplifting message, Bosworth, who became the first active British track and field athlete to come out publicly in 2015, later revealed on Twitter that he had lost followers after sharing it.
“Last night I shared this picture on Instagram for #nationalcomingoutday. It received a lot of love! Since then 50people unfollow me!”, he wrote.
“I dont post romantic pictures very often and Ive never hidden who I am so I dont understand why these individuals followed me in the first place!”
Tom, who was one of approximately 50 out LGBT athletes who competed at the 2016 Rio Olympics, made headlines during the Games when he proposed to Dineley on Rio de Janeiro’s Copacabana beach.
Bosworth previously vowed to speak out for LGBT equality during the World Championships in Athletics in Qatar, next year, despite telling his husband-to-be to remain away from the country, where homosexuality remains illegal, for the duration of the competition.
“I’ve told my fiancé, ‘Don’t even consider coming. I don’t want you or my family to come’,” he said earlier this year.
“I will not be afraid to speak out. I’m going there to do a job and compete but I want to do that safely, happily and I want those opportunities for everybody.”