Kelly Holmes at the Athens Olympics in 2004īut by 2003,aged 33, she was plagued by injuries which caused her mental health to plummet. You could be yourself, then come back to your barracks." "There was this pub that had a back dance floor and a pool table and everyone we knew was gay used to go to this place. She continued: "Everybody knew who was gay, but you'd never talk about it. Kelly had secret relationships with other female soldiers during her decade in the Army - risking court martial if they were caught.
![verbal older gay men nasty sex verbal older gay men nasty sex](https://i.etsystatic.com/10848673/r/il/c68cc4/1786108327/il_570xN.1786108327_91uw.jpg)
I was confused and a bit scared of what it meant and nervous to tell him. She added: "I said I met a girl and I don't know what to do. She wrote to her stepdad, who she has always thought of as her father after her biological dad walked out when she was a baby, to explain what had happened. It felt more natural, I felt comfortable." A fellow soldier kissed her at the bathroom block and Kelly said: "I realised I must be gay then, because it felt good. Things changed after she joined the Women's Royal Army Corps in 1988, a month before her 18th birthday. The moment this comes out, I’m essentially getting rid of that fear."ĭouble Olympic champion Dame Kelly Holmes DBE during a rank inspection after being made an Honorary Colonel of the Royal Armoured Corps Training Regiment (RACTR) at the regiment's home in Bovington, Dorset (Image: Andrew Matthews/PA Wire) I feel like I’m going to explode with excitement. Wearing a white blazer and white flared trousers, she told the Mirror: "I needed to do this now, for me. Dread of being "outed" or judged tainted a parade after she won gold in the 800 and 1,500 metres in Athens in 2004.įully aware of rumours about her sexuality and after years of pain, Dame Kelly is grateful to break the news on her own terms.
![verbal older gay men nasty sex verbal older gay men nasty sex](https://cdnph.upi.com/svc/sv/upi/4491591104892/2020/1/4c1e9fb47d1b7401176595b78c8e044e/Risk-for-drug-abuse-higher-in-older-lesbian-gay-bisexual-adults-study-finds.jpg)
![verbal older gay men nasty sex verbal older gay men nasty sex](http://cdn8.dissolve.com/p/D3263_12_045/D3263_12_045_0004_600.jpg)
Read more: 'The discrimination was really hard' - Newcastle Hospitals boss speaks out for LGBTQ+ History Month And behind her beaming smile, she has lived a "secret life" for decades.Īnd Kelly admits: "There have been lots of dark times where I wish I could scream that I am gay - but I couldn't." Olympics legend Dame Kelly Holmes has broken a silence of more than three decades too tell the world: "I'm gay."Īt the age of 52 and in Pride Month, Kelly came out to the Sunday Mirror at the age of 52.