Former Aussie footballer says he feared coming out

Beaton (right with brother Charles) hid his sexuality and masked his emotions by drinking excessively. “Hide every move, every text message, because it felt like it was the wrong thing to do to be gay”.

Beaton attended Melbourne University College St. Hildas where he played football while blending in among his straight colleagues, assisted by his excessive use of alcohol.

It was those 12 years of self-hating that Mr Beaton says destroyed his soul.

“Whilst marriage is not allowed in Australia… people will feel like this”, he said.

He finally came out to his friends and family at 27 years old, and though he feared the worst, found acceptance.

The 34-year-old has turned his life around since he came out seven years ago. All the while, MPs from across the country who don’t know me from a bar of soap have pledged to support my campaign. He was “very well accepted” by his family, he said. He is now living in New York with his American partner Marcin because he can’t get a visa to stay in Australia. “The longer you go on hiding it, the harder it is to come out because everyone is going to think that you’re a liar”. I wanted to share the joy I was experiencing.

“I would challenge any conservative politician to sit with me for 10 minutes and if they can actually still be against it after hearing the mental issues it is causing I would be absolutely shocked”, he said.

“I couldn’t say the words “I am gay”.

“If they can convince me otherwise that the mental well-being of youth is less important than some of the other arguments then I am happy to run with it”.

‘It took me two to three hours to blurt it out to my parents.

Now 34 and a happiness coach based in New York City, Beaton said although he had known since the age of 15 he is gay, he was afraid that he would be rejected by his friends and his identical brother Charles who he was very close to. Once it was all out it was a huge weight off my shoulders.’.

The MP is set to introduce a bill to parliament on the subject when sitting resumes next month.

Since Mr Beaton shared his video online last week he has been inundated with people sharing similar stories to his.

“The cemeteries are full – are full – of people that have never been able to come to terms with their sexuality and that’s a fact”, he said.