TOM CARR, 24, BEDFORD
I have always been addicted to the sporting lifestyle: the competitiveness, the thrill of a victory and even the pain of defeat. However, one part I despise is the homophobia that often entrenches it. It doesn’t get to me as much as it used to, but growing up in that environment while still in that closet is a time I’ll never forget.
I first realised I was ‘different’ when I was 15. I was gazing out the window in French class when a handsome man walked through the school gates. He was around 17 or 18, and his shirt was slightly undone. I was completely captivated by him, and it was at this point that it dawned on me. Looking around the classroom, I realised I also found some of my classmates attractive. It was almost as if that moment had unlocked a part of my brain. It took me a few more years to realise the enormity of those few minutes.