Gay Tongan Olympian slams Daily Beast outing article for ‘endangering people’s lives’
By Will Stroude
An openly Olympian accused the Daily Beast of “endangering people’s lives” after it published potentially identifiable stats about Olympic athletes using Grindr in secret.
The article, which was removed after it received heavy criticism, described the weight, height and nationalities of athletes. Many also accused the article of mocking gay and bi men.
Tongan swimmer Amini Fonua, 26, said the publication “ought to be ashamed” for its actions. His sentiments were echoed by many who called out the article, originally entitled “I Got Three Grindr Dates In An Hour” when it surfaced yesterday (August 11).
Anal sex is still illegal in the South Pacific island group of Tonga. Maximum sentences carry up to 10 years’ imprisonment.
In an emotional stream of tweets, the swimmer highlighted the need for LGBT safe spaces, saying “imagine the one space you can feel safe, the one space you’re able to be yourself, ruined by a straight person who thinks it’s all a joke?
“It’s still illegal to be gay in Tonga, and while I’m strong enough to be me in front of the world, not everybody else is. Respect that.”
As an out gay athlete from a country that is still very homophobic, @thedailybeast ought to be ashamed #deplorable https://t.co/qzS9rDFJwx
— Amini (@aminifonua) August 11, 2016
Imagine the one space you can feel safe, the one space you're able to be yourself, ruined by a straight person who thinks it's all a joke?
— Amini (@aminifonua) August 11, 2016
No straight person will ever know the pain of revealing your truth, to take that away is just… I can't. It literally brings me to tears 😭😭
— Amini (@aminifonua) August 11, 2016
It is still illegal to be gay in Tonga, and while I'm strong enough to be me in front of the world, not everybody else is. Respect that.
— Amini (@aminifonua) August 11, 2016
Olympic silver medalist and former Attitude cover star Gus Kenworthy also hit out at the article, accusing the journalist involved, Nico Hines, of outing athletes “in his quest to write a shitty Daily Beast article”.
So @NicoHines basically just outed a bunch of athletes in his quest to write a shitty @thedailybeast article where he admitted to entrapment
— Gus Kenworthy (@guskenworthy) August 11, 2016
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