Leinster Rugby v Dragons

The Rainbow Laces were a symbol of his newfound
freedom of expression and a sign of his
support for those who have not yet completed
their journey into the light.
“As soon as I came out, I started wearing them.
I wear them all the time. I don’t take them out,”
he says.
“As much as I talk about awareness, as much
as it is Pride month, wearing them all the time
is a constant awareness prompt for me and for
anyone who sees them.”
He has been lifted up by the numerous players
who have expressed their support for his
openness.
“After I did my first piece for Rainbow Laces,
two years ago, the biggest surprise was the
number of players who went out of their way,
pre or post-game, to come and find me for
a one-to-one chat, just to say ‘well done’, or
‘great work’.
“It was quite eye-opening how honest they
were when they came to chat to me, sharing
stories how their friends had come out and
how my story shed more light for them on the
journey their friends had gone through.”
This is not to suggest that rugby has reached a
state of equilibrium, a place where competing
views are accepted with complete grace and
decency.
“The game has come a long way. But, there is
clearly more to be done,” he notes.
“My focus with Rainbow Laces is to be a
catalyst for conversation,” adds Maxwell-Keys.
“On a wider scale, it is about how you engage
with communities, what programmes you run.
That is where you will see more substantial
change over time.
“In rugby, you often hear the result will take
care of itself. More gay players choosing to
come out will happen if the game has its culture
right, driving and representing the whole of
society that clubs are part of.
“The moment a top-flight player comes out, the
attention they would receive would be way
more than I or even Nigel (Owens) gets. That
must be pretty daunting.
“However, there will come a tipping point
where the media focus they will have to deal
with will not be as great as the freedom they
will gain from coming out.”
This he knows from personal experience.
From The Ground Up | 88 | www.leinsterrugby.ie