Zimbabwean Olympic Swimmer Sean Gunn Comes Out
Image: Sean Gunn Instagram
Zimbabwean Olympic swimmer Sean Gunn, 30, has publicly come out in a new interview with Outsports.
‘Everyone Was Very Supportive And Happy For Me’
Born in Zimbabwe, Gunn went to uni at the University of Kentucky. It was here where he initially came out to his teammates and close friends.
In an interview with Outsports, Gunn spoke about the support he received from his team afterwards, sharing, “Initially I was not out at all. I dated girls for the first few years. I had some really great relationships with girls over the years and really loved them.”
He continued, “Obviously over time that changed and I started dating guys later on. But my team, and everyone who did know, was very supportive and happy for me.”
‘I was terrified’
Gunn explained that after coming out, nothing really changed and he was accepted by his teammates and friends.
“If anything, friendships just became better,” he said.
“I think in my head I built it up for so long, and I was terrified that the way they acted or treated me would be different. But I was really lucky that everyone was so amazing and wanted me to be the happiest version of myself.”
View this post on Instagram
‘I just struggled with it for way too long’
Gunn shared that he struggled to come out to family and friends back home in Zimbabwe.
“Unfortunately I only came out to my family and people back at home much later in life. Although I haven’t had one bad experience since coming out, I guess I just struggled with it for way too long,” he said.
“As someone who did struggle with coming out and only did come out at 27 to my family, it makes me so happy to be surrounded by friends and family and so much love, and am really grateful for them all.”
‘Dreamed of going to the Olympics since I was a little kid’
Gunn represented Zimbabwe in the men’s 100-metre freestyle event at the 2016 Summer Olympics in Rio.
Talking about this, he said, “I had dreamed of going to the Olympics since I was a little kid, and the whole time I was there I had to keep reminding myself that this is real life.”
Gunn is currently living in Cape Town, South Africa with his boyfriend.
View this post on Instagram
