Swimmer Ian Thorpe sets record straight: "I'm not gay"

Australian swimming champ Ian Thorpe, who retired from competition last year, has been notoriously quiet about his private life and never commented about the never-ending speculation over his sexuality. But he was quite candid on the topic in an interview with "Australian Good Weekend magazine."
“I became a gay icon when I was 15,” he said, “which was a little bit weird. When I was 17, everyone had started that speculation about me, though I didn’t hear about most of it. I don’t have a problem with being a gay icon. it’s not a big deal to me. But I think the gay speculation, along with when I was accused of taking drugs in 2000, was an attempt to pull me down from the top. Some people think it’s an insult to say, ‘Oh I think he’s gay’, but I don’t take it that way. I’m not gay. I’m lucky that within myself I don’t care enough to get worried or upset over it.”
Good Weekend journalist, Janet Hawley then asked Thorpe if he were gay, would he be comfortable coming out and saying so?
“I have no idea, because I’m not gay,” he responded. “I don’t think anyone should have to be asked that question. You don’t have to come out and declare you’re straight. It shouldn’t be a big deal today, but people still get hang-ups over it.”
The main reason most people have labelled Thrope as gay are his not-so-typical traits, from designing pearl necklaces to taking care of his appearance. But that’s nothing, says Thorpe. “Guys are just guys, girls are just girls, all of us are different. Some guys are more in touch with their feminine side, interested in design and quirky things, some are blokey blokes.”