17c起草社区

DESPITE making headlines around the world when he came out publicly as gay in 2005, there was never a moment Olympic trampoline silver medalist Ji Wallace actually realised he was gay.

鈥淚 don鈥檛 have that Hollywood story where I sat down and thought, 鈥業鈥檓 gay鈥� – it鈥檚 always been assumed and told to me,鈥� he tells the 17c起草社区.

鈥淭here was never that 鈥榯ada鈥� moment鈥� just because I鈥檝e always been me, I鈥檝e always been Ji first.

鈥淚 don鈥檛 like labels and I don鈥檛 like being described in any particular way.鈥�

A fear of being labelled is one of the reasons Wallace waited until after his debut at the 2000 Olympic Games in Sydney before announcing his sexuality to the world.

鈥淚 didn鈥檛 want to be the gay trampolinist, I wanted to be Ji – the trampolinist who happens t be gay and happens to be going bald at 39,鈥� he says with a chuckle.

鈥淚t鈥檚 a small part of the larger story of who I am.鈥�

Although he can鈥檛 remember ever being inspired to become an Olympian, Wallace鈥檚 mother often shares a story of him sitting transfixed watching the games when he was three.

His love of trampolining in the backyard developed into a serious talent, which ended up leading him to becoming the youngest Australian member to represent at an elite competition.

鈥淟ots of travel, lots of friends, lots of success,鈥� he says.

In 1996, Wallace won the world championships and then in 1998 was accepted into the Olympics gymnastics team.

鈥淚t just happened I was at the top of my game,鈥� Wallace adds.

鈥淚 was 19-20 and I was able to really handle that transition, and that one opportunity to make history鈥� to represent Australia at my sport鈥檚 debut to the world.鈥�
Wallace left home, moved into a friend鈥檚 garage and started sleeping in his car.

He had no money, and went from working and living with family to having no emotional support and just having his dream.

After his win and the Olympics, Wallace returned to normal life with little to no drama.

鈥淚t was such a high, the vibe of the Olympics was spectacular,鈥� he says.

鈥淚 caught a taxi home and nobody was there. The dishes weren鈥檛 done, my bed wasn鈥檛 made鈥� Going from having this superstar time to back to normal.

鈥淚 didn鈥檛 struggle with it because I have this mindset that if I am choosing something, I am choosing everything that comes along with it. I am not going into anything with false pretenses and expectations.鈥�

Coming out to the world as gay was a smooth process for Wallace, and announcing that he was HIV Positive in 2012 was no different. He announced it in a letter to the 17c起草社区.

鈥淚 had a tough childhood, financially. It was tough to be accepted at school, I had a lot of bullies… I came from a religious extended family, I could hear those conversations and disagree with them but couldn鈥檛 eloquently,鈥� he says, reflecting on his second coming out.

鈥淚t hasn鈥檛 been rough, I鈥檝e developed a bit of a thick skin.

鈥淚 know (backlash) is there, but if you go hunting for a bad story about yourself on social media, you鈥檒l find it. Why put myself through that? Does it help me?鈥�

With sports stars coming out of the closet at an unprecedented rate, Wallace says he was not under the same sorts of pressure others, like Ian Thorpe, are.

鈥淓ven back then in 2000 it was not the norm (for sports players to come out) but I鈥檓 certainly not the first,鈥� he says.

鈥淚 didn鈥檛 face the backlash people from the 50s-80s faced. I鈥檓 just part of the growing story, the snowball effect for people to realise it鈥檚 possible to do it and have a positive outlook on the experience.

鈥淚鈥檓 not a multimillionaire sports player, I鈥檓 not sponsored. When Ian Thorpe came out, I was asked for a quote and I said, 鈥榟e had millions of dollars to lose, I didn鈥檛.鈥欌��

While Wallace can see the importance in sports players coming out, he believes it should be their choice when they are ready.

鈥淓verybody has their own story, if they want everybody to know – it鈥檚 up to them,鈥� he says.

Even after announcing he was HIV positive to the public through the media, Wallace made the conscious decision to be up front with his playmates.

When he first met his husband Shaun in 2012, Wallace disclosed his status on the first day.

鈥淚 told him that I had something to tell him, he said 鈥榳hat you鈥檝e got a boyfriend?鈥� and I said 鈥榥o, actually, I鈥檝e got HIV鈥�,鈥� Wallace remembers.

鈥淗e goes, 鈥榦h is that all鈥欌��

The pair have been inseparable ever since, and got married about three months after their first meeting.