Campbell Johnstone comparte con AS desde Nueva Zelanda su inspiradora historia. El primer All Black en hacer pública su homosexualidad recuerda la ansiedad con la que competía así como las dudas previas a un anuncio que terminó dando la vuelta al mundo.
00:06It scared me on the fact that I thought it would derail my goal.
00:10I thought it would end my rugby career because in my own mind,
00:14you know, a gay or black wasn't meant to be.
00:23Decided that it was time to share it.
00:25The main reason was probably because I was comfortable within myself
00:30and comfortable with who I was and had a very, you know, supportive partner
00:34and just felt that it was time and felt that, you know, it could benefit rugby and sport.
00:43The fact that it may, you know, potentially help one person or a couple of people or a lot of people.
00:48You know, you can't help anyone if you're not, if you're not, you know,
00:55if you don't help yourself and if you're not, you know, 100% comfortable, then you...
00:58What does it mean to be an all black?
01:00It meant everything.
01:01It was, you know, my life goal and that.
01:03So it was the world to me.
01:05It's something pretty special.
01:07And I think every kid, when they're, you know, growing up,
01:10they have that vision, that idea to be, you know, somewhat a hero, which is an all black.
01:15What does it mean to be an all black who opens a new way?
01:19To be honest, it's very humbling.
01:21I think my whole experience has been exceptionally humbling.
01:24You know, very lucky, you know, I had such supportive family and friends
01:28and then you hear other people's stories where they didn't have that same support,
01:32which is quite sad and, you know, they had to stop playing the sport they loved
01:36because they didn't have that support network.
01:38It actually shocked me.
01:39I naively thought it would only go maybe New Zealand and then maybe Australia
01:46and the rugby community and that would be where it stopped.
01:49But it sort of spread around the world like wildfire.
01:56After the story went to air, just all the messages
01:59and then all the media requests globally were huge.
02:02You know, CNN picked it up, BBC picked it up, so many places.
02:06In that sense, it was a little bit nerve-wracking.
02:09I guess after it, I was fairly calm.
02:12I guess relieved and, you know, excited about double life.
02:16And the funny thing was, like, I found so much peace and happiness in the sport.
02:24I was never really thinking about my sexuality when I was, you know, involved in the sports teams
02:29and that it was more so when I was away from sport, away from rugby and at home
02:34and moments of, you know, downtime that, you know, the idea of my sexuality would creep into my head
02:40and the idea of getting found out would creep into my head and anxiety levels would build and that.
02:46So that was the main struggle that was probably going on.
02:52Sport that gave me so much love and joy was also the one thing that sort of gave me anxiety of being found out.
02:59So, I don't know, 24, 25, a crossroads in my life.
03:04I thought to myself, there's only, you know, two options.
03:07And the first option was to stop playing rugby and the second option was to tell someone.
03:12And there was no way I was ever going to stop playing the game.
03:15So, I just had to tell someone and I decided to tell someone and I told my parents.
03:21Why do you think in soccer, in football, it's so difficult to find some reference, as you?
03:27Well, there are a few in football and in soccer.
03:30But, you know, I think football in Europe and in Spain is regarded.
03:37We regard All Blacks here.
03:39The image that we portray it and we grow up seeing that and it's that masculinity image, I guess,
03:45and where, you know, you see a football hero like an All Black hero is a strong man, you know, heterosexual.
03:53It was meaning to portray that image, but it was just the way that the world was and the way that the country was.
03:59And I think now it's slowly changing and people know that, you know, anyone can be an All Black or, in your sense, anyone can be a football hero.
04:09How would you like to be remembered?
04:16Well, you know, I'd like to be remembered as someone who, you know, possibly helped and opened up that door in New Zealand rugby for other people to have the strength and to come through
04:30and to be willing to take that step if they wanted to and knowing that, you know, it's not a bad thing and it's not as bad as what you think it is inside your head.
04:40And it's making an environment where everyone feels welcome, is making sure you make people feel respected.
04:48We live in a world now that if you're good enough, you're not going to be held back just because of the fact you don't fit the mould or because you're gay, you're going to succeed because we live in a world now that is very open.
05:01And every time a person comes out, it's a brave step and they help the next person and make it easier for the next person to come out because there's more and more people coming out.
05:11I would recommend to any young athlete, like, just to make sure that the timing is right for you, make sure that you're comfortable, that you have a support network.
05:21No one's saying that you have to come out.
05:23If you don't want to, you don't have to.
05:25But if you do and you want to tell just one person, then, hey, that one person is all you need to tell.
05:31If that helps you, then that's excellent.
05:33If you have a goal and you would want to go for it, yeah, you'll achieve it.
05:39Don't be put off by that because you don't fit the mould or you don't fit the environment.
05:43Yeah, just make it fit you and you'll succeed.
05:46Ok, I'm both.
05:47It's a pleasure meeting you and hopefully you'll meet maybe somewhere in some big event.
05:55Yes, yes, excellent.
05:56It was lovely meeting you too and have a good morning.
06:00I feel like you're also a pleasure meeting you também.
