OPINION: I was so stoked watching Seven Sharp last night.
I was so happy that I text Hilary Barry and thanked her for telling the story, and how she told it.
He's our first gay All Black, and given the reputation rugby has as toxically masculine and an unsafe place for gay men - Campbell's coming out story is important.
Rugby is changing. Our rugby role models are changing. They wear rainbow laces. They support people who aren't straight. They share messages of support on social media.
This is great for the game, and Campbell's coming out is another sign of progress.
And I was going to write about how great it is - until I started reading the comments and realised some of our fellow Kiwis have still got a way to go.
One person said: "The charge of the faggot brigade. Spreading like cancer. No wonder young people grow up confused. There is no boundaries to this filth."
Another simply said: "Abomination"
Let me clarify to these commenters: sexuality is not contagious.
The straight guys in our newsroom are not turning gay because I'm in close proximity.
The straight girls are not turning lesbian because they sit next to me.
Young people are not growing up confused.
They're growing up empowered and open-minded because there are more gay role models these days. Closeted gay people grow up confused, like me. I grew up confused.
You call us filth and an abomination. I'm actually pretty clean, most gay people are.
What's filthy and what's an abomination is your loathing of difference. And as long as people like you exist, the fight for equality is needed.
There were other comments that questioned the need for Campbell to announce it. These comments included:
"Whoopti Dooo"
"Not sure why a 2005 All Black needs to declare he is gay in 2023"
"Big bloody deal..hard up for more important stories"
"Don't gay people realize we don't care if you're gay or not? So sick and tired of this fake bravery these days. If you're good at what you do and don't force it in people's faces nonstop no one cares just live YOUR life. When's the first openly straight player going to come out"
"Why does it have to be a story if someone comes out as gay like an accomplishment or something"
"When did any All Black have to come out as straight".
Let me tell you why it's important. Being straight is not a minority. My brother and sister didn't have to come out as straight. They don't have to clarify their sexuality when they meet new people or are in new social situations.
Being straight is not a barrier to you socially, or for getting a job, or for just feeling safe living your life.
The debate isn't about bringing down straight people - it's about rising non-straight people up.
Because straight people don't sit in changing rooms shutting off an entire part of themselves. They don't have to laugh along at jokes about the opposite sex. They don't have to pretend they're someone they're not.
They don't have a secret that eats away at them to a point in which you've convinced yourself you have no way out.
So if there are kids these days who are gay and closeted and are hating themselves like I was, then Campbell Johnstone's coming out will mean wonders. It will save lives. It will make young queer kids accept who they are instead of loathing it.
As for the jokes about "grabbing nuts in rucks" and "loving running backwards onto a Hopeate" - your jokes are doing more damage than you think.
They're not funny. They're the reason so many of us stay closeted. This is exactly why Campbell Johnstone's coming out is vital.
SIGN UP TO OUR NEWSLETTER.
Stay in the loop on some of the most important things happening at Today FM - whether it be the biggest news stories, host opinions or the latest on what you need to know about happening on air and on our website. Sign up here.
