Gareth Thomas says he faces discrimination every day over his sexuality and living with HIV

Gareth Thomas has said that he faces discrimination every day over his sexuality and living with HIV.

The former rugby player, 46, who revealed he is HIV positive in 2019, appeared on Thursday’s episode of Channel 5’s Jeremy Vine show.

Talking about the discrimination he faces daily, Gareth emotionally revealed that he and his husband Stephen were once attacked in the street in Cardiff by a group of young adults.

Discrimination: Gareth Thomas has said that he faces discrimination every day over his sexuality and living with HIV (pictured in November) 

Recalling the upsetting incident, the sporting star said: ‘I had to assess whether I walk away, which a lot of people do, or I be the change that I want to be and that’s kind of confronting them. 

‘I refuse to let them get away with it again so I confronted them.’ 

Gareth added that people think ‘we have moved on’ in 2021 but in reality it hasn’t, he noted: ‘We are in 2021 and people think we have moved on, but the reality is, in so many areas and so many parts of society… we haven’t moved on.’

The former rugby player, who came out as gay in 2009, appeared on the Channel 5 chat show to talk about his new book Stronger, which was released in March.

Speaking out: The former rugby player, 46, who revealed he is HIV positive in 2019, appeared on Thursday's episode of Channel 5's Jeremy Vine show to discuss his new book Stronger

Speaking out: The former rugby player, 46, who revealed he is HIV positive in 2019, appeared on Thursday’s episode of Channel 5’s Jeremy Vine show to discuss his new book Stronger 

Upsetting: Talking about the discrimination he faces daily, Gareth emotionally revealed that he and his husband Stephen were once attacked in the street in Cardiff by a group of young adults (pictured together in 2020)

Upsetting: Talking about the discrimination he faces daily, Gareth emotionally revealed that he and his husband Stephen were once attacked in the street in Cardiff by a group of young adults (pictured together in 2020) 

Talking about one upsetting moment in the book, where Gareth details the abuse he has received with husband Stephen in the street, host Jeremy, 55, noted: ‘It’s a very stressful situation.

‘It seems so odd that you would still get it in the 21st century but it still happens, right?’

To which Gareth emotionally revealed that he faces discrimination every day over his sexuality and living with HIV.

He said: ‘I face it everyday. Living with HIV, most people know I’m living with HIV, or my sexuality.

Recalling the upsetting incident, the sporting star said: 'I had to assess whether I walk away, which a lot of people do, or I be the change that I want to be and that's kind of confronting them. I refuse to let them get away with it again so I confronted them.'

Recalling the upsetting incident, the sporting star said: ‘I had to assess whether I walk away, which a lot of people do, or I be the change that I want to be and that’s kind of confronting them. I refuse to let them get away with it again so I confronted them.’ 

‘Sadly, in 2021, as much as we say discrimination has gone away, I have to asses the environment before I go into these environments. I have to assess situations before I feel comfortable in situations.’ 

Recalling one upsetting incident where he was attacked in the street, Gareth continued: ‘Me and my husband were walking down the street in Cardiff, you know, it was 5 o’clock, we were on a main street and we got attacked for being gay by a group of young adults.

‘I got beaten. I had to assess whether I walk away, which a lot of people do, or I be the change that I want to be and that’s kind of confronting them. I refuse to let them get away with it again so I confronted them.’

Gareth then revealed the ‘bizarre’ reaction he received for his actions, he continued: ‘The bizarre thing is, people said to me after, “How can you get beaten up by a group of 16-year-olds? You’er an ex rugby player!”

Host: Gareth told host Jeremy that people think 'we have moved on' in 2021 but in reality it hasn't, he noted: 'We are in 2021 and people think we have moved on, but the reality is, in so many areas and so many parts of society... we haven't moved on.'

Host: Gareth told host Jeremy that people think ‘we have moved on’ in 2021 but in reality it hasn’t, he noted: ‘We are in 2021 and people think we have moved on, but the reality is, in so many areas and so many parts of society… we haven’t moved on.’ 

‘I don’t want to fight back because if I fight back then all of a sudden the law goes from being on my side to being on their side so I had to take a kicking, basically, to make a point clear to these people.

‘I had to sort of stand there and take this just to realise that we are in 2021 and people think we have moved on, but the reality is, in so many areas and so many parts of society, we haven’t moved on.’

Gareth added: ‘Hey, listen, we all say the 21st century because we think now that we have moved on so far but what we’ve moved on from is before.

‘In the 80s, 70s, 60s, 90s even, we had this obvious form of discrimination where people living with HIV obviously faced discrimination. 

Support: Last month, Gareth revealed that he received positive messages from Prince Harry , Prince William and Jeremy Corbyn after he revealed he is HIV positive in 2019 (Gareth and Prince Harry pictured in 2019)

Support: Last month, Gareth revealed that he received positive messages from Prince Harry , Prince William and Jeremy Corbyn after he revealed he is HIV positive in 2019 (Gareth and Prince Harry pictured in 2019)

‘You’d be locked in a room on your own and people would wear gloves. Disgusting things would happen to you in obvious ways and the same with your sexuality.

‘But what we live in now, is an incredibly clever society, where there’s discrimination but it’s just less obvious and the person who is being discriminated against can see it but because it’s not obviously blatant other people around can’t see it.’ 

Last month, Gareth revealed that he received positive messages from Prince Harry, Prince William and Jeremy Corbyn after he revealed he is HIV positive in 2019.      

The former rugby player appeared on The Graham Norton Show to discuss his journey to self-empowerment and breaking the stigma surrounding the virus. 

Support: The former rugby player appeared on The Graham Norton Show to discuss his journey to self-empowerment and breaking the stigma surrounding the virus

Support: The former rugby player appeared on The Graham Norton Show to discuss his journey to self-empowerment and breaking the stigma surrounding the virus

Gareth admitted he ‘felt out of control’ when he first received his diagnosis but he now ‘has control of the narrative’ and has since received a ‘wave of support.’  

The sporting star, also known as Alfie, completed the Ironman triathlon in September 2019 to raise awareness surrounding the virus as the day before, he publicly announced he is HIV positive.

At the time, Prince Harry, 36, penned on social media: ‘Gareth, you are an absolute legend! In sharing your story of being HIV+, you are saving lives and shattering stigma, by showing you can be strong and resilient while living with HIV.

‘We should all be appalled by the way you were forced to speak your truth, it is yours and yours alone to share on your terms and I and millions stand with you. H’

Applause: After publicly disclosing he has HIV ahead of his Ironman triathlon in Pembrokeshire, Prince Harry penned a lengthy message on Instagram praising the star

Applause: After publicly disclosing he has HIV ahead of his Ironman triathlon in Pembrokeshire, Prince Harry penned a lengthy message on Instagram praising the star 

Hero: Prince William, 38, also showed solidarity as he praised Gareth for being 'courageous as ever' and a 'legend' on and off the pitch

Hero: Prince William, 38, also showed solidarity as he praised Gareth for being ‘courageous as ever’ and a ‘legend’ on and off the pitch

Brave: The former Wales captain, who won 100 caps for his country, was commended for showing 'enormous strength' by Jeremy, 71

Brave: The former Wales captain, who won 100 caps for his country, was commended for showing ‘enormous strength’ by Jeremy, 71

Jeremy posted his supportive reaction to Twitter and said: ‘Gareth Thomas has again shown enormous strength in declaring himself HIV positive. 

‘A role model challenging stigma and prejudice. His example offers hope and resolve to others. Solidarity.’

Meanwhile Prince William, 38, wrote online: ‘Courageous as ever – legend on the pitch and legend off it. You have our support Gareth. W’.   

The former Wales captain, who won 100 caps for his country, previously admitted he was threatened by blackmailers who wanted to expose his HIV diagnosis.

When asked if he still holds any resentment or animosity towards those individuals, he added: ‘I have learnt that me being angry with them is me still giving them energy, kind of like adding oxygen to the fact that they were ever in existence.’

If you have been affected by this story or need HIV support, you can call the Terrence Higgins Trust on 0808 802 1221 or visit https://www.tht.org.uk/.  

Ironman: He admitted he 'felt out of control,' when he first received his diagnosis but now 'has control of the narrative' and has since received a 'wave of support'

Ironman: He admitted he ‘felt out of control,’ when he first received his diagnosis but now ‘has control of the narrative’ and has since received a ‘wave of support’