Tom Daley says he’s queer, ‘not 100 percent gay’

England's Thomas Daley (R) and Daniel Goodfellow pose with their gold medals after the men's synchronised 10m platform diving in the 2018 Gold Coast Commonwealth Games at the Optus Aquatic Centre on the Gold Coast on April 13, 2018 / AFP PHOTO / François-Xavier MARIT / The erroneous mention[s] appearing in the metadata of this photo by François-Xavier MARIT has been modified in AFP systems in the following manner: [gold medals] instead of [silver medals (as previously corrected)]. Please immediately remove the erroneous mention[s] from all your online services and delete it (them) from your servers. If you have been authorized by AFP to distribute it (them) to third parties, please ensure that the same actions are carried out by them. Failure to promptly comply with these instructions will entail liability on your part for any continued or post notification usage. Therefore we thank you very much for all your attention and prompt action. We are sorry for the inconvenience this notification may cause and remain at your disposal for any further information you may require. (Photo credit should read FRANCOIS-XAVIER MARIT/AFP/Getty Images)

Tom Daley has opened up about his sexuality.

The Olympic bronze-medallist married Dustin Lance Black last year after revealing that he was attracted to men in 2013.

But Daley, who announced on Valentine’s Day that he and his husband are expecting a baby, has declined to define his sexuality since coming out – which is, of course, his decision.

GOLD COAST, AUSTRALIA - APRIL 13: Thomas Daley of England reacts in the Men's Synchronised 10m Platform Diving Final on day nine of the Gold Coast 2018 Commonwealth Games at Optus Aquatic Centre on April 13, 2018 on the Gold Coast, Australia. (Photo by Quinn Rooney/Getty Images)

(Quinn Rooney/Getty)

In December, Black said his husband was still attracted to women, saying: “I don’t know if I’ll be in trouble for this: his head still turns for girls.”

And now, speaking to The Times, Daley has explained his journey towards his current understanding of his sexual identity.

He said: “I was worried when I came out that I was going to be labelled as the gay diver rather than a great diver. Now I don’t care, it’s forced me to be more open.

FUJI, JAPAN - MARCH 17: Grace Reid and Thomas Daley of Great Britain (silver) smile on the podium after the Mixed 3m Synchro Springboard final during day three of the FINA Diving World Series Fuji at Shizuoka Prefectural Fuji Swimming Pools on March 17, 2018 in Fuji, Shizuoka, Japan. (Photo by Atsushi Tomura/Getty Images)

(Atsushi Tomura/Getty)

“The word a lot of people are using now is queer, instead of labelling yourself as lesbian, gay or transsexual.

“Queer is, like, a better word,” he said, adding that “it doesn’t define you, it’s questioning.”

Daley, 23, continued: “People say, ‘You like boys,’ but I’ve liked girls too. My generation shouldn’t feel the need to be labelled; we are too obsessed by gender.

LIVERPOOL, ENGLAND - DECEMBER 17: Tom Daley attends BBC's Sports Personality Of The Year held at Liverpool Echo Arena on December 17, 2017 in Liverpool, England. (Photo by Richard Stonehouse/Getty Images)

(Richard Stonehouse/Getty)

“I am not 100 percent straight, I’m not 100 percent gay, I’m just queer. My generation, I think, are more fluid.”

After winning a gold medal at the Commonwealth Games on April 13, Daley called out countries which still criminalise gay sex.


The Olympic diver took the moment to address the problematic legacy of the Commonwealth on equality.

And in an interview with Nick Robinson on The Andrew Marr show, Robinson asked the 23-year-old how being a dad-to-be had inspired him to tackle anti-LGBT laws in the Commonwealth.

Robinson and Daley (Photo: BBC)

Daley said the prospect of becoming a father had changed how he thinks about the world.

“You want your child to grow up having an equal opportunity as everyone else that is born, whether they’re gay, straight, male, female, whatever religion you are, whatever ethnicity you are,” he said.

“I think that everyone should have the equal opportunity to do the best you can.”

Tom Daley (Photo by ANTHONY WALLACE/AFP/Getty Images)

(ANTHONY WALLACE/AFP/Getty)

Daley continued: “It changes your perspective on so many different levels. I was on the way home from Australia and there was turbulence, and normally I’m completely fine but I thought ‘I’ve got a little child to look after, I can’t die!’

“The way you think about the world changes so dramatically.”