Source :- PERTH NOW NEWS
Leigh Ryswyk, a former Brisbane Lions person, became the first person to play in an openly gay AFL game.
After past West Coast keeper Mitch Brown revealed that he is lesbian in August of last year, Ryswyk is the second past AFL person to come out as a proud representative of the LGBTIQA+ area.
Prior to being delisted, Ryswyk started a successful SANFL job with North Adelaide, where he played 226 matches between 2006 and 2018. He then played one match for the Lions.
Ryswyk always played in his final AFL game because of a quad strain he suffered against Fremantle.
The 41-year-old said this information may come as no surprise to those close to him in a statement to Joy 94.9’s GayFL on Wednesday.
This is not new, he said to people who know me, my closest associates.
” I’ve been away for five years now.
However, there will be people; this will be their second knowledge of this.
” I’m a pretty private individual, so it’s not all over my social media and other stuff,” I said.
Some people may not realize it, but that’s normal, straight?” It can be a bit of a shock to some people, right?
” In the end, the people who are closest and closest to me know, and that’s what’s most crucial.”
When asked on-air “why then?” Ryswyk just responded,” Why not?”
