Olympic gold medalist and double world champion diver Tom Daley is determined to shine a light on an issue that he cares passionately about in new BBC documentary film, Tom Daley: Illegal to Be Me. With punishments including whipping, life imprisonment and even death, it is illegal to be gay in over half of the 56 member states of the Commonwealth.
The programme, which airs on Tuesday, August 9, follows Tom on his journey to some of the Commonwealth’s most homophobic countries to ask what the sporting world can do to help. Returning to the UK, Tom submits a manifesto of action points to the Commonwealth Games Federation.
The film begins with Tom showing off his trophy cabinet and discussing the medals that he has won at various events. “I start to question, should I feel a bit [weird] about these medals? Or should I be proud of them?” he says, “I would be illegal in 35 of the 56 sovereign states of the Commonwealth. It’s just outrageous." He describes his intention to change this at the 2022 ceremony and “take a stand” for inclusivity. Tom’s aim is to disallow any country with anti-LGBT laws, the chance to host the Commonwealth Games.
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Tom’s journey begins in Pakistan - a country where it is deemed illegal to be gay. He says: “I’m slightly nervous because I’m going to a country where being gay can get you the death penalty,” as he packs his suitcase and heads to Heathrow. In Pakistan, the maximum punishment for being gay is death-by-stoning and although it has never officially been carried out, it has created an environment where vigilante groups take the law into their own hands. Whilst filming, Tom travels with a security guard for protection.
Tom meets with a lesbian cricketer who spent years playing for Pakistan’s National Women’s Team but doesn’t want her name associated with the film, as it is a risk to her safety. She tells him: “People here, even the psychologists, think that being queer is a disease.” Talking about her time within sport, the cricketer adds: “They used to find me a mutant,” something that Tom was shocked at. When he asks her what the Commonwealth Games could do to help, she says: “It won’t make a difference because we are a country in denial.”
From there, Tom meets with a high-profile female LGBT athlete, who again wants her identity concealed from the cameras. The athlete tells him: “If I came out, everyone would criticise me, shame me and embarrass me. It may get violent.” She adds that she was in a relationship with someone who was forced into marrying a man. Traumatised and defeated, the athlete tells Tom that she wanted to “end [her] life”. Breaking down in tears, he replies: “It seems so unfair. No one should be put through that.” Echoing the words of the cricketer, the athlete describes her belief that there is “no hope” that things will change in Pakistan
Tom then meets with Zulfiqar ‘Zulfi’ Mannan - a Pakistani pop singer who has tried to live an openly gay life but has recently been forced into hiding after a controversial photoshoot. “It was scary,” he says, “There were death threats and rape threats.” After Tom tells him of his plan to disallow anti-LGBT countries from hosting the Commonwealth Games, Zulfi says: “You cannot generate something positive from a negative and I hope that there are protections from queer people of any sorts that empower them instead of putting them at risk.” The singer confirms his belief that queer people have the “hope of inheriting a new Pakistan”.
Leaving Pakistan, Tom says that the trip has been “illuminating” and that his talk with Zulfi has given him hope. He leaves the country with a “sense of love” and a desire to make a difference to the Commonwealth Games.
Elsewhere in the film, Tom learns of the horrific attacks that men in Nigeria face for being gay. He also travels to Jamaica to talk with Michael Gunning - the only out LGBT athlete in the area. Michael, who is of British-Jamaican heritage, tells him of messages that he has received from Jamaican people, saying that he had brought "shame" upon the country. He says: "It pains me to say but I can't 100% say that I am happy being who I am," as he confesses that he 'wishes' he was straight.
The documentary ends with Tom putting his manifesto together. “The bulk of the things that I’m asking for are easily put into action quickly," he says.
He describes how he would like an LGBT presence at the forefront of the Games, education into the history of the British Empire, sensitivity training for staff and volunteers, refugee resources and his “big ask” - to have the Pride flag play an official part of the opening ceremony.
The opening ceremony, itself, took place on Thursday, July 28 and viewers will know that Tom proudly carried the Pride flag. He managed to convince the Federation to allow six Pride flags to be carried at the opening ceremony and said of this: “It’s the first major sporting event to do this and they are going to change history in the way that sport and the LGBT community come together.” The documentary ends with Tom carrying the Queen’s Baton at the opening ceremony, as six athletes run behind him carrying Pride flags.
Following the momentous occasion, Tom says: “It isn’t about me, it’s about every out LGBT person across the Commonwealth, across the world.” He adds: “Even if it can make the smallest difference out there, as someone out there could have seen that and felt that there’s a little bit of hope in the world.”
Tom Daley: Illegal to Be Me airs on BBC One on Tuesday, August 9 at 9pm
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