FOR PEAT’S SAKE
GAA star & Irish international recalls impact of homophobic slur in final
LINDSAY PEAT is hopeful the homophobia she faced in an All-ireland final would not happen today.
Peat was a unique Irish athlete, one who excelled across four different sporting environments – basketball, soccer, ladies football and rugby.
In 2010, she won a national basketball cup final with UCD Mercy and a ladies football Allireland title with Dublin.
For both teams, it was their first ever success at that level and it was no coincidence that
Peat, a natural competitor, was at the heart of both journeys.
Her story is highlighted in the Laochra Gael documentary to be broadcast on Thursday night on TG4 (9.30pm).
She spoke openly about her struggle with living a lie for so long. At her surprise 30th birthday, she came out as gay.
Peat played in three All-ireland finals and recalled her shock at the homophobic slur fired at her after winning a free in one decider at Croke Park.
“There’s a line you cross and I was called a dirty dyke,” Peat told the documentary makers.
“I was probably very disappointed that line was crossed.
“But I remember going to our assistant coach and I was like, ‘I want the ball now and I want to make her life hell’, in a footballing sense.”
Elaborating on that moment yesterday, Peat said: “Maybe I should have (reported it) but you don’t want to make a big deal of it. Like, I didn’t at the time because it kind of hits you – and hits a nerve for my own insecurities at that time.
“I was only starting to kind of come out, very few people knew and as I said for me it didn’t (have an impact).
“Thankfully, it’s only really looking back.
“You kind of look back on life at different treatment of people or yourself and you are kind of like, ‘No, that’s not OK’ in hindsight.
“It still sits with me because it just hurts, but at the same time it’s a reminder of how far I’ve come as a person and I’m very comfortable with myself in my skin thankfully now.”
Peat is optimistic that attitudes have moved on now.
“I would have no doubt that that was just something that just came out to poke the bear,” she said. “I’m not going to sugarcoat it. I’m not whiter than white either and in ways I’ve a sharp tongue myself. But there’s a line you don’t cross.
“At that stage especially, I was a very fiery player with a very fiery temperament. I was easily upset and antagonised.
“But now with our understanding of people, their sexuality and just an all-round etiquette that you should have, especially as a top-class athlete as a role model.. I have seen the evolution of that over the years and that’s a positive for me.”