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Ex-Bath winger Levi Davis claims 'overwhelmingly positive' reaction after coming out as bisexual
Former Bath winger Levi Davis has claimed there has been an overwhelmingly positive reaction since he revealed last weekend that he is bisexual.
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The 22-year-old, who made eight appearances for the Gallagher Premiership club prior to his lockdown move to ambitious Championship side Ealing, recenbtly revealed to UK media his sexuality and he has since appeared on the midweek BT Rugby Tonight programme to talk about the reaction to his revelation.
A former X-Factor contestant, he told Ugo Monye: “It’s been overwhelmingly positive. I had lots of messages on my phone and Instagram. Haven’t got quite around to reading all or replying to them all. It genuinely is overwhelming but it has been very, very positive.
“Throughout Covid I have had a lot of time to reflect and over the last four years, it’s something that was eating away at me slowly. It’s not been the only cause but it has been a part of the cause of my depression, my anxiety in certain parts, my drinking for a certain period as well after the X-Factor.
“I just thought it was important to share, one for myself but two for others if anyone is struggling. I just wanted to be a shining light in that respect… I had talked to my friends about being unapologetically themselves. I felt like I had to then reflect the positivity that I try and give to others. I should give it to myself.”
"Be unapologetically yourself"
We're in awe of @thelelife 🙌
His journey in life and courage to be true to himself is simply incredible.
Give this a listen and be inspired ❤️ pic.twitter.com/XVwZBG3eYg
— Rugby on TNT Sports (@rugbyontnt) September 16, 2020
With Monye claiming that to the best of his knowledge there aren’t any active professional men’s rugby players that have come out as bisexual or gay, Davis was asked if he will now become a symbol for his sexuality.
“I don’t see myself as a symbol just because I’m bisexual. I’d rather just do what I do and be happy doing what I do and lead that way in just being me. I just want to do me, do you know what I mean?
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“It sounds cliched but be unapologetically yourself and be true to yourself,” he added when asked if he had a message to people. “You have to live in your own mind so make it a nice place to live in and be true to yourself.”
There has been speculation that Davis would struggle to juggle his rugby commitments with his music, but he is ready to give it a go. “I love both, they are both my passions,” he said. “People are questioning am I going to break off and do one, whether I can do both? Do you know what, it’s to be seen but I genuinely believe I can.
“The conversation we had at Ealing was they asked me when you’re here can you give 100 per cent and what is your main priority? I said when I’m playing rugby my main priority is rugby and I am a professional rugby player. I want to be a professional rugby player and I told them that one day I want to play for England.
“I’m fully committed to playing for Ealing, really looking forward to being part of the squad that they have got, it’s an ambitious club, ambitious individuals, we work well. And outside rugby, music, I’m looking to release soon as a solo artist,” he said, stating that his stage name is @thelelife.
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Say hello to @thelelife, the first professional union rugby player to come out as bisexual! https://t.co/T9XIBW367E
— PRIDE.COM (@pride_site) September 15, 2020
Comments on RugbyPass
The shoulder is a “joint” with multiple bones. You don’t “fracture” a shoulder, you fracture any one or more of the bones that make up a shoulder.
2 Go to commentsOh dear, bones too suspect to continue?
2 Go to commentsBold headline considering the Canes and Blues are 1 and 2 and the Brumbies were soundly beaten by the Chiefs and Blues. Biggest surprise is Rebels 4 Crusaders 12 - no one saw that coming. If Aus are improving that’s great 👍
1 Go to commentsAnna, You are right, we need to have patience whilst the others catch up to England and France. Also it is the PWR that has been the game changer for England. the RFU put money into that initially at the expense of the Red Roses. I was sceptical at first but it has paid off in spades.
1 Go to commentsI think Matt Proctor became a 1 test AB in the same fixture. Cameron is quality and has been great this season, can’t believe’s he only 27. Realistically how would he not be selected for ABs squad this year. Only Dmac is ahead of him as a specialist 10. With Jordan out, it will come down to where and when Beauden Barrett slots back in, and where they want to play Ruben Love. Cameron seems an absolute lock in for the wider squad though. Added benefit of TJ-Cameron-Jordie combination at 9, 10, 11 too.
1 Go to commentsFarcical, to what end would someone want to pay to keep this thing going.
1 Go to commentsHavili, our best 12 by a mile, will be in the squad, if he stays fit. JB is the most overrated AB in the last 50 years.
61 Go to commentsWe had during the week twilight footy, twilight cricket, tw golf plus there was the athletics club. Then the weekend was rugby 15s plus the net ball, really busy club scene back then but so much has changed and rugby has suffered. And it was all about changing lifestyles.
6 Go to commentsIn the 70s and 80s my club ran 5 Senior sides plus a Vets. Now it is 2 sides with an occasional 3rd team. Players have difficulty getting to training now, not sure why and the commitment is not there. It seems to me more a problem of people applying themselves and not expecting to turn up and play whenever they want to.
6 Go to commentsROG’s contract is until 2027. The conversation about a successor to Galthie after RWC 2027 may be starting now. We can infer that Galthie’s reign stops then. He is throwing the Irish Coaching Job angle in because he is Irish. The next Irish coach MUST be Leo Cullen. As well as being the best coach available, coaching the vast majority of Irish Internationals week in week out, he has shown incredible skill at recruiting the best coaching staff for the job in hand. That was a failing in France. Cullen is a shrewd guy and if there is a need for foreign coaches underneath him he won’t hesitate. Rightly so. Ireland does need to start to bring Irish coaches through. Not just at the professional level but we need to train coaches to man new pathways for developing kids from schools/clubs up through the divisions.
8 Go to commentsNo Islam says it must rule where it stands Thus it is to be deleted from this planet Earth
18 Go to commentsThis team probably does not beat the ABs sadly Not sure if BPA will be available given his signing for Force but has to enter consideration. Very strong possibility of getting schooled by the AB props. Advantage AB. Rodda/Skelton would be a tasty locking combination - would love to see how they get on. Advantage Wallabies. Backrow a risk of getting out hustled and outmuscled by ABs. Will be interesting to see if the Blues feast on the Reds this weekend the way they did the Brumbies we are in big trouble at the breakdown. Great energy, running and defence but goalkicking/general kicking/passing quality in the halves bothers me enormously. SA may have won the World Cup for a lot of the tournament without a recognised goalkicker but Pollard in the final made a difference IMO. Injuries and retirements leave AB stocks a bit lighter but still stronger. 12 and 13 ABs shade it (Barret > Paisami, Ione = Ikitau, arguably) Interesting clash of styles on the wings - Corey Toole running around Caleb Clark and Caleb running over the top of Toole. Reece vs Koro probably the reverse. Pretty even IMO. 15s Kelleway = Love See advantage to ABs man for man, but we are not obviously getting slaughtered anywhere which makes a nice change. Think talent wise we are pretty even and if our cohesion and teamwork is better than the ABs then its just about doable.
11 Go to commentsCompletely agree. More friday night games would be a hit. RFU to make sure every club has a floodlit pitch. Club opens again Saturday to welcome touch / tag. Minis and youths on Sunday
6 Go to comments1.97m and 105Kg? Proportionately, probably skinnier than me at 1.82 and 82kilos. He won’t survive against the big guys at that weight.
56 Go to commentsThe value he brought to the crusaders as an assistant was equal to what he got out of being there. He reflected not only on the team culture but also the credit he attributed to the rugby community. Such experience shouldn’t be overlooked.
8 Go to commentsGood luck Aussie
11 Go to commentssmith at 9 / mounga 10 / laumape 12 / fainganuku 14
61 Go to commentsBar the injuries, it’s pretty much their top team …
2 Go to commentsDon’t disagree with much of this but it appears you forgot Rodda and Beale, who started at the Force on the weekend.
11 Go to commentsExcept for the injured Zach Gallagher this would be Saders best forward pack for the season. Blackadder needs to stay at 7, for all of Christies tackling he is not dominant and offers very little else. McNicholfullback is maybe a good option, Fihaki not really upto it, there was a reason Burke played there last year. Maybe Havilli to 2nd five McLeod to wing. Need a strong winger on 1 side to compliment Reece
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