The gay community was at an uproar this week, after a “Daily Beast” reporter used Grindr to find – and give identifying information on – athletes who were cruising the Olympic village in Rio. Now, Tongan swimmer Amini Fonue decided to respond, by getting naked.
Amini Fonue is a New Zealand-born Olympic swimmer, who was born to a Tongan lawyer, and represents Tonga in the Olympics. Even though he’s out and proud, his in his country it’s still illegal to be gay.
Amini took to Twitter and Instagram to protest the outing done by The Daily Beast (the article was eventually taken down). He started with some harsh, and brave words:
Imagine the one space you can feel safe, the one space you're able to be yourself, ruined by a straight person who thinks it's all a joke?
— Amini Fonua (@AminiFonua) August 11, 2016
No straight person will ever know the pain of revealing your truth, to take that away is just… I can't. It literally brings me to tears ðŸ˜ðŸ˜
— Amini Fonua (@AminiFonua) August 11, 2016
It is still illegal to be gay in Tonga, and while I'm strong enough to be me in front of the world, not everybody else is. Respect that.
— Amini Fonua (@AminiFonua) August 11, 2016
And ended with a mooning protest – and a gift to us all, saying: “”Yo @nicohines & @thedailybeast – if what you were looking for on Grindr was hot ass (and I don’t see any other reason why you’d be on there) here you have mine in all its proud glory”
And if you’re wondering, that’s him from the other side:
