Batley Bulldogs prop Keegan Hirst has had an overwhelmingly positive reaction to his coming out as Britain's first out gay rugby league player last weekend.
Famous names and peers have been adding to the chorus of praise for the 27-year-old Yorkshireman.
Good for you @KeeganHirst :) #Respect #LoveWins
I have given my support to @KeeganHirst days http://t.co/rORlGNnim4 is about him playing the game that defines who he is.#proud
Hey @KeeganHirst huge respect for what must have been an unbelievably tough decision to make public, all the best to you & your family.
Well done for being who you are @keeganhirst. Good luck for the rest of the season
Now actress and human rights activist Emma Watson has expressed her admiration for Hirst.
In a series of tweets, she talked about definitions of courage, before applying them to Hirst.
Courage is the choice and willingness to confront agony, pain, danger, uncertainty or intimidation.
.... Physical courage is courage in the face of physical pain, hardship, death or threat of death,
while moral courage is the ability to act rightly in the face of popular opposition, shame, scandal or discouragement. @KeeganHirst #gotboth
@KeeganHirst what a hero. x
Hirst, for his part, seems as starstruck as the rest of us when it comes to Watson.
🙈😶 Massive thanks to @stephenfry and @EmWatson for the follow. Surreal or what
And as two committed feminists, the pair could become our new favourite set of famous friends.
As a #HeForShe, I'm committed to #genderequality. I invite you to stand with me. @HeForShe http://t.co/sqXFqIhxtW
Here's hoping, anyway.
