When “Farmer Dave” came out on Big Brother in 2006, the enormity of the admission wasn’t lost on anybody.
He’d already made Australians fall in love with him thanks to his cheeky, Aussie country boy charm and his revelation was met with cheers from the other housemates. But even at the time it was tainted with the confession that he didn’t want to be known as the “f-got” in the house.
WATCH: Dave’s heartwarming revelation to his Big Brother housemates.
Nine years on, he’s taken to social media to share what it’s been like for him as a gay man in the bush while the same-sex marriage debate rages on.
He thanks “everyone involved for making this a massive issue because, you know, when you’re alone and living in the bush a lot of times all you hear is the bad stuff.”
“This is extraordinary to hear that it’s a national issue to let people like me who want to fall in love, and want to spend the rest of their life with one person, it’s just incredible.”
His opinions on the No campaign’s oppositions are hilariously blunt.
“There’s that woman that says ‘oh my God, they’re making my kids role play’,” he said.
“Newsflash, you stupid cow. That’s what every gay person’s had to do nearly all their lives, especially people in the country, like me.
“It sucks to be gay in the bush. You want to kill yourself. And you try. Many times. Because it’s not a choice. It’s how you are.
“So we have to role play every single day, and pretend. And the worst thing is you hurt people, big time, because you’re forced into a lie.
“If your kid has to try, for like five minutes, to role play what it’s like to be like this, it’s not that bad, Sheila.”
He goes on to explain how awful it was having to hide the fact he was gay growing up.
“Seriously, I did it for 26 years where I had to lie to myself, my family and community about who I was.”
“When I was a kid people were losing their jobs, people were being put in jail,” he said. “It’s not that long ago.”
“Just put yourself in those shoes, what if there was nothing I could change about myself and the law said I was a second-class citizen and wasn’t allowed to get married?
“Should I be able to get married? And the answer is going to be yes. So go back to your form, fill it out, tick the yes button and put it in the post office and let’s be done with this issue.”
In case you’re wondering, Farmer Dave is still “single as sh-t”.
