Irish Olympic taekwondo star Jack Woolley speaks out after homophobic abuse: “Call It Out”

Irish Olympic taekwondo star Jack Woolley has spoken out against homophobic abuse after receiving a hateful message on social media, urging fellow LGBTQ+ athletes to be vocal and unafraid in the face of discrimination.

Jack, a two-time Olympian and prominent LGBTQ+ figure in sport, shared a screenshot of a direct message he received on Instagram. The message came from a follower who initially praised him as a role model, only to later respond to a post of Jack kissing his fiancé, with a homophobic slur.

The couple, who announced their engagement on St Patrick’s Day this year, have been together since 2021. Woolley, who is currently training in Madrid ahead of the World Taekwondo Championships in Wuxi, said the message was upsetting but not uncommon.

“It’s less than 1% of the interactions — so why ignore all the DMs and comments, when the majority of them are loving and supportive?” he said. “But that doesn’t mean it doesn’t sting.”

Jack, who has over 120,000 followers across his social media accounts, said he feels a responsibility to speak out, especially for those who may not feel safe or confident enough to do so themselves. “From my experience, it’s best just to block the accounts, unless they are people you need to interact with in your sport,” he added.

This isn’t the first time Jack has faced abuse. In 2021, he was the victim of a brutal homophobic attack in Dublin city centre, which left him hospitalised and requiring surgery.

Despite the trauma, Jack has continued to thrive both personally and professionally. He recently reached the final stages of Dancing With The Stars Ireland, dedicating a moving performance to his close friend and fellow Olympian, Kellie Harrington.

Woolley’s message is clear: “Call it out,” he said. “People need to know this still happens.”