has become the first All Black to come out as gay
"If I can be the first All Black that comes out as gay and take away the pressure and the stigma surrounding that whole issue then it can actually help other people, and then the public will know that there is one in amongst the All Blacks (laughing)."
(Hilary Barry, Reporter)
"So when you had this dream of being an All Black, what did you have in your mind about what an All Black was?"
(Campbell Johnstone)
"Manly, strong, possibly had a wife, kids, you know."
(Hilary Barry, Reporter)
"And yet within you that wasn't who you were."
(Campbell Johnstone)
"You know and I'd pushed that side of me down deeper and deeper and you know, I've been to some interesting places with that. It slowly starts to affect you. It's hard living a double life or living a lie. We had a phrase in rugby saying, after a game if you can look yourself in the mirror and be honest with yourself then you've done enough. And here I was looking in the mirror, I hadn't been honest with my teammates, you know, and that puts a lot of pressure and it just builds up on you."
Johnstone says he had already told his family and close friends
before publicly coming out on New Zealand current affairs program Seven Sharp
"In some part I'm somewhat disappointed that it's taken me so long to do this. But if I open up that door and kind of magically make that closet disappear then we're going to help a lot of people. To be able to do that, could possibly be one of the final pieces in the puzzle for New Zealand sports-wise, it could be a very vital piece that just gives everyone closure."
