The Project's Hamish Macdonald reveals discovering he was gay left him with a 'deep sense of shame'

Hamish Macdonald has revealed that growing up gay left him feeling shame and confusion. 

The Project host is a  former student of The Scots College, one of Australia’s oldest and most respected Presbyterian schools in Sydney’s eastern suburbs. 

Discussing the Presbyterian Church’s proposed ban on gay and sexually active students from leadership roles on Friday’s show, Hamish reflected on his own experiences. 

‘When I think back to my time at school, I wonder what a difference it would have made to know that I wasn’t the only one’ he said. 

‘I spent the two decades or so since leaving high school reckoning with the verbal, psychological and sometimes physical torment meted out in the halls of this respected institution.’

Hamish Macdonald (pictured) has revealed that growing up gay left him feeling shame and confusion. The Project host is a former student of The Scots College, one of Australia’s oldest and most respected Presbyterian schools in Sydney’s eastern suburbs

He went on: ‘A rural border, I was 450km away from the safety of home – confused and occasionally petrified. 

‘A consequence of being schooled in a environment where being gay is considered thoroughly wrong is that you’re left with a deep sense of shame that takes a lifetime to shake.’

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Speaking to other students like himself, Hamish added: ‘I really hope you know it’s absolutely fine. You are great just as you are.’

The Presbyterian Church is also advocating for the ban to apply to anyone who has sex outside of marriage.

Macdonald, an openly gay man, publicly came out as in 2018, and is in a longtime relationship with boyfriend Jacob Fitzroy (right) 

The organisation argues students will ‘not be able to give appropriate Christian leadership in a Christian school which requires modelling of Christian living’.

The Presbyterian Church has over 500 congregations across Australia and runs more than 20 schools and pre-schools, including prestigious private schools in Sydney, Melbourne and Brisbane. 

The church made the extraordinary demand in a submission to the Australian Law Reform Commission.

The ALRC is currently reviewing religious schools and their exemption from federal anti-discrimination law. 

Macdonald, an openly gay man, publicly came out as in 2018, and is in a longtime relationship with boyfriend Jacob Fitzroy.

‘A consequence of being schooled in a environment where being gay is considered thoroughly wrong is that you’re left with a deep sense of shame that takes a lifetime to shake’ he said