NRL referee Matt Cecchin has made history as the first Australian NRL official to reveal he is gay.

Cecchin claims out NRL player Ian Roberts’ book Finding Out which him come to terms with his own sexuality.

“It wasn’t until I read Ian’s book that I started to tick a few boxes,” Cecchin said.

“Like a lot of people, I thought to be gay you had to be feminine, you had to go to nightclubs and you had to be in the scene and I was never into that,” said Cecchin. “I played sport, I loved rugby league, I liked going to the pub with my mates.”

The 38-year-old held off publicly acknowledging his sexual orientation until after his son had completed his HSC last year.

“I didn’t want to tip his world upside down,” Cecchin said. “As a Dad, I would do whatever I could to protect my son.”

Cecchin hopes coming out will show people that you don’t have to hide who you are.

Coming out for him is less about encouraging NRL players and officials to come out and more about acceptance within youth culture and society.

“It has to do with the youth who are growing up today who may be going through a whole world of hurt and fear,” he said.

Unphased by the prospect of derogatory comments from the crowd, Cecchin says he’s used to the sledging.

“I just hope that those people realise that when they’re yelling out what they do, you don’t know who’s standing or sitting beside you,” he said. “Give me a hard time for making a stuff-up, but just be mindful of others.”