A man has spoken out about being gay bashed in the Wollongong city center in the early hours of the morning of the same day as the Sydney Mardi Gras Parade was held just up the coast.

26 year old gay man “Paul” told the Illawara Mercury that he had left a Wollongong nightclub around 3.20am on Saturday with some friends when a group of men started yelling homophobic slurs at them.

‘As we were walking away they started screaming out 'faggot' and things that were derogatory,’ Paul told the newspaper.

‘I ignored it but one of the guys I was with said, “You shouldn't have to put up with this,” and started telling them off.’

When his friend stood up for him, the men attacked, and Paul was kicked in the face.

‘I don't remember much of it,’ Paul told the Mercury.

‘One of my teeth had to be surgically removed - it shattered inside my gum. Another tooth was chipped. My top lip is swollen and bloodied, I have a black eye and it looks like it's full of blood, it's impaired my vision.’

Paul said he had lived in the city, which is just south of Sydney, for three years and had never encountered anything similar.

Police are investigating the matter and Paul has called on anyone with information to come forward.