Josh Cavallo: 'I'm a footballer and I'm gay,' says Australian player https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/newsbeat-59060323 Currently the only professional player in world football. Massively brave thing to do, with his future ahead of him. Hope it inspires more to follow.
Hope so! Shouldn't have to hide or announce your sexuality in the 21st century but fair play to him, he has done the right thing. I hope he is met with support and praise.
I agree, that fact this is even news in this day and age just goes to show how little progress we've made.
It's always surprised me that no Premier League player has come out whilst playing. I get that a certain section of fans may use it to give them abuse, but I'd have thought it would have been quite a lucrative move. The pink pound is worth an estimated £6 billion a year and I'd guess that it would open up whole new revenue streams to both the players and the clubs employing them.
Crack on. What annoys me is If say one of us came out. People couldn't give a toss. I think celebrities do it to raise their profile. We had the first gay Rugby League player from Batley. Nobody knew who he was because of the player he was. Just because he sold newspapers from publicly coming out. He's going round the country doing talks. Like it or not I think we treat people differently because they're gay at a subconscious level. It opens up avenues not available to straight people. They have a platform.
What a lad. Leading the way where hopefully others will feel they can follow. The vast majority of Football fans don't care about anything other than if a player is trying their best for the team. Sexuality, skin colour, nationality etc isn't important.
I knew this discussion would go south at some point but not as quickly as this to be honest. To suggest gay people have some sort of advantage over straight people is ridiculous. They have a platform to reduce stigma, not make money.
I personally don't think there is a massive stigma. Society is more embracing than it ever has been. Children are coming out younger and we are discussing gender issues at early ages.
As it happens the cogs were already turning when I read the initial post. I can't help being cynical.
That's easy for a straight person to say, but it clearly is an issue in sport as footballers are hiding their sexuality in fear of abuse and it damaging their career prospects. It isn't for me or you to say that there isn't a problem as we don't see it from their perspective.
I can't imagine homophobic abuse at football or a sporting event. You don't see it in women's football or tennis. Why would you see it at football?
Maybe you should have a chat with a few Brighton fans, then. There is still racist abuse at football in 2021 and decent sections of supporters at clubs up and down the country continue to behave like neanderthals.
You always need someone to show other's it safe to come out. Same happened in NFL recently, a Raiders player came out. Everyone was supportive, though he's had the usual Internet trolls. However it went well, then it came to light his head coach had used discriminatory language aimed at a gay college player entering the draft a few years ago. Those who are the pioneers will be benefit of the positives but also the extreme negatives. It's brave to do so, going forward it won't be all sunshine and rainbows. Just hope it makes other's feel safe coming out. Remember if people in the public eye don't come out publicly, some media outlets have blackmailed them into doing so.
Really surprised at your view there tbh. I suspect there's a huge stigma. Not just from opposition fans. In fact that might even be the smaller problem. Other players, other teams, training ground, dressing room, I reckon will be a big problem. There are reasons why he's currently the only openly gay professional footballer.
