Jake Daniels, the first professional footballer in England to appear as gay

Jake Danielsat the age of 17, decided to break the barriers of stigma and appeared as gay in a television interview today, thus becoming the only openly gay active professional player in England.

The footballer’s blackpool, a team from the Championship (English 2nd division), wants to quit in an attempt to tackle the plague of homophobia in sport. He did so, according to the English media, with the full support of his teammates and the championship, in a very relaxed atmosphere.

“I just processed and processed for days how I want to do it and when and I feel like now is the right time. I’m ready to tell people my story,” Daniels told Sky Sports, adding that “I want people to know who I really am and lying all the time is not what I want to do. It’s been a struggle, but now I feel like I’m ready to be myself. It’s been a pretty crazy year. I am 17. I signed a professional contract, I scored 30 goals and I just finished on the first team. And now I have decided to reveal that I am gay..

danielswho is not yet of legal age, indicated that “everything happened at once, but I feel good. When I started the season I just wanted to prove myself as a player and I think I became great. So. This was the last thing I knew I had to do. Now it turns out, people already know this and I can live what I want. is incredible “.

The young soccer player blackpool He told about his childhood and explained that he knew he was homosexual for the first time when he was five or six years old, but it crossed his mind that this would change as he got older because it was something he didn’t mix. in football. . “I had girlfriends to try to make all my peers think I was straight, but it was just a cover up, so it’s been a struggle.”lived.

The full statement by Jake Daniels

In Sky Sports

“Now is the right time to do it. I feel like I’m ready to tell people my story. I want people to know the real me.

I spent a lot of time thinking about how I wanted to do it, when I wanted to do it. I know now is the time. I am ready to be myself, be independent and trust everyone.
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I can’t really put a date on it, but I was probably five or six years old when I found out I was gay. So I have lived a lie for a long time.

At that age you wouldn’t really have thought that football and being gay didn’t mix. Just think, one day when I get older I will have a girlfriend and I will change and everything will be fine.

But as you get older, you realize that you can’t just change. It doesn’t work that way.

I had girlfriends in the past, to try to make all my peers think I was straight, but it was just a big cover-up. At school people would even ask me, “Are you sure you’re not gay?” And it’s like, “No, I’m not.”

I wasn’t ready and it was a struggle, but I just didn’t want to lie.

For a long time I thought I had to hide my truth because I wanted to be, and now, a professional footballer. I wonder if I should wait until after I retire to say. No other professional soccer player has done this.

However, I knew it would lead me to lie for a long time and I would not be able to do it myself or lead the life I wanted.

Ever since going out with my family, my club and my teammates, that period of overthinking everyone and the stress it created has disappeared. It affects my mental health. Now I am confident and happy to finally be myself.

I first told my mother and sister, with whom I lived. “Yeah, we already knew that,” was their reaction.

Then we told my whole family and at that time I was a bit scared because I didn’t know what the reaction of the older generation would be.
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I shouldn’t have worried. I received so many messages saying, “we’re proud and supportive.” It turned out to be amazing. I couldn’t have wished it had been better.

The day after I told my mom and sister, we played Accrington. [en un partido de juveniles] and I scored four goals, so it just shows how much weight was removed from my shoulders and how comfortable it was.

And Blackpool is really impressive. I was with them every day and I felt safe. My teammates have been very supportive and everyone has supported me. They had so many questions, everyone was intrigued and their reaction was brilliant. This is the best I can ask for.

Of course, everyone was a bit surprised and wondered why I hadn’t told them earlier. That was a great reaction because it showed how much they care.

The captain was one of the main people I spoke to and he also asked me a lot of questions. At the end he just said, “I’m so proud of you.” It means a lot.

I like when people ask. I just want to get it all out there and for people to hear my story.

It’s been a pretty crazy year. I am 17. I signed a professional contract. I’ve scored 30 goals this season and I just finished first team in the Championship, from the bench against Peterborough.

And now I have decided to get out of the closet.

It all happened at once, but it was delicious to feel. When this season started, I just wanted to prove myself as a player. So this was the last thing on my mind that I knew I had to do. Now it has come out, and people know it. Now I can live my life the way I want and you know what? It turned out to be surprising.

The subject of being gay, bi or queer is still forbidden in men’s football. I think it comes down to a lot of footballers who want to be known for their manhood. And people see being gay as a weakness, something you might be teasing on the football field.

Of course I knew there would be backlash here and some would be homophobic, maybe in a stadium and on social media.

This is an easy thing for people to aim for. The way I look at it is I play football and they yell at me, but they pay to watch me play football and I live and earn on it. So you shout what you want, it won’t make a difference.

I won’t stop people from saying those things, I just have to learn not to let it get to me.

Hopefully when I come out, I will be a role model, to help others get out if they want to. I’m only 17 years old, but I know this is what I want to do and if, when I come out of the closet, there are other people who look at me and feel that maybe they can too, that would be great.

If you think this kid is brave enough to do it, so am I.

I don’t want to know that people are in the same situation I experienced. I think if a Premier League footballer comes out, it’s going to be amazing. I feel like I did my job and inspired other people to do it. All I want is to come from here. We should not be where we are today.

I know every situation is different and there are many different factors that other people have to consider that can scare them a lot, especially in football.

And if you think you’re ready, talk to people. I know it’s very hard to do, hard for me, but just talk to the people closest to you, you’ll get the support you need. “