Josh Cavallo

[Zippity]

The first top flight footballer to come out as gay. There are a few other professional footballers who have come out but apparently he's the first in any country's premier division.

Brave lad and I hope he's the first of many because it's staggering in this day and age that someone has to hide their ***uality because they're afraid of the negative response. It stands to reason that there is a good number of players in leagues across the world who are gay and feel uncomfortable about having to hide it but do so because they fear the reaction from the fans and quite possibly their own teammates.

Maybe Josh Cavallo coming out is a sign that things are changing? Society is changing and there's a whole generation of young people coming through for whom someone's ***uality isn't an issue in the slightest (and in my opinion, that's absolutely the way it should be but I'm also aware that quite a few people in, say the generation above me, are uncomfortable with it).

It wasn't that long ago that fans would think nothing of singing about , say, Brighton fans taking it up the arse, etc, but I think those days have gone. I'm not saying everyone's attitudes have changed but I don't think that chant would be made now so maybe the time is right for more players to follow this bloke's lead? (note, I'm not saying players have to declare their ***uality but let's not pretend there aren't players who would rather not hide it any more. This might give them the confidence.

Thoughts?

[Jammy89]

It is a step in the right direction, however, I think until it happens in one of the big leagues in Europe it'll see limited pick up.

You may well see more players anouncing their ***uality after finishing their playing career.

As you said Zip, it is staggering and we can all make guesses about certain players within the prem but it is staggering that officially there isn't a single gay player within the league.

[Cannylad]

There must be many more out there surely. I remember President Clinton's line "Don't ask, don't tell" when he spoke about gays in the armed forces, I'm pretty sure that would be the case in sport too.

[Scott Kirkland]

If you look at the Womens game, Lots of them are openly Lesbian, I would of thought roughly the same percentage of Premier League players are gay,

[KemptownMag]

I was at a game at the Amex a few years ago - I think it was against Leeds in the Championship.
Leeds fans were singing "We can see you holding hands" and "Does your boyfriend know you're here?".

Response from the Albion fans was "You're too ugly to be gay".


That shut them up!

[toonlegend]

I'm in 2 minds about this. when im at work/socialising/at schools/sporting events etc and i meet other people - i either like them (mostly) or dislike them (sometimes) but never in my mind is "who/what/how does he/she like ***. " edit S E X

neither footballers or anyone else shouldn't have to "come out" as anything. gay/straight/trans

its making a big thing out of something that is natural. you could even say its making something natural into something unnatural?

[Kal]

I'm in 2 minds about this. when im at work/socialising/at schools/sporting events etc and i meet other people - i either like them (mostly) or dislike them (sometimes) but never in my mind is "who/what/how does he/she like ***. " edit S E X

neither footballers or anyone else shouldn't have to "come out" as anything. gay/straight/trans

its making a big thing out of something that is natural. you could even say its making something natural into something unnatural?

^^^ A voice of reason ^^^

Or another viewpoint ...

https://youtu.be/x-ghNgE8QYc

[Zippity]

I'm in 2 minds about this. when im at work/socialising/at schools/sporting events etc and i meet other people - i either like them (mostly) or dislike them (sometimes) but never in my mind is "who/what/how does he/she like ***. " edit S E X

neither footballers or anyone else shouldn't have to "come out" as anything. gay/straight/trans

its making a big thing out of something that is natural. you could even say its making something natural into something unnatural?

No, I totally agree, J. It shouldn't be an issue but I'm sure there'll be gay footballers who would like to live their lives as openly as a straight footballer but feel they can't because of the hassle it would cause. Just like anyone, footballers shouldn't be defined by their sexuality but, until it isn't an issue any more, they will be if they're gay.

I think my point is that, whilst most of us aren't bothered either way if a player is straight or gay, unfortunately there are some for who it's an issue so this lad coming out is a brave move and will hopefully encourage others to say 'aye, me too and so what'.

Ultimately, we're all aiming for 'so what', I guess.

[Andy1981_2]

No, I totally agree, J. It shouldn't be an issue but I'm sure there'll be gay footballers who would like to live their lives as openly as a straight footballer but feel they can't because of the hassle it would cause. Just like anyone, footballers shouldn't be defined by their sexuality but, until it isn't an issue any more, they will be if they're gay.

I think my point is that, whilst most of us aren't bothered either way if a player is straight or gay, unfortunately there are some for who it's an issue so this lad coming out is a brave move and will hopefully encourage others to say 'aye, me too and so what'.

Ultimately, we're all aiming for 'so what', I guess.

Exactly this, I think. This is where representation is important I guess - that you can look at football players and see yourself amongst that group and think, 'Oh, I guess I can be a football player and X'. Where there's an absence of things it can look to some groups like maybe that culture is unwelcoming for someone who is X. It was that way for gay football players at one point, so it is good if people now feel like they can come out within that sport. I don't know how many more there will be to follow as it's a minority within a minority (people who are good enough to play a sport professionally), so there might not actually be that many high profile players who could become a poster child for this and make it a 'so what'. It might even be that society reaches (if it hasn't already, judging by the responses on here at least) 'so what' before any high profile players actually come out.

[Sclox]

To come out as a Sunlun fan would be braver.