UEA Pride praise footballer Jake Daniels for coming out: "it might be big step"
Yesterday, the 17-year-old became the first British man in the professional game to come out publicly since Justin Fashanu in 1990
UEA Pride has praised Blackpool FC Jake Daniels for publicly coming out- saying "it might be a big step" that could result in other players coming out as well.
Yesterday, the 17-year-old became the first British man in the professional game to come out publicly since Justin Fashanu in 1990.
"You might see others follow suit in the next few weeks or months"
Brandon Thomas is the Secretary for the UEA's Pride Society.
He hopes this will de-stigmatise the issue: "Football is a sport that is heavily oriented around masculinity and having a girl-friend and it's not really shown much about people being queer in the world of sport, as well as football especially. So, I think it might be a big step, you might see others follow suit in the next few weeks or months. But I think it's really started to open peoples eyes that there are gay footballers out there".
"It's always a struggle. So, I'm guessing it must have been very conflicting for them and a decision that they didn't make easily. It takes a lot of courage for somebody to do that, especially in when in a public position".
"It doesn't change who they are as a person, he still has the same skills"
But he fears the news will prompt a backlash, in the short-term at least. Going on to say that football needs to play an active role in stamping out abuse in the game:
"Homophobia is going to be quite high now, unfortunately. I just don't think that people understand fully what being gay is. It doesn't change who they are as a person, he still has the same skills, it's just who he prefers to date. It shouldn't change how people see him, but I know that in some way it might do that. The message needs to be sent across that it's okay to be gay".
"They clubs could possibly donate to some charities and provide a zero tolerance policy on homophobia within the club and also the games as well. If there are supporters being homophobic, they shouldn't be allowed to come back. It should be a space that feels safe for everyone".