Jake Daniels: Rare moment as UK footballer, 17, out as gay | Euronews

Contents:

• JAKE DANIELS: WHY BLACKPOOL PLAYER’S CISN TO E OUT AS GAY MATTERS
• JAKE DANIELS: BLACKPOOL FORWARD BE UK'S FIRST ACTIVE MALE PROFSNAL FOOTBALLER TO E OUT PUBLICLY AS GAY
• JAKE DANIELS: RARE MOMENT AS UK FOOTBALLER, 17, OUT AS GAY
• JAKE DANIELS BE UK'S FIRST ACTIVE MALE PROFSNAL FOOTBALLER TO E OUT PUBLICLY AS GAY - REACTN
• JACK GREALISH PRAIS ‘URAGE’ OF GAY FOOTBALLER JAKE DANIELS: ‘IT’S A MASSIVE STEP FORWARD’
• OPENLY GAY FOOTBALLER JAKE DANIELS, 18, MET ‘SOULMATE’ MARK, 46, AFTER HE SLID TO HIS DMS WHEN HE ME OUT
• JACKSONVILLE JAGUARS KEV MAXEN BE FIRST PROFSNAL MALE ACH TO E OUT AS GAY
• JAGS' MAXEN IS FIRST MALE AMERIN PRO SPORTS ACH TO E OUT AS GAY
• JAKE DANIELS BE FIRST UK MALE FOOTBALLER TO E OUT AS GAY SCE 1990
• JAKE DANIELS: BLACKPOOL FOOTBALLER, 17, OUT, BEG ONLY OPENLY GAY MALE PROFSNAL FOOTBALLER BRA
• BLACKPOOL FOOTBALLER JAKE DANIELS BE FIRST ACTIVE OPENLY GAY PROFSNAL PLAYER BRA
• SPORTBLACKPOOL'S JAKE DANIELS, SPIRED BY ALAI'S UNED JOSH CAVALLO, OUT AS GAY
• JAKE DANIELS OVERWHELMED BY SUPPORT AFTER BEG UK'S FIRST ACTIVE MALE PROFSNAL FOOTBALLER TO E OUT AS GAY
• GAY FOOTBALLER JOSH CAVALLO WOULD BE ‘SRED’ TO PLAY AT WORLD CUP QATAR
• JACKSONVILLE JAGUARS ASSISTANT COACH KEV MAXEN COM OUT AS GAY HISTORIC ANNOUNCEMENT
• FAMEWATCHER SEARCH PRIMARY MENU SKIP TO NTENT HOMECELEBRY HAIR TRANSPLANTCELEBRY PLASTIC SURGERYCELEBRY LEATHER JACKETBODY SHAPER SEARCH FOR: SPORTS IS SO GAYGAY NFL PLAYERS: OUT OR RUMORED GAY AMERIN FOOTBALL JOCKS
• JAGUARS ASSISTANT KEV MAXEN BE FIRST MALE ACH MAJOR MEN'S PRO SPORTS TO INTIFY AS GAY

JAKE DANIELS: WHY BLACKPOOL PLAYER’S CISN TO E OUT AS GAY MATTERS

When 17-year-old Jake Daniels publicly me out as a gay on Monday, phon pged as the UK’s media raced to ph out news alerts. “I’ve known my whole life that I’m gay, and I now feel that I’m ready to e out and be myself, ” the English footballer said his statement. Until Monday, Alai Uned’s Josh Cavallo was the only current openly gay top-flight male profsnal footballer the world.

Daniels is the first profsnal male player to e out as gay the UK the last 30 years, says the Brish LGBTQ advocy group Stonewall. Jt Fashanu was the first and, until now, only active male profsnal footballer the UK to speak publicly about beg a gay man.

JAKE DANIELS: BLACKPOOL FORWARD BE UK'S FIRST ACTIVE MALE PROFSNAL FOOTBALLER TO E OUT PUBLICLY AS GAY

It was only last month that a football fan was banned om watchg live football by a Brish urt for three years for shoutg homophobic abe at a Premier League match between Brighton and Hove Albn and Arsenal October 2021. Men’s profsnal football is still behd the women’s game – there were 40 openly gay, lbian and bisexual players at the 2019 Women’s World Cup – and other sports. Daniels, who said he had known he was gay sce the age of five or six, received support om his club and Stonewall before makg his statement and he will need that to ntue bee beg a trailblazer n be a heavy load to rry.

"Blackpool forward Jake Daniels speaks exclively on beg the UK's first male profsnal footballer to e out publicly as gay sce Jt talks about g out to his parents, his club, and his team-mat. I n't really put a date on , but I was probably five or six years old when I knew I was gay.

Zanr Murray signs for Bonnyrigg Rose to bee only openly gay player SPFL.

JAKE DANIELS: RARE MOMENT AS UK FOOTBALLER, 17, OUT AS GAY

Jake Daniels: England's only openly gay active footballer reveals Tom Daley spired him to e out. Jt Fashanu: LGBTQ+ Norwich fan group raisg money to stall statue of first openly gay footballer.

At that age you don't really thk that football and beg gay don't mix. In school people even ed to ask me: "Are you sure you aren't gay?

It's been subject of beg gay, or bi or queer men's football is still a taboo. And people see beg gay as beg weak, somethg you n be picked on for on the football field.

JAKE DANIELS BE UK'S FIRST ACTIVE MALE PROFSNAL FOOTBALLER TO E OUT PUBLICLY AS GAY - REACTN

Of urse I am aware that there will be a reactn to this and some of will be homophobic, maybe a stadium and on social 's an easy thg for people to target. Football v Homophobia: "Football v Homophobia would like to ngratulate Jake on takg this step to share his thentic self the men's profsnal game, pecially at such a young age. "There have prevly been players who felt that they had no place the game as out gay men durg their playg reers, but Jake is showg the world that you n be yourself.

To e out publicly as the first openly gay player men's profsnal football the UK the last 30 years tak urage.

JACK GREALISH PRAIS ‘URAGE’ OF GAY FOOTBALLER JAKE DANIELS: ‘IT’S A MASSIVE STEP FORWARD’

The 17-year-old Blackpool player is one of jt a few players around the world to e out as gay. Jake Daniels has e out as gay, makg him the only active male profsnal footballer the UK to do so, and one of a handful 17-year-old Blackpool forward ma a ground-breakg announcement at the end of his first season wh the Champnship club.

OPENLY GAY FOOTBALLER JAKE DANIELS, 18, MET ‘SOULMATE’ MARK, 46, AFTER HE SLID TO HIS DMS WHEN HE ME OUT

I’ve known my whole life that I’m gay, and I now feel that I’m ready to e out and be myself. ”Daniels said he was spired by Alai Uned's Josh Cavallo, who is the only openly gay man currently playg top-flight football around the women’s football featur many proment LGBT+ players, the men’s profsnal game lacks players who are publicly gay.

JACKSONVILLE JAGUARS KEV MAXEN BE FIRST PROFSNAL MALE ACH TO E OUT AS GAY

”Activists have long been bemoang a lack of progrs men's football on homosexualy.

In 1990, English footballer Jt Fashanu was the last male profsnal who publilly me out as gay. Meanwhile, former German ternatnal Thomas Hzlsperger me out as gay 2014, a year after his retirement. Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp says he was proud of Jake Daniels for beg the first active profsnal player to e out publicly as gay sce 1990, while Jack Grealish believ is a "massive step forward" Monday, 17-year-old Daniels told Sky Sports he felt now was the right time to tell his story at the end of a season where he sred more than 30 goals and ma his profsnal but the now hop to bee a role mol for other players to feel fortable enough to e out, if they want to, wh people across the football world and beyond showg their support for the teenager.

JAGS' MAXEN IS FIRST MALE AMERIN PRO SPORTS ACH TO E OUT AS GAY

Manchter Cy's Jack Grealish prais Daniels' cisn to e out publicly as gay and says reprents a massive step forward for football. 'Football has a place for everyone'Daniels ced Alai Uned's Josh Cavallo, the only current top-flight male profsnal footballer to e out as gay, as an spiratn behd his cisn to speak out, a pot the Atralian said was a "wonrful feelg" after learng of the said: "As myself and Alai Uned prepare for the A-League Semi Fal, I want to stop and take a moment to acknowledge Jake's announcement and say how very proud I am for his bravery! Daniels was spired by Matt Morton, a player-manager for nth-tier Thetford Town, before cidg to e out publicly after seeg his own story of beg an openly gay man Morton, who offered support to Daniels the months leadg up to his g out, says is the teenager who should be praised for the bravery he has shown this week.

"He's a 17-year-old kid who's had the urage to e out on natnal televisn, havg jt signed a profsnal ntract, and announce to the world that he's gay. Gary Neville and Jamie Carragher have praised Jake Daniels after the 17-year-old me out as gay, scribg his announcement as an important day the history of English football.

JAKE DANIELS BE FIRST UK MALE FOOTBALLER TO E OUT AS GAY SCE 1990

We have been drsg rooms for many, many years and that would seem like the unthkable to announce that you are gay.

"I was on the PFA management mtee probably 15 to 20 years ago now whereby this was a major talkg pot, a major issue at management mtee meetgs that we did not have a player fortable enough to e out and say they were gay. England Rugby head ach Eddie Jon praised Daniels and said he hoped uld provi an spiratn for gby unn, where there have been siarly few openly gay players.

JAKE DANIELS: BLACKPOOL FOOTBALLER, 17, OUT, BEG ONLY OPENLY GAY MALE PROFSNAL FOOTBALLER BRA

That has taken more than three s sce the last male profsnal footballer this untry felt fortable enough to do so suggts a ntug culture of homophobia football that is horrendoly out of step wh morn tim. "The Commtee prevly lled for chang to the Football Offenc Act to make homophobic abe a crimal offence. Manchter Cy star Jack Grealish has appld fellow footballer Jake Daniels’ urageo cisn to e out publicly as gay.

Jake Daniels, who plays forward for Blackpool, publicly announced he was gay earlier this week an exclive terview wh Sky Sports.

BLACKPOOL FOOTBALLER JAKE DANIELS BE FIRST ACTIVE OPENLY GAY PROFSNAL PLAYER BRA

Fashanu tragilly died by suici 1998 after years of relentls racism and homophobia. Openly gay footballer Jake Daniels, 18, met ‘soulmate’ Mark, 46, after he slid to his DMs when he me out. Jake Daniels ‘uld not be more happy’ after g out as gay last year (Picture: @BlackpoolFC)Blackpool FC star Jake Daniels has opened up on how he met his ‘soulmate’ the days after he publicly me out as gay.

The footballer, 18, last year beme the first player the top four men’s divisns to e out as gay 32 years, sce Jt Fashanu 1990.

The young star had battled ncerns about g out, worryg would affect his future transfer chanc and admtg he wouldn’t have felt ‘safe’ playg last year’s World Cup, where homosexualy is crimalised.

SPORTBLACKPOOL'S JAKE DANIELS, SPIRED BY ALAI'S UNED JOSH CAVALLO, OUT AS GAY

He knew he was gay om a young age, he add, but told nobody as he was aaid his iends would treat him differently.

In a msage to his mother and sister, the first people he told he was gay, he wrote that nobody else uld know yet ‘bee of the job I’m .

In his ndid terview wh Sky Sports last year, he said he was ‘probably five or six years old when I knew I was gay. MORE: Jake Daniels offers help to Premier League footballers nsirg g out as gay. MORE: Jake Daniels me out as gay after watchg Tom Daley’s alternative Christmas speech: ‘I watched that msage over and over’.

JAKE DANIELS OVERWHELMED BY SUPPORT AFTER BEG UK'S FIRST ACTIVE MALE PROFSNAL FOOTBALLER TO E OUT AS GAY

Michael Sam beme the first openly gay player to be drafted when the then-St.

GAY FOOTBALLER JOSH CAVALLO WOULD BE ‘SRED’ TO PLAY AT WORLD CUP QATAR

-- Jaguars assistant strength and ndng ach Kev Maxen has bee the first male ach major Amerin men's profsnal sports to publicly e out as gay, tellg he ma the cisn bee he didn't want to hi who he is any longer and to possibly spire others siar 's a cisn and move that drew praise and support om owner Shad Khan, who was a vol and emphatic supporter of a cy ordance that expand protectns on the grounds of sexual orientatn, genr inty and genr exprsn. Outsi lebacker Carl Nassib beme the first active NFL player to e out as gay and to play a game Associated Prs ntributed to this report. The Jacksonville Jaguars’ assistant strength and ndng ach, Kev Maxen, has ma history by beg the first male ach profsnal sports the Uned Stat to publicly e out as gay an exclive terview wh “I don’t want to feel like I have to thk about anymore, ” Maxen told Outsports the terview.

The Blackpool forward Jake Daniels has end s of silence wh men’s football to bee the first player the UK to e out as gay sce Jt Fashanu 1990. Photograph: Pl Dennis/TGS Photo/ShutterstockDaniels’s revelatn is a strikg landmark that when men’s football is more engaged wh social issu than any recent time, but still unable to ce progrs LGBTQ reprentatn wh the year Alai Uned’s Josh Cavallo beme the only male top-flight profsnal footballer the world to e out as gay, but others are yet to follow.

JACKSONVILLE JAGUARS ASSISTANT COACH KEV MAXEN COM OUT AS GAY HISTORIC ANNOUNCEMENT

In six months the men’s World Cup will be played Qatar, where homosexualy is illegal, and Cavallo revealed to the Guardian he would be “sred” to play at the tournament, the pnacle of world English football specifilly, the shadow of the talented and unfulfilled Fashanu still lgers over the game.

The England ternatnal me out at the end of his reer and was to take his own life eight years later, Fashanu, Jt’s niece, who ns a charable foundatn his name, said that Daniels’s cisn would “e as a huge fort to the many footballers at all levels of the game still secretly livg as gay and who still feel unable to e out”.

Blackpool Football Club player Jake Daniels has bee the first active male profsnal to e out as openly gay Bra three 17-year-old ma the announcement on Sky News and says he wanted to do so to "break the stigma" said he had been hidg who he really is and "now feel that I’m ready to e out and be myself. "Jake Daniels (left) be the first openly gay footballer Bra.

FAMEWATCHER SEARCH PRIMARY MENU SKIP TO NTENT HOMECELEBRY HAIR TRANSPLANTCELEBRY PLASTIC SURGERYCELEBRY LEATHER JACKETBODY SHAPER SEARCH FOR: SPORTS IS SO GAYGAY NFL PLAYERS: OUT OR RUMORED GAY AMERIN FOOTBALL JOCKS

It is not jt footballers who have shown their support for Jake, celebri have also celebrated his urage, cludg Eddie Izzard who said: "I salute you, Jake"Liz Ward, director of programm at Stonewall, a lbian, gay, bisexual and transgenr rights chary, said: “To e out publicly as the UK’s first openly gay profsnal footballer nearly 30 years tak credible urage, and we’re heartened by the solidary and support he has received om Blackpool FC and his team-mat.

Blackpool striker Jake Daniels has bee the first active profsnal male footballer England to e out as gay  more than 30 pots:The Blackpool FC teenager said he was spired by Alai Uned player Josh Cavallo who me out last yearDaniels said he had "hated lyg my whole life and feelg the need to change to f "England's Football Associatn has thrown s support behd DanielsThe 17-year-old said he was spired by the example of Alai Uned midfielr Josh Cavallo, who beme the first openly gay male player a top-flight petn when he me out last year.

I've known my whole life that I'm gay, and I now feel that I'm ready to e out and be myself.

JAGUARS ASSISTANT KEV MAXEN BE FIRST MALE ACH MAJOR MEN'S PRO SPORTS TO INTIFY AS GAY

"The only openly gay man to have prevly played as a full-time profsnal England was Jt Fashanu.

Blackpool's Jake Daniels out as gayKlopp: Football will support Daniels | Grealish: A massive step forward'Incredible urage': Sport reacts as Jake Daniels out as gay.