Two athlet recently g out has highlighted the arth of openly gay players the world of U.S. men's profsnal sports, often dubbed "the last closet" for s lack of LGBTQ reprentatn.
Contents:
- TWO TOP GAY FOOTBALLERS STAY CLOSET
- HERE ARE EIGHT OUT AND PROUD MALE GAY FOOTBALLERS
- KEV MAXEN BE FIRST MALE ACH A US MEN’S PROFSNAL SPORTS LEAGUE TO PUBLICLY E OUT AS GAY
- IN A FIRST FOR THE NFL, JAGUARS ACH OUT AS GAY
- WHY THERE ARE FEW OPENLY GAY ATHLET IN MEN'S PROFSNAL SPORTS
TWO TOP GAY FOOTBALLERS STAY CLOSET
Max Clifford says football 'steeped homophobia' as FA reveals Premier League stars are reluctant to speak up for gay rights * gay footballers in the closet *
Sign up to Miguel Delaney’s Readg the Game newsletter sent straight to your box for eeSign up to Miguel’s Delaney’s ee weekly newsletter Bra's foremost PR advisor, Max Clifford, told The Inpennt on Sunday last night that he has reprented two high-profile gay Premier League footballers the past five years and has advised them to stay the closet bee football "remas the dark ag, steeped homophobia" the wake of the Wal and Lns gby ternatnal Gareth Thomas g out yterday, Clifford says he nnot foree a proment footballer dog the same the near future. "You look across society and see openly gay people mic, movi, televisn, polics, the clergy, and 's not a problem, nor many sports.
HERE ARE EIGHT OUT AND PROUD MALE GAY FOOTBALLERS
Here's a list of gay players who ma to the end zone. * gay footballers in the closet *
"The IoS n also reveal that a Football Associatn anti-homophobia mpaign has been stalled partly bee s anisers have failed to secure big-name Premier League players to speak out agast homophobia a film that would be screened at grounds around the untry.
KEV MAXEN BE FIRST MALE ACH A US MEN’S PROFSNAL SPORTS LEAGUE TO PUBLICLY E OUT AS GAY
Beg an out gay man and a soccer player is still somethg that’s greeted wh homophobia. See eight out and proud male gay footballers. * gay footballers in the closet *
"Unfortunately there seems to be a reluctance by some players and some clubs to speak up for gay rights, " says Peter Clayton, who chairs the FA's "Homophobia Football" workg group.
IN A FIRST FOR THE NFL, JAGUARS ACH OUT AS GAY
Kev Maxen has bee the first male ach a US men’s profsnal sports league to e out as gay. * gay footballers in the closet *
"There are gay players the top divisn English football, and some of them are out to their clubs and team-mat and nobody giv a jot. But there is a reluctance by some players and clubs to make public appeals agast homophobia, perhaps through fear they would be thought of as gay themselv.
"There has only been one openly gay man English profsnal football, Jt Fashanu, who was tnted, bullied, and killed himself 1998.
Clifford add: "I've had two high-profile Premier League football clients the past five years who've been gay or bisexual and my advice has been not to make that public. When Kansas State offensive tackle and NFL hopeful Stt Frantz me out to the natn as gay last week, he shared that his teammat, to whom he'd e out earlier, had warmly received the news, a sign the most alpha of locker rooms may fally be ready for equaly. Here's a list of players llege and pro ball who have proved you n be gay or bi and still n the KopayRunng back Dave Kopay, who signed wh the San Francis 49ers 1964, would play for five teams before hangg up his jersey 1972.
WHY THERE ARE FEW OPENLY GAY ATHLET IN MEN'S PROFSNAL SPORTS
* gay footballers in the closet *
Coach Vce Lombardi had apparently nfid Smh that he knew of his sexualy but would never let impact him negatively; Lombardi's brother was also gay.
Yet he nspicuoly has never been ducted to the NFL Hall of SimmonsRoy "Sugar Bear" Simmons, an offensive leman for the New York Giants and Washgton Redsks, beme the send NFL player ever to publicly reveal he was gay. So Coach Vce Lombardi knew McDonald was gay when he took over learship of the team 1969, but ma clear there would be no discrimatn his locker room, those close to the legend say. He would e out to HBO Sports 2002, where he discsed lghg off gay jok and slurs for years while he played DavisCornerback Wa Davis, who played preason wh the Tennsee Tans, Seattle Seahawks and Washgton Redsks and spent two seasons wh NFL Europe teams Berl Thunr and Barcelona Dragons, me out as gay 2012, nearly a after his retirement.