Each of Ameri’s big 5 sports currently has an out gay man the pros. That’s never happened - Outsports

football gay relationship

Kev Maxen, an assistant strength and ndng ach for the NFL's Jacksonville Jaguars, has bee the first male ach major U.S. profsnal men's sports to publicly e out as gay.

Contents:

MEET THE 16 OUT GAY AND BI FOOTBALL PLAYERS THE NFL’S 103-YEAR HISTORY

The league, fans and teammat have shown support for gay and bisexual players. So why is so hard for to rema dog the job we love? * football gay relationship *

10:48Download AudCopy the below to embed the WBUR d player on your seRumeWhen Las Vegas Rairs football player Carl Nassib me out as gay last summer, he received praise for his honty and bravery. But spe supportive ial reactns, the first openly gay active player NFL history is now whout a ’s not alone. Instanc of homophobia stadiums, locker rooms and fandom still perlate.

One example Rsell pots to is former Las Vegas Rairs ach Jon Gn, whose misogynistic, racist and homophobic emails om 2010 to 2018 were tailed by The New York Tim 2021.

”Back 2019, queer former NFL player Ryan O’Callahan said there was at least one player on every NFL team who is gay or bisexual. Wh no openly gay players England’s top four divisns, and only one man Premier League history to publicly e out, an ongog, outdated taboo clearly persists men’s football.

KEV MAXEN BE FIRST MALE ACH A US MEN’S PROFSNAL SPORTS LEAGUE TO PUBLICLY E OUT AS GAY

Carl Nassib is the first to ever play a down as openly gay, but the rt are still trailblazers. * football gay relationship *

The attu towards homosexualy om fans the game was found to be a large fluence on how accepted many feel football spac. It was found that homosexual fans will stop gog to football stadiums on a match day as mascule behavur om fans and explic ments ma n leave them feelg exclud.

NFL PROUDLY CLAR 'FOOTBALL IS GAY' NEW VIO

Kev Maxen has bee the first male ach a US men’s profsnal sports league to e out as gay. * football gay relationship *

The feelgs are fact agreed wh by straight fans, who feel is hard for homosexuals to get volved all aspects of football due to a great al of the social relatnships built football spac beg based on typilly straight iologi.

PREMIER LEAGUE TEAMMAT ARE ‘OPEN’ ABOUT BEG A GAY RELATNSHIP

The Natnal Football League clared, "Football is gay," a vio shared on Twter on Monday rponse to player Carl Nassib's g out. * football gay relationship *

However, was also found that the negative impact of the fans is pennt on how much homosexual dividuals let such ments affect them.

TWO PREMIER LEAGUE TEAMMAT ARE A RELATNSHIP AND OPEN ABOUT BEG A GAY UPLE

Two Premier League players the same team are a relatnship — and are open about beg a gay uple. * football gay relationship *

Some homosexual fans explaed they aren’t phased about any homophobic ments om other fans.

Perhaps this is a sign that a tolerance of homophobic abe has been built the game. While was found that fans would be supportive of players if they were to e out, there was ncern there is an ial embrace of a player’s homosexualy, yet is felt the petive nature of football will overri this and make fans’ attus and behavurs change, g sexualy as an sult game suatns.

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

TWO Premier League players the same team are a relatnship — and open about beg a gay although ’s no secret the drsg * football gay relationship *

This was found to be a possible reason as to why no player has e out - such ments would fluence a homosexual players’ sense of acceptance if they were to e out. It was also found that olr fans currently show signs of hancy when acceptg gay members to their group of fans, which n be attributed to the outdated views of prev generatns.

This aga monstrat how the age of the fan is a factor their levels of tolerance towards homosexualy.

NFL ACH BE FIRST MALE ACH MAJOR U.S. MEN’S PRO SPORTS TO E OUT AS GAY

Jacksonville Jaguars’ assistant ach Kev Maxen has ma history by beg the first male ach profsnal sports the U.S. to publicly e out as gay. * football gay relationship *

It was also found that the media is an fluence as to why a profsnal footballer has not yet felt they are able to e out as gay while playg. The rpons found the media are obssively prsg for a footballer to e out as gay, which dissuas footballers om wantg to e out. The fluence of teammat was also still found to be a ntributg factor to the sense of cln for homosexuals.

It was nclud havg teammat who origate om cultur or religns that are ls acceptg of homosexualy hrs cln. Dpe this feelg of embrace, there is still mand for gay work teams which have risen promence and numbers recently.

The rearch found that the teams n offer homosexuals a way to feel clud the sport. This monstrat a strong relatnship between homosexualy, football and the wir muny and also shows a difference between the grassroots and profsnal game as such attempts are not ma at a profsnal level. It has ultimately arisen om the rearch that the environment created for homosexuals football spac is the power of the fans which shows the power we have to nstct a sense of place (Tuan, 1975).

‘I HAVE BEEN FIGHTG MY SEXUALY’: A-LEAGUE MEN PLAYER JOSH CAVALLO OUT AS GAY

* football gay relationship *

The rearch fdgs are supported by Dick (2009) who found seven ten fans who have attend a match the last five years have heard anti-gay language and abe on the terrac which lks back to the origal lerature review which was found football is associated wh pictns of masculy. This suggts football has not progrsed s attus towards homosexualy, which do not support what was found om my terviewee rpons.

PREMIER LEAGUE FOOTBALL PLAYERS AN OPENLY GAY RELATNSHIP

Two Premier League Football players om the same team are reported to be a openly gay relatnship and have told their team. * football gay relationship *

This suggts the growth the acceptance of homosexualy is jt a perceptn created as people are more willg to talk about the issue, yet realy this do not mean homophobic abe stops. The notn that fans also have a direct impact on profsnal players is supported by Dick (2009) who found three five fans thk anti-gay abe om fans dissuas gay profsnal players om g out.

It is clear om the terviewe rpons and Dick’s rearch there is a fear for homophobia when football fans are large groups, which velops the pot of Davis McGowan (2014) that profsnal players have to nsir the reactn om fans before makg a cisn to e out. Therefore, there is a simultaneo sense of nfn across lerature and this rearch as to why grassroots gay work teams are required (Crafton, 2018). This is aga further supported by Jon and McCarthy (2010: 169) who cricise the teams for adoptg a new place and creatg a “gay ghetto” rather than operatg si by si wh other teams.

It was found that football is tradnally a game entrenched wh mascule valu, which prents a barrier for football beg clive to homosexualy. This is not the se at grassroots level however where teammat are more embracg of homosexualy due to beg practised for maly social reasons. Therefore, the prence of gay work teams is found to be nsired as preventg progrsn of the issue.

WHY THERE ARE FEW OPENLY GAY ATHLET IN MEN'S PROFSNAL SPORTS

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. * football gay relationship *

Otherwise, we create a pattern of celebratg an athlete’s bravery while also cuttg their reer off at the exampl offer utnary Michael Sam told the world he was gay, he was drafted the seventh round 2014, the lowt pick of any SEC fensive player of the year. Dpe reachg out several tim, I haven’t spoken to my sports agent aga to this 2021, Carl beme the first NFL player on an active roster to e out as gay. The NFL has played for more than 100 years and there have been 16 gay or bi players to e out publicly.

16 and the first one to e out as gay while on an active roster. Over the years, Outsports has known of a few other players who are gay but have never e out, even when retired. The NFL Network produced a documentary on Smh beg gay.

Jenks is gay and this was the the first time he wily discsed his sexual orientatn.

EACH OF AMERI’S BIG 5 SPORTS CURRENTLY HAS AN OUT GAY MAN THE PROS. THAT’S NEVER HAPPENED

For the first time, pro baseball, basketball, football, hockey and soccer has an out gay male player unr ntract. * football gay relationship *

In June, Carl Nassib of the Rairs me out as gay. Kev Maxen has bee the first male ach a US men’s profsnal sports league to e out as gay.

PREMIER LEAGUE FOOTBALLERS OPENLY GAY RELATNSHIP AMID WORLD CUP NTROVERSY

It has been almost a year sce Josh Cavallo announced he is gay, but even now he still stggl to prehend the far-reachg impact his announcement has had – pecially as he has begun to speak out on major issu, notably the Qatar World Cup. * football gay relationship *

Per Outsports, as of September 2022, there have only ever been 16 players NFL history to publicly e out as gay or bisexual. Carl Nassib beme the first active NFL player league history to announce that he is gay 2021.

Per Outsports, Maxen is the “first publicly out male ach a major Amerin men’s pro sports league, ” wh WNBA ach Curt Miller, who publicly me out to the media as gay 2015, also a publicly out male ach an Amerin profsnal sports league. In a vio shared on Twter on Monday, the Natnal Football League clared, "Football is gay. "In whe letters on a black background, the word "gay" was then replaced wh words cludg "lbian, " "betiful, " "queer, " "transgenr, " "power" and "life.

GAY ATRALIAN FOOTBALLER JOSH CAVALLO SAYS WORLD CUP SHOULDN’T BE GOG TO QATAR, WHERE HOMOSEXUALY IS ILLEGAL

Nassib is the first active NFL player to e out as gay. Two Premier League players the same team are a relatnship — and are open about beg a gay relatnship is far om a secret wh the club’s four walls, but the pair are reluctant to e out and make a public announcement, The Sun reports.

”It was first revealed by The Sun earlier this year that a former England ternatnal and Premier League star is talks to film a documentary about potentially g put as the first openly gay player Engilsh football.

Alai Uned star Josh Cavallo last year beme the first Atralian male footballer to e out as gay while still playg.

JAGUARS ASSOCIATE STRENGTH ACH OUT AS GAY A FIRST FOR US-BASED PRO LEAGU

Brave Blackpool player Jake Daniels, 17, revealed he was gay May after gag the acceptance of was uproar this week when Qatari World Cup ambassador Khalid Salman scribed homosexualy as “a damage the md” an terview.

*BEAR-MAGAZINE.COM* FOOTBALL GAY RELATIONSHIP

R.K. Rsell reflects on the NFL's relatnship wh LGBTQ+ players, 3 years after g out as bi | Here & Now</tle><lk rel="nonil" href="><lk rel="alternate" type="applitn/rss+xml" tle="RSS" href="/wbur/rss"/><meta name="scriptn" ntent="The ee agent me out Augt of 2019. Now, he's among players stgglg to keep their jobs, even after much celebratn for their bravery g out."/><meta property="og:type" ntent="webse"/><meta property="og:tle" ntent="R.K. Rsell reflects on the NFL's relatnship wh LGBTQ+ players, 3 years after g out as bi"/><meta property="og:scriptn" ntent="The ee agent me out Augt of 2019. Now, he's among players stgglg to keep their jobs, even after much celebratn for their bravery g out."/><meta property="og:url" ntent="><meta property="og:image" ntent="><meta property="og:image:alt" ntent="R.K. Rsell speaks onstage durg A Night of Pri wh GLAAD and NFL on Febary 10, 2022 Los Angel, California. 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Rsell reflects on the NFL's relatnship wh LGBTQ+ players, 3 years after g out as bi</h1><span class="d-meta"><span class="article-d-duratn" aria-label="Aud Duratn">10:48</span><div class="article-d-opts"><a href=" class="article-d-dl" tle="Download the d" download="" role="button" tabx="0"><svg class="in in-download" viewBox="0 0 24 24" aria-labelledby="tle"><tle id="tle">Download Aud</tle><path class="path1" d="M15 2q1.828 0 3.496 0.715t2.871 1.918 1.918 2.871 0.715 3.496q0 1.992-0.82 3.766t-2.266 3.027-3.281 1.816l0.492-0.484q0.422-0.43 0.656-1 0.219-0.531 0.219-1.156 0-0.156-0.008-0.219 1.391-0.969 2.199-2.48t0.809-3.27q0-1.422-0.555-2.719t-1.492-2.234-2.234-1.492-2.719-0.555q-1.297 0-2.496 0.465t-2.109 1.262-1.523 1.906-0.793 2.367h-2.078q-1.656 0-2.828 1.172t-1.172 2.828q0 0.906 0.355 1.68t0.934 1.27 1.285 0.773 1.426 0.277h1.172q0.273 0.687 0.703 1.125l0.883 0.875h-2.758q-1.633 0-3.012-0.805t-2.184-2.184-0.805-3.012 0.805-3.012 2.184-2.184 3.012-0.805h0.516q0.617-1.742 1.859-3.098t2.973-2.129 3.652-0.773zM13 10q0.414 0 0.707 0.293t0.293 0.707v6.586l1.289-1.297q0.289-0.289 0.711-0.289 0.43 0 0.715 0.285t0.285 0.715q0 0.422-0.289 0.711l-3 3q-0.289 0.289-0.711 0.289t-0.711-0.289l-3-3q-0.289-0.305-0.289-0.711 0-0.414 0.293-0.707t0.707-0.293q0.422 0 0.711 0.289l1.289 1.297v-6.586q0-0.414 0.293-0.707t0.707-0.293z"></path></svg></a><button class="d-embed modal--toggle" tle="Embed on your webse"><svg class="in in-embed" viewBox="0 0 108 108" aria-labelledby="tle"><tle id="tle">Embed on your webse</tle><g><path d="M0,57.6l31,13.8v-9L9.6,54.3l-0.7-0.1v-0.2l0.7-0.1L31,45.6v-9L0,50.4V57.6z M37.3,87.5h8.3l24.1-67h-8.3L37.3,87.5z M75.9,36.6v8.9l22.4,8.2l0.7,0.2l0,0.2l-0.7,0.1l-22.4,8.4v8.9L108,57.6v-7.2L75.9,36.6z"></path></g></svg></button><div id="embed-player-modal" class="modal"><button class="modal-close modal--toggle" type="button"><span class="sr-only">Close</span><span aria-hidn="te">×</span></button><div class="modal-ner"><h3>Copy the below to embed the WBUR d player on your se</h3><p><textarea id="embed-player-"><iame width="100%" height="124" scrollg="no" ameborr="no" src=";</textarea></p><button class="modal-btn-py">Copy embed </button></div></div></div></span><a class="rd-actn playable" style="text-ratn:none" tle="Rume" tabx="0"><i class="in-play in-play--article"><span class="in-play-shape"><span class="in-label" data-note="for-screen-rears">Rume</span></span></i></a></div><div class="article-meta"><span class="article-meta-em--date"><span tle="Tuday, Augt 9th 2022, 11:47:23 am">Augt 09, 2022</span></span><ul class="article-meta-em--thorlist article-meta-group"><li class="article-meta-em article-meta-em--thor"><a class="article-meta-lk article-meta-em--thor" href="/si/staff/celte-headlee">Celte Headlee</a></li><li class="article-meta-em article-meta-em--thor"><a class="article-meta-lk article-meta-em--thor" href="/si/staff/thomas-danielian">Thomas Danielian</a></li><li class="article-meta-em article-meta-em--thor"><a class="article-meta-lk article-meta-em--thor" href="/si/staff/jeante-muhammad">Jeante Muhammad</a></li></ul><div class="article-share article-share-ins"><a href=" & target="_blank" rel="noreferrer" class="article-share-lk" tle="Share on Facebook"><svg class="in in-facebook" viewBox="0 0 128 128" role="img" width="24" aria-labelledby="tle"><tle id="tle">facebook</tle><path display="le" d="M120.1,0H8.2c-4.4,0-8,3.6-8,8v112c0,4.4,3.6,8,8,8h60.4V78.2h-16V59.8h16V43.9 c0-14.6,8.9-24.3,26.4-24.3c7.7,0,13.1,0.9,13.1,0.9V37h-12c-5.3,0-8,3-8,8.2v14.5h18.7l-2.7,18.4h-16v49.7h32c4.4,0,8-3.6,8-8V8 C128.1,3.6,124.5,0,120.1,0z"></path></svg></a><a href="mailto:?body=R.K. Rsell reflects on the NFL's relatnship wh LGBTQ+ players, 3 years after g out as R.K. Rsell reflects on the NFL's relatnship wh LGBTQ+ players, 3 years after g out as bi" class="article-share-lk" tle="Share by email"><svg class="in in-email" viewBox="0 0 128 128" width="20" aria-labelledby="tle"><tle id="tle">Email</tle><path display="le" d="M64.2,86.3l-64-48V104c0,4.4,3.6,8,8,8h112c4.4,0,8-3.6,8-8V38.4L64.2,86.3z M64.2,72l64-48 c0-4.4-3.6-8-8-8H8.2c-4.4,0-8,3.6-8,8L64.2,72z"></path></svg></a></div></div></hear><sectn class="article-sectn--lead-image article-sectn--lead-image--standard"><figure class="article-fig" style="aspect-rat:1000 / 667"><picture class="article-fig-ner"><img class="article-image" src=" alt="R.K. Rsell speaks onstage durg A Night of Pri wh GLAAD and NFL on Febary 10, 2022 Los Angel, California. (Rich Polk/Getty Imag for GLAAD)"/></picture><figptn class="article-fig-ptn">R.K. Rsell speaks onstage durg A Night of Pri wh GLAAD and NFL on Febary 10, 2022 Los Angel, California. (Rich Polk/Getty Imag for GLAAD)</figptn></figure></sectn><div class="article-sectns"><sectn class="article-sectn--ntent hang-punctuatn article-sectn--first article-sectn--centered"><p class="">When Las Vegas Rairs football player Carl Nassib me out as gay last summer, he received praise for his honty and bravery. But spe supportive ial reactns, the first openly gay active player NFL history is now whout a team.</p><p class="">He’s not alone. Former NFL player <a href=">R.K. Rsell</a> also found himself teamls and stgglg to fd a new one after g out as bisexual. When he ma the announcement Augt 2019, Rsell felt exced at first but also aaid of the rponse he would receive.</p><p class="nt-medium">“There's also the fear that beg the first active person to e out, that I won't sign another team. A fear that my lleagu won't unrstand, that I'll be shunned om the NFL, a league that is known to be very mascule, a manly man sport and tough,” Rsell says. “And a lot of the tim, culture tells that LGBTQ+ people aren't those thgs.”</p><p class="">Those fears were later found when Rsell’s opportuni wh the NFL evaporated. In an op-ed for <a href=">The Guardian</a> earlier this year, Rsell wrote that more attentn should be given to how players are treated after g out stead of only focg on their announcement.</p><p class="">Instanc of homophobia stadiums, locker rooms and fandom still perlate. One example Rsell pots to is former Las Vegas Rairs ach Jon Gn, whose misogynistic, racist and homophobic emails om 2010 to 2018 were tailed by <a href=">The New York Tim 2021</a>. While some wh the NFL say Gn is an outlier, Rsell disagre.</p><p class="nt-medium">“Even if this isn't a thread throughout the NFL or throughout male profsnal sports or leagu, 's somethg that's beg tolerated. It's somethg that's beg pacified,” Rsell says. “And a lot of the tim tolerance is even worse.”</p><p class="">Back 2019, queer former NFL player <a href=">Ryan O’Callahan</a> said there was at least one player on every NFL team who is gay or bisexual. Rsell remembers beg that posn but also unrstands NFL players are privileged. Many LGBTQ+ youth may not be able to e out at the risk of vlence, he says. A recent survey om <a href=">The Trevor Project</a> revealed that nearly half of LGBTQ+ youth serly nsired suici the past year. The survey also found anxiety and prsn were strongly prevalent among queer youth.</p><p class="">For LGBTQ+ kids hopg to bee NFL players, Rsell says he would tell them they n be whatever they want, echog a lson his mother tght him at a young age.</p><p class="nt-medium">“The person that you are is only fed by you,” he says. “There are people this league and this world that are jt like you.”</p><p class="">Sce leavg the NFL, Rsell says his life has been better than any year he spent the league. While there are still moments he wish he uld play, he says he’s proud of the person he is now.</p><p class="nt-medium">“At the end of the day, I loved what I did but I didn't love myself. I loved the guys my locker room, I loved that mararie and that brotherhood, but I didn't love me,” he says. “And that blocked any happs that I uld have got om playg football.”</p><hr/><p class=""><em><a href="> Thomas Danielian</a> produced and eded this terview for broadst wh <a href=">Todd Mundt</a>. <a href=">Jeante Muhammad</a> adapted for the web.</em></p></sectn></div><sectn class="article-sectn--story-group article-sectn--centered"><p class=""><em>This segment aired on Augt 9, 2022.</em></p></sectn><sectn class="article-sectn--story-group article-sectn--centered Tags_article-sectn--tags__NOKiB"><a data-ec="Article Tags" data-el="Here & Now: Edors' Picks" data-ea="Click" class="article-tag" href="/rad/programs/hereandnow/tag/here-and-now-edors-picks">Here & Now: Edors' Picks</a></sectn></article><sectn class="article-sectn--story-group article-sectn--centered"><div class="ntributor has-photo"><div class="ntributor-profile"><figure class="ntributor-profile-em ntributor-photo"><a href="/si/staff/celte-headlee"><picture><img src=" class="lazy rd-image" alt=""/></picture></a></figure><p class="ntributor-profile-em ntributor-b"><a class="ntributor-name" href="/si/staff/celte-headlee">Celte Headlee</a> <span class="ntributor-tle">Gut Host, Here & Now</span><br/>Celte Headlee is a gut host on Here & Now, wrer, journalist and thor of "Speakg of Race: Why Everybody Needs to Talk About Racism — and How to Do It."</p><p class="ntributor-more"><a class="ntributor-lk ntributor-b-lk" href="/si/staff/celte-headlee">More…</a></p></div></div><div class="ntributor has-photo"><div class="ntributor-profile"><figure class="ntributor-profile-em ntributor-photo"><a href="/si/staff/thomas-danielian"><picture><img src=" class="lazy rd-image" alt=""/></picture></a></figure><p class="ntributor-profile-em ntributor-b"><a class="ntributor-name" href="/si/staff/thomas-danielian">Thomas Danielian</a> <span class="ntributor-tle">Associate Producer, Here & Now</span><br/>Thomas Danielian is an associate producer for Here & Now.</p><p class="ntributor-more"><a class="ntributor-lk ntributor-b-lk" href="/si/staff/thomas-danielian">More…</a></p></div></div><div class="ntributor has-photo"><div class="ntributor-profile"><figure class="ntributor-profile-em ntributor-photo"><a href="/si/staff/jeante-muhammad"><picture><img src=" class="lazy rd-image" alt=""/></picture></a></figure><p class="ntributor-profile-em ntributor-b"><a class="ntributor-name" href="/si/staff/jeante-muhammad">Jeante Muhammad</a> <span class="ntributor-tle">Freelance Associate Producer, Here & Now</span><br/>Jeante Muhammad is a eelance assistant producer for Here & Now.</p><p class="ntributor-more"><a class="ntributor-lk ntributor-b-lk" href="/si/staff/jeante-muhammad">More…</a></p></div></div></sectn><sectn class="sectn--bo sectn--bp"><div class="uw bp--rponsive"><div class="bp-ner"><p class="bp-label">Advertisement</p><div class="bp-ntent bp-ntent--centered"><div style="width:300px;height:50px"></div></div></div></div></sectn><div></div><div class="global-d-ponents onmand--is-playg"><div class="global-player"><d preload="to"></d><div class="global-player-bar"><div class="global-player-bar-left"><button class="global-player-bar-ntrol"><i class="in-play in-play--global-player-bar in-play--psed"><span class="in-play-shape"><span class="in-label" data-note="for-screen-rears">Rume</span></span></i></button><div class="global-player-label global-player-label--live"><div class="global-player-channel"><span>Listen Live</span></div><div class="global-player-tle"><a class="global-player-label-lk" href="/">Loadg...</a></div></div></div><div class="global-player-bar-right"><div class="global-player-x"><svg class="in in-close" viewBox="0 0 24 24" aria-labelledby="tle"><tle id="tle">Close .

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