Thomas Beattie: Football distracted me om acceptg I'm gay | Football News | Sky Sports

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Amal Fashanu, whose uncle was Bra's first and only openly gay male profsnal footballer, tells Sky News the foundatn dited to him is offerg support to two Premier League players who are yet to e out publicly.

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

Blackpools Jake Daniels tells his story to Sky Sports about beg the UKs first male profsnal footballer to e out publicly as gay sce Jt Fashanu 1990 * sky sports gay football *

"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: 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.

PROFSNAL REFEREE RYAN ATK SAYS BEG OPENLY GAY FOOTBALL SHOULD HOLD NO FEARS

Two ach who are gay - one workg the Southern League, and one womens and girls football - jo a referee whos transgenr to discs their experienc * sky sports gay football *

And people see beg gay as beg weak, somethg you n be picked on for on the football field.

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. Referee Ryan Atk has spoken to Sky Sports about his life and experienc as a gay man workg football, makg him the sport's first publicly 'out' profsnal official the 32-year-old says his cisn to share his story - scribed as "an important moment" for the sport by the Football Associatn's Head of Senr Referee Development, Neale Barry - has been prompted by the recent strengtheng of mments ma by the game's erng bodi to lbian, gay, bisexual and transgenr (LGBT) cln. The FA, the Premier League and the EFL are among the anisatns supportg Stonewall's Rabow Lac mpaign, which is raisg awarens across sport of anti-LGBT language and behavur that mak gay, bi and trans people feel unwele and believ beg open about his own sexualy will help to monstrate the mpaign's impact football, sayg to all volved the game: "Be who you want to be, and accept someone for who they are.

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

Sharg his story of beg a gay footballer has been liberatg for Thomas Beattie. He talks to Sky Sports about mental health, the jury that end his playg reer, and fdg a sense of Pri * sky sports gay football *

In an -pth terview wh Sky Sports, Atk explas: "Beg gay don't matter the ntext of refereeg a football match but if I'm speakg about equaly and diversy, then I'm gog to mentn that I'm gay bee 's relevant. "Homophobia is still a problem, but thgs are improvg all the time. A gay footballer's story.

Atk is enuraged by visible evince of the changg culture football, and hop more alli will feel nfint speakg out agast homophobia. "For me, beg gay has helped my reer - massively. Havg e out as a teenager to his much olr team-mat while playg for his lol si Camberley Town, and fdg himself accepted, he managed to si-step the uncertaty that other gay or bisexual people tend to stggle wh, their formative adult the non-league scene, the 32-year-old is well nnected and much admired, and his visibily has grown followg media terviews given durg a Hartley FA Cup n back 2015.

THOMAS BEATTIE: FOOTBALL DISTRACTED ME OM ACCEPTG I'M GAY

Kev Maxen, an associate strength ach wh the Jacksonville Jaguars, has bee the first male ach a major Amerin sports league to e out as gay. * sky sports gay football *

"There's been many other gay people the game who have reached out to me for advice, or jt to make a ntact.

Hzlsperger's hope for gay players.

Referee outed as gay ws UK asylum. One of the perceptns about gay people, I feel, is that we're easily offend. "It's taken me a long time to realise I'm gay, " she says.

REFEREE RYAN ATK ON BEG GAY FOOTBALL, RABOW LAC AND LGBT CLN

Mark McAdam, a sportsster for Sky Sports, has e out as gay. He also took off all of his cloth, which we're not mad at. * sky sports gay football *

Later, the FA will host s annual receptn to mark LGBT History Month the UK, wh this Febary also markg the 10th anniversary of the Football v Homophobia attendance at the natnal stadium who have perceptns and expectatns of what might be like to be out football may be pleasantly surprised when they listen to Tuffs and Clark tell their stori of acceptance at semi-pro level the men's game. Tuffs accepts he is harned to certa language, words that uld make a closeted gay player retreat to his or her shell, particularly if mised or taken out of ntext. O'Connor c the homophobic abe directed at Macclfield manager Sol Campbell by a sectn of Cheltenham fans at a recent game.

MARK MCADAM, BRISH SPORTSSTER, OUT AS GAY AND IMMEDIATELY GETS NAKED

* sky sports gay football *

"Tuffs rells an cint at a Hartley game over a year ago, when members of the opposn bench tried to show they knew he was gay orr to unsettle him, only to then embarrass themselv.

GAY PREMIER LEAGUE FOOTBALLER 'VERY LIKELY' TO E OUT NEXT YEAR, SAYS JT FASHANU'S NIECE

' I said back, 'I'm not trans, I'm gay'... "I know a few people higher up the game who are gay, and I thk you'll fd the ma thg they thk about is 'am I gog to get another ntract?

'"The chanc of a pro gettg another ntract are very low as is, so though open homophobia is not tolerated, people may still hold those views. A manager lookg at a player he knows or thks is gay might jt say, 'oh, we won't sign him, he's not quick enough'.

*BEAR-MAGAZINE.COM* SKY SPORTS GAY FOOTBALL

Profsnal referee Ryan Atk says beg openly gay football should hold no fears | Football News | Sky Sports .

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