UK's first active male professional footballer to come out publicly as gay

[bluesteve1964]

Well done Jake,
My wife works with Jakes mum so have been aware of this announcement for a while. It has been an anxious time for them but hopefully now it is in the open Jake can concentrate on his career.
He is a very good player and stood out in Blackpool's recent FAYC match with Chelsea where he scored and nearly got a late equalizer in a 3-2 defeat, Great awareness, good shot and an eye for a goal. Massive step up to the first team but fingers crossed for him,
Hopefully in the future we will just be talking about a players ability irrespective of their sexuality,
Good luck Jake

 

[Lauz9888]

Justin Fashanu played for us in '89, so it's a bit more than "highly likely" mate

Gaah, apologies. I meant someone we don't know about.

 

[SWP's back]

Gaah, apologies. I meant someone we don't know about.

The odds are we have a gay player in the mens team right now.

 

[Dobsy]

What odds on Millwall vs Blackpool being their opening fixture next season?

Millwall funds a gay team in the local area and they are playing a league fixture at The Den tomorrow.

 

[Mon Autre]

You should listen to Justin Fashnu’s daughter, she’s actively challenging gay players to come out, it’s fuck all to do with her. It’s an individual’s choice, I like to look at it a bit like someone who’s vegetarian, it has no bias for me, I’m really not interested in their private lives.

Amal Fashanu is John Fashanu's daughter, not Justin's, and she also doesn't speak for or act on behalf of the LGBT community. She's founded her own foundation in response to her own family trauma and seems to behave in a very clumsy way. She might see herself as an ally but she's been asked to stop what she's doing (leaking letters to the press etc) by some prominent members of the LGBT community. So, my point to poster I was responding to still stands. It was a strange thread for him to shoehorn in a bizarre rant about the LGBT community.

 

[Protein Junkie]

In the 2020s I don’t see why people need to “come out”. Being gay is as normal as being straight these days. If one of my mates “came out” to me I’d probably say something like “oh right, nice one, see the footy last night?”

Who gives a shit who people are attracted to? It’s nobody’s business but their own.

My sentiments exactly

 

[BlueRockape]

In the 2020s I don’t see why people need to “come out”. Being gay is as normal as being straight these days. If one of my mates “came out” to me I’d probably say something like “oh right, nice one, see the footy last night?”

Who gives a shit who people are attracted to? It’s nobody’s business but their own.

Having a Son who is Gay it dosent make me love him any less.
I don't understand what the problem is any of us can have gay children it's just a fact of life

 

[KS55]

Gary Lineker has said lots will follow. Doubt it. Nobody followed Fashanu. For gay players, the Neanderthals on the terraces are of little account, it’s those in the dressing room they are wary of.
Well played and good luck, Jake.

 

[hammocity]

Amal Fashanu is John Fashanu's daughter, not Justin's, and she also doesn't speak for or act on behalf of the LGBT community. She's founded her own foundation in response to her own family trauma and seems to behave in a very clumsy way. She might see herself as an ally but she's been asked to stop what she's doing (leaking letters to the press etc) by some prominent members of the LGBT community. So, my point to poster I was responding to still stands. It was a strange thread for him to shoehorn in a bizarre rant about the LGBT community.

Fair comment, I know she was agitating some people with her subjective way of promoting her cause, she was on the radio and I instantly disliked what she was saying and the way she said it. She clearly has an appetite to force a Premier League footballer to come out which is nothing to do with her, it’s all about what the individual is comfortable with.

 

[Mon Autre]

Fair comment, I know she was agitating some people with her subjective way of promoting her cause, she was on the radio and I instantly disliked what she was saying and the way she said it. She clearly has an appetite to force a Premier League footballer to come out which is nothing to do with her, it’s all about what the individual is comfortable with.

For sure it's literally nobody else's business when someone chooses to come out. But it's important that everyone who wants to (or simply wants to get on with their life and their job quietly without their sexuality being weaponised against them) has space to do so safely and without fear of being marginalised. I think we also forget that a lot of promising young athletes quit sport all together when they realise they're gay. I'd like to think that seeing Jake Daniels having the confidence to be himself will encourage other young players to stay in the game too.