this post was submitted on 23 Nov 2023
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No matter what people on Reddit say, this guy’s views are important. He is a gay footballer, he isn’t just a gay fan who can justify it away because they support Liverpool or England. He has experiences on the pitch, he’s heard the vitriol that fans come out with and there stood Henderson. A man who decided to become a face of LGBTQ inclusion in football, who subsequently abandoned it all for a big ol’ bag of cash.
If he’s saying it was disappointing it must be disappointing for so many players who aren’t out yet. I’m a member of the community and it does really fucking suck to see good representation disappear like it never mattered.
Good on Jake for having the guts to talk about it, even when he’s going to get some horrible comments about his identity in return. Henderson has done damage to the progression of inclusion in football full stop, fuck, I’d argue EA managed to do more to raise awareness with including women’s players in FUT who are often queer too and they’re solely motivated by money.
Man could have had both, now nobody will touch him with a bargepole post retirement.
You couldn't have said it any better. There's probably players out there who wanted to come out and the support of players like Henderson would have been encouraging, but now that he's done this what are those players going to think? That their peers supporting them are actually just doing it for money and don't care at all about you or your struggles? I hope it doesn't make those considering coming out to change their minds.
It will impact them 100%. Young gay players have no role models to look up to really, they need allies to communicate that hate is unacceptable. Henderson did that and undid it just as quickly. I don’t think people clock that a gay footballer will have the same role models as a straight one purely because there is nobody else so having that extra bit of support, to say “the England captain supports me and others like me”… is so important to younger kids.
Jake will hopefully have a decent little career and be a role model for others too, but that’s years down the line now. Hope he’s doing okay, lad is only 18. Second year of college age, lot to deal with and speaking to the BBC is very brave.
Yeah to come out at such a young age in the current football environment is insane, hopefully it inspires the next generation.
It is, but I still think the fact he's the only one, and barely a pro, and the last one killed himself over it before I was even born, is a huge problem. As in a how tf are we throwing a high horse over this, level of huge.
If I was the "Saudi PR team" I'd be chucking the bag and another bag but gold-plated at this bloke, manage to sign him and it's suddenly 🇸🇦1-0🏴 for openly-gay pro players in the leagues.
I'm queer myself and it feels like famous people only support us when it's convenient for them, and good for PR. So yeah disappointing af
It’s the reaction that’s the problem. There will be loads of gay footballers out there, but I imagine most of them just want to live their lives. They want to be known as themselves and not just based on one minor characteristic (sexual identity). Anyone who comes out just becomes the “gay footballer”.
This lad is the perfect example. If he wasn’t gay none of us would know or care who he was. This sort of reaction undermines the wider cause and makes it less likely for the more prominent footballers to come out.
Kind of agree, but feel like that problem goes away once a handful have come out.
It's a double-edge sword, in order to truly live as a gay player without anyone caring, a few are gonna have to go through being one and ppl caring about it.
He very well may not end up being a professional footballer. He’s famous for being gay. He’s 18, and has five appearances in the 7th Tier of the football pyramid.
Let’s say he is released (and the incredible backlash Blackpool will get despite treating him the same as all other players who don’t have the required talent to get a contract, and aren’t owed a living based on their identity or politics). What then? He’s going to be some sort of Brooklyn Beckham figure getting signed for PR unless he concentrates on his football and pushes on.
What a strange comment.
Why does any of this matter?
And no, I really doubt Blackpool will get a bad reputation for releasing him if it came to that, what do you think of the LGBTQ community if that’s your anticipated reaction? Sure, maybe some people will be disappointed that he might not make it but they’re not going to label the football club homophobic, especially considering he’s one of the very few openly gay footballers!
If anything he’d praise Blackpool for making him comfortable enough to reveal it.
No need to look for something that isn’t there, or to make a point that’s wholly irrelevant to the wider conversation.
Thanks though
It doesn’t, just as his opinion doesn’t matter.
But what’s strange is seeing thousands of people obsessed over a 17 year olds sex life. There’s a word for people who sexualise children, I believe.
Thanks though.
This is bullshit. Colin Martin was the first openly gay player to play in any top division football league. He played for The Loons in the MLS, who I am a supporter of. When he came out we all loved him. I’m gay and so he became a favorite of mine. But he wasn’t good enough to keep playing and was eventually released by the club. The Loons did not receive any backlash for the decision
You’ve fabricated a scenario in your head that has no basis in reality
What's your point? Do you think he doesn't realize he has to work hard? Do you think he wants to be treated any differently?
Preach it sister 🙌🏻
If he hadn’t have said a word about the LGBT community and then fucked off to Saudi, obvs the impact would be considerably lessened. But don’t use our community as a platform to get brownie points when you truly couldn’t give a shit either way