🔗 Share this article Identifying as LGBTQ+ in Men's Football: An Unwelcoming Atmosphere “We've got mountains to do” - the athlete on homophobia in soccer “You don't belong on this earth” ... “Why are you here?” ... “Don't take another breath.” Since revealing he was gay in 2021, footballer Josh Cavallo has faced constant threats and hateful comments on online platforms. “Upon reading those comments, I was devastated,” the player explains. “Nobody should have to endure such words. “I'm trying to get better as a player and be the best I can be during matches, and then face criticism because of who I am. It's appalling.” Midfielder the sportsman was at Adelaide United four years ago when he became the only openly gay elite soccer player in the world. This summer he departed from Australia to join lower-tier club Peterborough Sports, who play in front of crowds of about 400 in National League North, one level below of English football. This young athlete balances his sports career for the semi-professional team by advocating for LGBTQ+ issues and using his profile - boasting over a million followers on social media - to promote fairness and acceptance. “Definitely, we've got mountains to do,” Cavallo says when asked if football still has a problem with discrimination. “Rarely a week passes without encountering problems.” ‘People want to harm me’ The player was raised in Melbourne It took years for Cavallo to work up the courage to say “I'm gay” before revealing his sexuality on October 27th, 2021. “All I want to do is compete in soccer and receive fair treatment,” he said in an accompanying video. Cavallo was twenty-one and making a name for himself at his Australian club in the premier division when, backed by his colleagues, he publicly came out. “I didn't know what was ahead. I didn't know what to expect,” he says. “It felt like the right time in my life. I wanted to take the next step.” The heartfelt revelation clip, titled ‘Josh's Truth’, gained massive attention on digital platforms. “My mobile phone exploded with messages of support. It was overwhelming.” A prominent club were among numerous famous teams around the world to express support for the player, with the coach at the time the German manager saying: “I appreciate that he took this step because it sparks conversation.” Spanish player the athlete also offered support, posting online that “the world of football is far behind and your actions drive progress”, while Adelaide United issued a statement backing their “extraordinary” and “courageous” player. Some people, however, were not so accepting. Cavallo soon turned into a target of anti-gay remarks by opposition fans. In January 2022 a competing team were penalized five thousand dollars over discriminatory chants from spectators aimed toward the player during a match. “The comments I encountered were hurtful and disparaging towards my community,” he explains. “I remained calm because responding would encourage detractors.” A scary event occurred at a petrol station in Australia, where Cavallo was physically attacked by an individual who identified him from the media attention. “It was terrifying,” he recalls. “I remember thinking ‘this is happening - people want to harm me’. “Is it acceptable? Absolutely not. But by coming out, these are the consequences. “My wish is that the next person who reveals their orientation while playing football at a high level doesn't have to experience the journey I have endured.” The player says the daily death threats and abusive messages have affected his mental health. “It's quite sad because I am having to explain why I deserve a place on the football field for being who I am,” he states. “We don't sit straight people down and ask ‘what gives you the right in football?’. “A lot of people see me as a smiling, positive person. But there are days when I lean on my fiance, his name, and he gets to see a lot that happens behind the scenes.” ‘Top-tier athlete revealing orientation would create waves’ Cavallo's decision to reveal his sexuality helped inspire 17-year-old Blackpool forward another athlete to announce he was gay as the UK's only openly gay active male professional footballer in May 2022. Nevertheless, there are no openly gay or bisexual players in the top English division. “It would move mountains,” says Cavallo on the impact a elite athlete coming out would make. “But I'm not going to sugar-coat it. Numerous frightening aspects that would come this person's way. Within soccer culture, identifying as LGBTQ is a highly hostile environment.” Over two decades after Justin Fashanu - Britain's first openly gay male footballer - took his own life in 1998, the current athlete has discussed the “toxic masculinity” that persists in men's football. “You just need to go to a match and observe the unfriendly atmosphere and male-dominated culture that the crowd brings,” he says. “Much remains to be done to ensure there is a secure environment in football for people like myself and Jake. “We haven't seen it (more players coming out) as much as we would like. “I can only keep pushing for what I think is right, and strive for eliminating the toxic masculinity in soccer locker rooms and creating a safe space.” ‘I'm here to create change’ The athlete was awarded an honorary degree from an academic institution in his former city in 2022, honoring his efforts as a inspirational figure in athletics and a advocate for fairness The player says football has allowed him to have conversations within team environments about revealing one's orientation. Yet, he is critical of soccer's global governing body, after the Middle Eastern nation, where homosexual partnerships are illegal, hosted the men's World Cup in 2022. The 2034 tournament is scheduled in another Gulf state, where same-sex attraction is similarly prohibited. “Am I impressed that the global championship is in countries that ban gay unions, where people like me will be put in prison for just existing on that land? It's frightening,” says the athlete. “I get messages [from residents of such nations] saying ‘I face imprisonment for being who I am - is assistance possible?’. “It breaks my heart that individuals are incarcerated for their true selves. “There are countries that are huge in terms of football and they don't accept the queer community. Those are the countries that tend to target me.” Nevertheless, the footballer says he won't cease advocating. “Soccer has enabled dialogue in the changing room. It lets me communicate and inform individuals who want to learn more. “Not everyone is going to like you for who you are. But I've discovered support. I've connected with similar people. “My purpose is to create change. That's what I'm here for.”