Jake Daniels is one of only two professional football players in the UK who has come out as openly gay with the other being Justin Fashanu who came out in 1990–Jake wasn’t even born yet!
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The 19-year-old forward for the Blackpool Football Club came out two years ago in a message written on the Blackpool website:
“This season has been a fantastic one for me on the pitch. I’ve made my first-team debut, scored 30 goals for the youth team, signed my first professional contract and shared success with my team-mates, going on a great run in the FA Youth Cup and lifting the Lancashire FA Pro-Youth Cup. But off the pitch I’ve been hiding the real me and who I really am. I’ve known my whole life that I’m gay, and I now feel that I’m ready to come out and be myself.”
To Daniels’ surprise, his coming out was positively received by the public including his teammates and big names such as Elton John and The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge, the latter of which posted a heartfelt message of support:
“Football should be a game for everyone. What Jake has done takes courage and will hopefully help break down barriers that have no place in our society. I hope his decision to speak openly gives others the confidence to do the same.”
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Daniels has made a beautiful impact on a lot of people who didn’t have the courage to speak freely about who they are, and his influence is not lost on him. However, two years later, the out and proud forward for Blackpool says he doesn’t want to be known as just the “gay footballer,” telling retired professional swimmer Michael Gunning in a documentary for Sky Sports:
“People only really know me now as the gay footballer, so it’s about me now showing myself on the pitch and proving that I am a good footballer.”
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Jake’s concern about the parallels between his sexuality and career are valid. Football has been associated with hyper-masculine ideals and behaviors, which Jake believes is an unfortunate aspect of the sport; expounding on this, he says, “People think being gay means you’re weak.” So in a sport where the fans are passionate, and in unfortunate cases are verbally aggressive, Daniels fears that when their team loses, his sexuality may be weaponized against him, whether it be in the arena or through social media.
Thankfully, the young footballer has a great support system in his teammates and family members.
“I honestly thought I’d get a lot of hate, but it’s been completely different, and I’m grateful for that. My friends were the ones asking questions—they were curious, genuinely wanting to know more. They hadn’t been close to someone who was gay before, so it felt good to answer their questions, like “When did you know?” The questions have been so positive.”
The Blackpool striker initially qualified for the Tokyo Olympics back in 2020, but because of the pandemic, the games had to be postponed. Unfortunately, Daniels was not able to re-qualify, but that just gave him the additional boost he needed to come back stronger as an athlete. Jake is an amazing athlete and an even more amazing LGBTQIA+ advocate and individual. Hopefully, Jake gets even more recognized for his contributions to the sport as an athlete and as a member of the LGBTQIA+ community.
Source: Beneath the Surface | Michael Gunning Meets Jake Daniels, People