Sport (and particularly football)  is still one of the last great bastions of homophobia (and misogyny) that ensures that the LGBTQ+ communities acceptance is often at a snail’s pace. So much so when 21-year Australian professional footballer Josh Cavallo came out as gay this week it made headlines around the world which is still hard to believe in 2021.  It’s been just two years since his fellow countryman Andy Brennan became the first-ever openly gay Australian footballer.  Now they are two of them in the whole country.

Just 20 years ago professional British footballer Justin Fashanu came out and his older brother fellow footballer John Fashanu immediately disowned him.  After the story broke and the tabloid press relentlessly pursued Fashanu he couldn’t get any Club to offer him a full-time contract. He ended up taking his own life at the age of 37. 

This week there was another (happy) story as James Adcock became the first professional Football referee to publicly come out as gay 

Adcock, 37, initially combined officiating with his job as a PE teacher. then, in 2016, he was made a full-time referee who took charge of matches in the Championship, as well as acting as a fourth official in the Premier League.

In an interview with the BBC Sport LGBTQ Podcast Adcock explained that as a child of the ’80s and ’90s, he was used to hearing the same tired stereotypes – that people who loved sport couldn’t be gay as well.

Adcock, didn’t come out until he was 27,  but it seems like he was one of the lucky ones as his experiences within the game have been nothing but positive.

“Now all my colleagues know, and it’s just the norm. And, to be honest, there’s been interest from colleagues saying, ‘I’m proud of you James, that you’re able to be openly gay in sport,’ because they know the barriers that are still in place.

Now he is looking to support others who might find themselves in a similar situation. And he hopes speaking publicly about his sexuality won’t change the way he is viewed when he next takes charge of a Football League game. so supportive – because it doesn’t matter that I am gay and involved in sport, and refereeing in the Football League.”

The last word goes to Andy Brennan who told The  Guardian I long for a day when gay footballers like me and Josh Cavallo don’t need to be so ‘brave’.  So do we Andy,  so do we.