Liverpool send message of support to Blackpool starlet Jake Daniels after he comes out as gay
In a statement released by the club, Blackpool teenager Jake Daniels has openly come out as gay, and Liverpool have sent their best wishes to the trailblazer.
The 17-year-old is a product of the Tangerines’ youth academy and made his senior debut earlier this season. He came on as a sub in their recent 5-0 loss against Peterborough in the Championship and will look to build on that next season.
And he has now revealed that he is gay, with the player claiming in an official club statement relayed by his club that was hiding who he was off the pitch.
“…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.”
A big day for football
Daniels claims he had good support from friends and family up until this point and he aims to encourage more and more young people like him to be comfortable with who they are, rather than trying to change to fit in.
“There are people out there in the same space as me that may not feel comfortable revealing their sexuality. I just want to tell them that you don’t have to change who you are, or how you should be, just to fit in.”
According to the Daily Mail, he is UK’s first male professional footballer to openly come out as gay since Joshua Fashanu in 1990. And Liverpool have taken their opportunity to send their wishes to the youngster. They replied to Blackpool’s statement with a heartwarming tweet of support.
This is truly an important moment in football. Homophobia still persists in football in overt and covert ways at all levels- in the stands and in the dressing room. Just like any other sphere of life, there are still people that baselessly discriminate between people due to their sexual preferences.
Players like Jake Daniels are making a pathway for other youngsters to follow- for them to understand that they can be comfortable with who they are without having to feel ashamed about it because of the society around them.
Daniels got overwhelming support on social media but unfortunately, there are also people who would have mean things to say. It is our responsibility to stand up to them and make it known that football is for everyone. This includes making our loved ones and friends understand where they may be wrong if we see them indulge in homphobic behaviour.
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The beautiful game is nothing but a small part, and in turn, a reflection of the society we live in. It is also a globally followed sport and has the power to send messages to the farthest corners of the world. To know that our club is doing its part in this is always good to know.
The Reds take part in the rainbow laces campaign that has been initiated by the Premier League. A decade back, the Reds became the first PL club to be represented at an LGBTQIA+ event. Hence, the club isn’t just jumping on the bandwagon now but has equality embedded in the ethos of the club.
